IRAN:

ISRAEL 'IS SATAN' SAYS AHMADINEJAD

http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level_En...91205941&par=0

Tehran, 1 March (AKI) - Israel embodies Satan more than the United States, Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying by Iran's official news agency IRNA on Thursday. Ahmadinejad, who has repeatedly called for the destruction of the Jewish state, made the remarks in a speech Wednesday night to Sudanese religious leaders in Khartoum where he is visiting to promote bilateral cooperation between the two countries. Neither Iran nor Sudan recognise Israel

"Zionists are the true manifestation of Satan," Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying. He also accused "many Western governments that claim to be democracy pioneers and standard bearers of human rights of ignoring the crimes committed by Zionists and, by keeping quiet, of supporting them in their edonistic and materialistic tendencies."

Last December, the Iranian government organized an international conference of historians who deny the extermination of six million Jews during World War II.
__________________
...........................................benny

Benny and Duncdrewnoah,

About Ezekiel 38: Notice what is said about the state of Israel.

8 After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.

and,

11 And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,

and,

14 Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it?

There is no mention of a perception or illusion of "false" safety. God is saying that they "dwelleth safely" isn't he?

Is this the passage you are referring to? If so, it sure doesn't sound much like the Israel of today. Sure, they could say they're at peace, despite all of the Arabs that want to kill them, but it wouldn't be anything like the peace talked about in Ezekiel 38. Besides, I don't recall God ever delivering Israel in the O.T. while they were still trusting in a false God.

If this is the passage you're referring to, the timeframe of exactly when Ezekiel 38 is likely to occur would definitely need to be examined.

In Christ,

Mike

I feel sad. Where did God ever say to look to the heavens for signs from the sun moon and stars. It is the occult that looks at the movement of the celestial bodies, not the people of God.

There is only one such astronomical sign in the Bible and that is described in Matt 24 amongst other places.
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

This is not just an ordinary eclipse, this is a MAJOR cataclysmic event. The stars actually will fall from the sky. The entire universe will be reconfigured. It will be like God is starting to pack up the universe. When he made the universe it was described in terms of spreading / laying out the universe like a tent.
Psalm 104:2 who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:
Matt 24 is an event where God is folding back up his tent.

And notice when it occurs. It does not occur on the eve of Purim. It occurs IMMEDIATELY AFTER the great tribulation and as a SIGN of the Imminent Return of Christ.

God says that it is a wicked to consult the stars for predictions of the future. We should avoid making prognostications based on celestial events. Except for the massive unmistakable one which I have just described.

Isaiah 47:13 Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, [2] the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee. 14 Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves [3] from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it.

Dear Excubitor,....Back in 1998....A comet named Hale-Bopp, came through our solor system,that looked like something out of a hollywood movie.On a clear night it was easy for all to see.......Around the time that A newspaper article stated"That it was believed....the last time that this comet pass our solar system,was from during the days of Noah....according to what the astrologists were stating'....Now for the rest of the story....As paul Harvey would say(smiling)................One day I was watching Perry Stone on tv...a he spoke about a jewish historical book called the succoth that is written in hebrew.....He pointed out that each hebrew alphabet had a numerical value.......In this jewish historical book, it gave an account that a comet did pass thru during the days of Noah. In this book were written the words"Days of Noah"......They added the numerical alphebetical value to "Days of Noah"....It added to 1558.............Then they went to the book of Genesis......Starting from Adam....So and So, begat So and So.....All the way up to the time of Noah.....The years added to 1558..............But also written in this book were the words.."Day Of Noah's Rest".....The hebrew alphebetical numerical value to those words added to 1998.....The year that Hale-Bopp once again pased through our solor system.................Long before one could see Hale-Bopp with the naked eye......The first day that the astrologists spotted Hale-Bopp was on May 14,1948......The day that Israel declared herself a nation......It was prophecied, that Israel would become a nation born in one day.......And so it happened!.....................When the Lord Jesus spoke about the sighs of His comming........He stated,that there would be signs from the heavens......And He stated that it shall be, as in the Days Of Noah...........It's called the gift of discernment..........Satan was a liar from the beginning.....he takes the truth, and twists it to deceive,...such as in astrology....deceiving people through horroscopes that many read in thier local newspaper......But Excubitor,....the heavens that our Lord created reveals His Glory........Not only this,..It also Tells His Story.....You see,...In truth, Virgo represents the virgin Mary....In truth, Gemini the twins represents the two wittnesses spoken of in the book of Revelation...In truth,...Leo the lion represents The lion of Judah...In truth, drago the dragon represents satan being cast out of heaven......I was a merchant seaman at age 16 years of age....near the equator, there is a group of stars that can only be seen by the equator...these stars are very beautiful and destinct, they stand out all by themselves....In the world encyclopedia, they are called..the southern cross....but in truth, they represent the Cross Of Calvary.......Man is without excuse to denie that our Lord is not the Son of God...........Duncdrewnoah, pointed out a topic that was interesting.....Does he necessarily hold that it means something?...The answer is no......But he does not discount it either....If there is anything to it....we will all find out soon enough!.......................................benny

Dear Bonomike,.....8 After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.
............Israel was brought back from the sword of world war two.....An interesting note;...satan tried to destroy God's plans during the time of Noah,by polluting man,but he was not able to deceive Noah and his family....satan figured that if he could pollute all mankind, the prophecies of God could not come to pass.....Yet satan tried again thru hitler, into wiping out every jew on the face of the earth....once again, trying to stop the prophecies of God coming to pass.....And now, satan is trying again thru russia and the islamic nations..........................................................................14 Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it?

I remember many years ago,My dad said,.."Those people have always been fighting over there in the middle east.....And I said to him...Yes sir, but when there is a time of peace, will you not know it.....The Word of God does say that when they cry peace and safty, then sudden destruction will come. Bonomike,...there are scriptures that have double time settings.....something to keep in mind............Ezekial 38 reveals that when Israel is Dwelling safely,..It is then and only then when the Ezekial 38 war begins....I would call that a false peace in a sense...............benny

GOV/MIL - Israel is losing patience with Iran

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www.chinaview.cn 2007-03-01 00:54:53

JERUSALEM, Feb. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli government vowed Wednesday that it is doing more than any other government to deal with Iran's nuclear issue and is able to face the Iranian threat alone, local daily Jerusalem Post reported.

Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Avigdor Lieberman, who is also the chairman of the right-leaning party Israel Our Home, made the remarks to the members of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, said the report.

"If Iran manages to attain nuclear capabilities, the entire region will enter a mad race to achieve similar capacities," Lieberman was quoted as saying.

"I don't want to think about the implications of that, because the situation will be out of control," he said, calling for the international community to unite to halt Iran from obtaining nuclear capabilities.

Iran said Monday it has earmarked 1.4 billion U.S. dollars for construction of nuclear power plants amid international pressure to abandon its nuclear program.
...........................................benny

Mar. 1, 2007 23:43 | Updated Mar. 2, 2007 2:43
Syria ups army infrastructure on border
By YAAKOV KATZ



Talkbacks for this article: 21

Syria has spent the past few months constructing and moving infrastructure to its southern border that could be used to launch a war against Israel, senior defense officials have told The Jerusalem Post.

According to the officials, the Syrian military - while restricted in the number of troops it is allowed to deploy along the border - has moved military infrastructure, including fuel depots, closer to the frontier. The Syrians have also built structures in the area that could serve as weapons stores and military bases.

"There is no doubt that something out of the ordinary is taking place on the Syrian side of the border," a high-ranking official said.

The IDF and Syria raised their levels of alert along the Golan Heights during the second Lebanon war last summer. The IDF has noted a reinforcement of forces on the Syrian side but the meaning of the move is unclear. Some security officials believe Syria is preparing to initiate a war. Others believe that President Bashar Assad is concerned that Syria will be attacked by Israel as Lebanon was last summer, and that the beefing-up of forces is a defensive measure.

The commander of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), deployed in Israel and Syria and responsible for maintaining the cease-fire between the two countries, told the Post in an interview that he had not noticed any military changes on the ground.

"From our point of view the situation is quiet and there is no indication from our side that anything has changed in last weeks or months," Maj.-Gen. Wolfgang Jilke said in a phone interview from Syria. UNDOF conducts weekly inspections of the demilitarized zones on the Israeli and Syrian sides of the Golan Heights.

The IDF, however, is not taking any chances, gathering intelligence on Syria on a daily basis using some of the most advanced technology means in existence.

Meanwhile, the Post has learned that the IDF has drastically reduced the number of flights it is conducting over Lebanon. The flights are used to collect intelligence on Hizbullah in southern Lebanon.

According to defense sources, in the months immediately following last summer's war, the IDF conducted nonstop overflights in an effort to closely follow Hizbullah's rearmament attempts. In the past few weeks, however, the IDF has reduced the number of flights and sometimes several days pass without Israeli aircraft penetrating Lebanese airspace.
...........................................benny

Thursday, March 01, 2007
AHMADINEJAD IN SUDAN TO FORGE MILITARY, ECONOMIC ALLIANCE



Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is in Khartoum on a two-day state visit to forge a military and economic alliance between Iran and Sudan, to denounce Israeli Jews as children of the Devil and to denounce the United States for trying to plant "seeds of sectarian discord" throughout Iraq and the Middle East...."Zionists are the true manifestation of Satan," Ahmadinejad told a meeting of Islamic scholars....the Iranian leader also told the people of Sudan: "There is no place in the world that suffers from divisions and wars unless America or the Zionists' fingerprints are seen there."....Ahmadinejad met with Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir "to hold wide-ranging talks aimed at increasing bilateral cooperation in agriculture and industry that should culminate Thursday with the signing of a package of agreements," reports Agence France Presse...."Iran has also offered its expertise in the oil industry, an area currently dominated by China, India and Malaysia," but the "issue that has also been at the heart of Iran-Sudan ties is military cooperation, with Sudanese Defence Minister Abdel Rahim Mohammed Hussein having visited Iran three times over the past year."....Ahmadinejad also made known his opposition to U.N. peacekeeping forces being positioned in Sudan to end the genocide underway in the Darfur region and elsewhere...."Iran -- together with China, whose President Hu Jintao visited Khartoum earlier this month -- is a key ally of Beshir's regime and spoken out against plans for a UN deployment in Darfur," reports AFP....It's bad enough, of course, that two radical Islamic countries are forging ever stronger ties in their jihad against Judeo-Christian civilization....but what is particularly curious about the emergence of an even stronger Iran-Sudan alliance this week is that it was foretold 2,500 years ago by the Hebrew Prophet Ezekiel in chapters 38 and 39....Ezekiel 38:5 tells us that "Persia" and a people group known as "Cush" will be allies with Russia and a group of other Middle Eastern countries in an effort to destroy Israel in what Bible scholars refer to as the "War of Gog and Magog"....until 1935, Persia was the official, legal name of the country we now know as Iran....and "Cush" is the upper Nile region that today is Sudan and Ethiopia....for more on Russia's ties with Sudan and Iran, see Chapter 9 of Epicenter....one other interesting note: right after the Hebrew prophet describes this "War of Gog and Magog" in Ezekiel 38-39, he goes on to describe the rebuilt Jewish Temple in Jerusalem in Ezekiel 40-48......................................benny

Iran, Sudan close ranks in face of Western pressure
POSTED: 6:49 a.m. EST, March 1, 2007
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KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) -- Leaders of two nations faced with strong international pressure -- Iran for its nuclear program and Sudan because of the conflict in Darfur -- closed ranks as Sudan's Omar al-Bashir and visiting Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran gushed in support of one another.

"Enemies try by force to prevent Sudan from emerging powerful in the region, as they do in Iran's case," Ahmadinejad declared on Wednesday after arriving in Khartoum.

The Persian nation's president said Iran considers "progress, dignity and power of Sudan" as important as its own, and "extends ideological support" to the country, Iran's state IRNA news agency reported.

"There is no limit to the expansion of relations with Sudan," said Ahmadinejad, announcing a "new chapter" in oil, energy, industry and agriculture sectors between the two countries.

Meanwhile, Sudan's President al-Bashir said Iran was within its "absolute right" to pursue a nuclear program -- which is condemned by the U.N. Security Council and the United States, worried that Tehran is using it to mask efforts to create nuclear weapons.

"Attempts by some countries that possess lethal nuclear weapons to frustrate Iran's right in using nuclear energy for peaceful purposes reflect double standards that dominate the international scene," al-Bashir said.

Those same countries "turn a blind eye on Israel's nuclear arsenal and are incapable of forcing it to relinquish its arms so that the Middle East could be a nuclear-free zone," al-Bashir added. Israel, which is believed to possess nuclear weapons of its own but has never publicly acknowledged it, considers a nuclear armed Iran as the greatest threat to its existence.

Ahmadinejad's visit to Sudan comes a day after the International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor accused a junior member of al-Bashir's Cabinet of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur.

During his two-day visit, Ahmadinejad will deliver a lecture at a private institution in Khartoum and witness the signing of several bilateral agreements, according to Sudan's Information Ministry.

Sudanese state SUNA news agency said the visit would promote "cooperation in defense relations, the exchange of expertise and scientific and technological capabilities."

Iranian ambassador in Khartoum, Ridha Amiri, said the trade volume between the two countries is expected to jump from $43 million to about $70 million.

During Ahmadinejad's visit, Sudanese defense minister, Gen. Abdul Rahim Hussein said that "both Sudan and Iran are being subjected to similar international challenges, particularly from the Untied States in its attempt to rearrange the Middle East."

For his part, Ahmadinejad said "foreign presence" -- shorthand for U.S. troops -- is the root cause of problems in Iraq. "Today, continued occupation has added to insecurity and problems in Iraq," he said, and urged the "occupiers of the country" to revise their policies.

Ahmadinejad said that preserving the "legal government, territorial integrity and national unity in Iraq is the key to resolving the country's problems."

The U.S. has accused Iran of helping support Shiite militants in Iraq, but Ahmadinejad hurled accusations back on Wednesday, saying the "occupiers" want to prevent Shiites, Sunnis, Kurds and other ethnic groups in Iraq from living peacefully together.

................................................benny

Rapture Imminent


GET RIGHT… OR GET LEFT!
I say this with conviction.
This world doesn't have much time left…
Don't scoff at this prediction.
Matthew twenty four outlines the coming season.
JESUS tells us, what will be ...
HE told us, for a reason.


You may think that this is a warning ...
and it certainly "is".
But I didn't make this stuff up...
The warnings in the book are HIS.
JESUS said there would be wars...
famines...and pestilences.
All of these are happening "now"
and reducing numbered census.


HE told us earthquakes would increase
and they would be in "diverse" places.
We hear about them every day...
at ever quickening paces.
There are other dire predictions
In that chapter CHRIST has stated.
I doubt that you... could read them all,
and then... not be... persuaded.


CHRIST said when you see "ALL" these things take place together,
that the time is "Not Yet."
HE said it is the beginning of sorrows.
But the end is near... you can bet.





So take a look around you, then read what's written here.
There's soon to be an end of things...
of all things we hold dear.
These words you read, you may have doubt...
and think that "you" don't need it.
But I assure you, by HIS word…
You really ought to "heed it".


It's difficult to convey GOD's words
about this troubled time...
and correlate HIS perfect WORD
into some type of rhyme.
The whole of this is to "encourage"
…the "point"... is that we care.
Just how much time... till it occurs...
there's no one "here" aware.


HE offers you salvation...
I hope this poem speaks "TO" you.
Don't put it off... and hear those words...
"DEPART ... I NEVER KNEW YOU."


...........................................benny

Chief of ex-Soviet military pact warns U.S. against striking Iran

The Associated PressPublished
March 1, 2007
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/...istan-Iran.php

DUSHANBE, Tajikistan: The Russian head of a military pact including several ex-Soviet nations warned the United States on Thursday not to use force against Iran, saying a military strike would not succeed in stopping Iran's nuclear program but would destabilize the region.

The warning from Nikolai Bordyuzha, secretary general of the six-nation Collective Security Treaty, follows statements by other Russian officials who voiced concern about a U.S. military buildup in the Persian Gulf and warned the United States against using force.

"Strikes against Iran won't have any significant influence on its nuclear program," Bordyuzha said, adding that U.S. military action against Iran would upset stability in the volatile Central Asian region.

"It's easy to give orders to strike, ... but it's very difficult to reach peace afterward," Bordyuzha said. "The most graphic example is Afghanistan."

Russia repeatedly has spoken out against turning to military action to solve the dispute over Iran's nuclear program, and has warned that overly harsh punishment would be counterproductive.

In December, Russia supported a U.N. Security Council resolution imposing limited sanctions against Iran over its refusal to stop uranium enrichment. But the support came only after an initial proposal that would have imposed curbs on the nuclear power plant Russia is building in Iran was dropped.

Bordyuzha, speaking Thursday after meeting with Tajik President Emomali Rakhmonov, also criticized the planned deployment of U.S. missile defense sites and other military facilities in central and eastern Europe as part of a "general plan" directed against Russia and its allies in the security pact. The pact includes Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin said Moscow didn't trust U.S. claims that the planned missile defense elements in Europe were intended to counter the Iranian missile threat and has threatened to retaliate.
.........................................benny

Mar. 2, 2007 10:30 | Updated Mar. 2, 2007 11:54
J'lem slams Russian decision to supply weapons to Syria
By JPOST.COM STAFF



Talkbacks for this article: 11

Jerusalem aimed harsh criticism at Russia on Friday for its decision to supply Syria with advanced missiles, including anti-aircraft missiles and new anti-tank missiles that can penetrate Western-made tanks.

Senior Israeli officials expressed concerns that the arms would be transferred to Hizbullah, warning that missiles that were supplied to Syria in the past got into the hands of the group and were used against IDF tanks during the summer's war in Lebanon.

Vice Premier Shimon Peres said that the supply of arms to Syria "encouraged Damascus to turn to war."

"Syria is moving between peace overtures and its temptations to go to war to which arms supply is an incentive," added Peres.

The vice premier went on to say that the UN had admitted that the weapons flow from Syria to Hizbullah was continuing, adding that Israel needed to exert pressure on Moscow to stop supplying Damascus with arms.

MK Silvan Shalom (Likud) said that Russian President Vladimir Putin had "seemingly decided to restore Russia's Soviet-Empire status," adding that the Russian president was "playing with fire."

Shalom told Israel Radio that Damascus had already paid all its dues to Russia in the form of money Moscow had received from Iran.
..........................................benny

If Iran gets the bomb

By Caroline B. Glick








http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | With the Bush administration now happily basking in the glory of positive coverage in The New York Times and enjoying the warm embrace of the James Baker/Brent Scowcroft wing of the Republican Party, it is hard to imagine that it will reconsider its decision to abandon the Bush Doctrine. That doctrine, named after President George W. Bush and most forcefully enunciated by him, eschewed appeasement of terror supporting, weapons of mass destruction proliferating enemies of the free world.

Today, what Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice refers to as a "diplomatic initiative" aimed at appeasing terror supporting, and weapons of mass destruction proliferating Iran, and its terror supporting, and weapons of mass destruction proliferating Syrian colony is about to take off in Baghdad. So too, this week the US began normalizing its relations with the terror supporting, weapons of mass destruction proliferating Stalinist dictatorship in Pyongyang.

Bush's traditional opponents are beside themselves with glee.

With regard to North Korea, these opponents are quick to note that there has always been great uncertainty about the level to which Kim Jung Il has advanced in his illicit uranium enrichment program. With regard to Iran, in an interview with the Times, former congressman Lee Hamilton warned that the Bush administration had better not think that the negotiations with the mullahs will lead anywhere quickly.

As the co-chairman of the Baker-Hamilton Iraq Study Group which last November called for the president to appease Teheran and Damascus by forcing Israel to surrender the Golan Heights and Judea and Samaria explained, negotiations with the mullahs have to be open ended. In his words, "You can't expect miracles here. There has to be a sustained effort. Successful diplomacy requires very careful preparation and very extensive follow-through."

For his part, Hamilton's partner, former secretary of state James Baker ecstatically declared on Tuesday night, "America must be prepared to talk to our enemies."

What is lacking from both the media's reportage of the Bush administration's strategic about-face, and the administration's traditional detractors' praise for that sudden turn is an analysis of the likely downside of appeasing the mullahs. For instance, on Wednesday the Times ran a report on North Korea under the heading, "US Concedes Uncertainty on North Korean Uranium Effort."

The thrust of the article, which was based on interviews with administration sources, was that while North Korea's commitment to acquire nuclear weapons has never been in doubt, at no time has the US had certain knowledge of its actual capabilities. In light of the uncertainty relating to Pyongyang's capabilities, the Bush administration was wrong, — the Times' sources clucked — to have confronted it over its intentions.

By the same token, those who applaud the administration's decision to engage the nuclear weapons-seeking mullahs in Teheran argue that the administration would be wrong to confront Teheran for its stated intention to "wipe Israel off the map," and to bring about "a world without America," since US intelligence services are incapable of bringing unequivocal information regarding the state of Iran's nuclear weapons program.

Clearly there is something wrong with this analysis. If what is not in doubt is Iran's commitment to acquiring nuclear weapons, rather than base its policies on a best-case-scenario regarding Teheran's unknown capabilities, the US and its allies should be basing their policies on a calculation of the risks a nuclear armed Iran would constitute for global security.

Broadly speaking there are three possible scenarios of how Iran would likely behave were it to become a nuclear power. In the most optimistic scenario, Iran would not attack Israel or any other country with its atomic arsenal, but would rather use it as an instrument of international and regional influence. In this scenario, Iran would reap economic advantage from its nuclear status by threatening oil shipping in the Persian Gulf and so jack up worldwide oil and gas prices. A massive economic dislocation in the oil consuming countries would no doubt ensue. In this state of affairs, all international economic sanctions against Iran would disappear and states would begin fighting with one another for the right to develop Iran's oil and gas fields and refining capabilities.

Operating under Iran's nuclear umbrella, terror groups like Hizbullah and Al Qaida would feel free to attack at will throughout the world. The rates of terrorism - of both the organized and lone wolf variety — would increase exponentially throughout the world.

Regionally, Iran would work to export its Khomeinist Shiite revolution. It would increase its interference in both Iraq and Afghanistan and so neutralize and defeat coalition and NATO efforts to stabilize those countries.

As to Saudi Arabia, there can be little doubt that Iran would seek to foment an uprising of Saudi Shiites who happen to live as a repressed minority on top of the Saudi oil fields.

Hizbullah's aim to overthrow the Siniora government in Lebanon would receive unprecedented Iranian assistance that would likely lead to the Shiite takeover of the country. So too, under the Iranian nuclear umbrella, Palestinian terrorism against Israel, and Syrian adventurism against Israel would rise steeply. The regimes in Egypt and Jordan as well as Saudi Arabia would be sunk into chaos, insurgency and war as they themselves entered a nuclear arms race the likes of which the world has never seen.

In a moderate scenario, not only would all the events that would likely occur in a best-case scenario occur. Iran would also make indirect use of its nuclear arsenal. In this case, Iran would likely use one of its existing terror proxies in the Sinai, Gaza or Lebanon, or invent a new terror group in one or all of these areas. Iran would transfer one or more nuclear weapons to its terror group of choice, which would then attack Israel and cause the second Holocaust in seventy years. Iran would deny any connection to the attack although it would reap high praise on its perpetrators.

While Iran's leaders from Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on down have expressed a willingness to endure an Israeli nuclear second-strike, judging from the way in which the Western policy elites are treating Iran today, the Iranians can have every expectation that there is every reason for the Iranians that they can wipe Israel off the map and pay no price for their aggression either from a destroyed Israel or from the US.

The New York Times and its counterparts will likely note that there is no absolute certainty that Iran was behind the attack. Even the skimpiest Iranian denials or vague allegations against countries like Pakistan or Russia or "rogue" scientists from the former Soviet Union or Pakistan will likely be seized upon as a justification for not responding to the attack.

Israel, it will be said, had it coming anyway, because it refused to negotiate with the "militants" from Hamas, preferring instead to maintain its "occupation" of the Golan Heights and Jerusalem.

In the worst case scenario, not only would Iran implement the best case and the moderate case scenario. It would also widen its network of allies while neutralizing its competitors in the Muslim world in order to expand its exportation of the Khomeinist revolution worldwide. All this it would do in an effort to achieve its longstanding aim of destroying America. Here the Iranians would be operating under the reasonable assumption that Europe will be neutral in the conflict, and Russia and China would likely support them against the US — at least covertly.

In this scenario, the Iranians would strengthen their alliances with America-haters in Latin America like Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez, Nicaraguan president Daniel Ortega and Cuban dictator Fidel Castro or his heirs. It could openly supply these countries with nuclear bombs or strengthen Hizbullah's foothold in South and North America. In the latter case, Iran could transfer nuclear weapons and delivery systems to its terror proxies and use these networks which include Hizbullah cells that are already active in the US to attack the US.

Most brazenly, Iran could collaborate with its ally North Korea in developing intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of attacking US cities with nuclear weapons launched from Iran. At the same time, given the US's large nuclear arsenal and ICBM capabilities, it is less likely that the Iranians would attack the US directly.

In light of this analysis it seems that in spite of the praise it is reaping from the policy jet-set, the Bush administration would do well to reexamine its new policy towards Iran. It should accept their criticism and revert to basing its policy toward the nuclear proliferating, terror-supporting rogue state on what is known rather than on what is unknown.

Since Iran not only wants nuclear weapons, but has an active nuclear weapons program, the question that should be guiding policymakers is not whether Iran should be negotiated with, but rather, whether the US is willing to accept any of the likely scenarios of what will transpire if Iran does in fact acquire nuclear weapons. If the US is not willing to accept any of those scenarios, then it should be asking itself what must be done to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear power.

While Europe may be willing to sit on the sidelines of this fight, just as it sat on the sidelines of the Cold War, and did little to prevent the Nazi conquest of the continent in World War II, Israel has no such luxury. In light of this, it is deeply disturbing that this week the Olmert-Livni-Peretz government reacted to the US move towards appeasement by claiming that it will have no impact on Israel. Rather than trying to gloss over the dangers, Israel should be actively engaging the many forces in Washington and elsewhere who understand the dangers of a nuclear armed Iran.

Together we should be working tirelessly to ratchet up support for a policy based on the understanding that the world cannot abide by a nuclear armed Iran.

...........................................benny

benny said it better than I can...but God said the stars and planets etc were created for signs and wonders...He gave Hezekiah a sign by backing the sun up...look at the forshowding here:1986, haleys comet comes...several months later=chernobyl happens...chernobyl means wormwood..revelation tells us a comet named (or asteriod) wormwood will hit and poison the waters of the earth....haleys comet was a warning...

no one can deny that God deals with Israel in 70's....He even told daniel that 70 7's were determined on Jersusalem....I dont think anything will happen this Purim or this may (14th) but it might, and at the least, we can see the warning and that God is in control of space and time...

JERUSALEM-BRUSSELS (EJP)--- Israel is examining the idea of upgrading its relations with the European Union and gaining the status of Norway and Switzerland, which although not members of the EU have free passage for people, capital and merchandise between them and the rest of the EU countries.

The EU-Israel Association Council, the ministerial body which monitors the EU-Israel relations in the framework of the Association Agreement, is to meet next Monday in Brussels in the presence of Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni.

The EU side will be chaired by German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

Close ties


The EU-Israel Association Agreement, signed in 1995, included in its preamble a declaration that the European Union, the member states and Israel are interested in promoting the integration of Israel’s economy into the European economy.

The Agreement underwent a ratification process between 1996-2000, and entered into force in 2000.

The Association Agreement established two main bodies for the EU-Israel dialogue. The EU-Israel Association Council at ministerial level and the EU-Israel Association Committee at the level of senior officials which meet at regular intervals, to discuss political and economic issues as well as bilateral or regional cooperation.

An Israeli inter-ministerial group has met recently in Jerusalem to discuss upgrading the relations with the EU. Many organs of the Israeli government along with the Israeli National Security Council, academics and NGO’s are working towards a proposal that will be presented at the Brussels meeting.

"We are looking into several options to find the best way to improve our relations with the EU," a senior foreign ministry official has said.

"It will require authorization of all the government ministries."

According to a recent survey by a German political foundation, 75 percent of Israelis woul like to join the EU.

Existing framework

Although Switzerland rejected joining the EU and the agreement on the European Economic Area by public referenda, it still retains very close links with EU.

There are agreements of free trade and free movement of peoples between the EU and Switzerland. Norway also has similar agreements with the EU, making its ties very close to the EU.

Although many see the risks to these two nations by being outside of the EU, Israel harbours no such ideas and would be happy with this status.

The EU is Israel’s main trading partner. More than 30 percent of Israel’s exports are to the EU and 40% of its imports come from the EU.

One organisation that Israel could seek to join is the European Economic Area (EEA) which comprises the 27 EU states as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

European Neighbourhood Policy

Monday’s EU-Israel bilateral discussions will also focus on the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) framework under which the EU offers its neighbours a privileged relationship that brings advantages to both sides.

The European Commission has proposed to promote the ENP policy in order to strengthen political, trade, economic and human rights agreements between the EU and nearby countries, including Israel.

The proposals include, among others, the possibility of opening EU programs and agencies to Israeli participation.

On a visit in Israel earlier this week, External Relations European Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner stressed that EU-Israel relations "have moved into a warmer era".

She however added that Israel’s "indecisiveness" toward the European Union is clouding the future of bilateral relations.

"We strongly sense that Israel has not yet made up its mind how to work with us, not surprising given the EU’s complexity and its multifaceted identity," she said in a speech at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

She said the EU is interested in deepening its economic ties with Israel, developing stronger cooperation on energy and transportation issues and increasing the exchanges between business people, academics, local authorities, artists and young people.

At their Brussels meeting, EU foreign ministers will also discuss with their Israeli counterpart the latest developments in the Middle East peace process, especially the upcoming formation of a Palestinian unity government, as well as other regional developments such as the Iranian nuclear programme.



...........................................benny

Fri, Mar. 02, 2007

AN IRANIAN MISADVENTURE

ATTACK SHOULDN'T BE INEVITABLE — AND WOULDN'T BE PRODUCTIVE

http://www.timesleader.com/mld/times...n/16820245.htm

DESPITE THE protests of the White House that it has absolutely no plans to go to war with Iran, several sources, including Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Seymour Hersh, are now saying such plans are being finalized.

With intelligence showing that Iran is nowhere near developing a nuclear weapon, the White House has seized on an alternate rationale for war with Iran - that it is involved with the death of our forces in Iraq, and that threat must be met.

To be sure, Iran has reached its long arm into the Iraqi civil war, and weapons made in Iran have been used by Shia insurgents and the Mahdi Army, which is closely aligned with Iran. The question is whether launching a nuclear war against Iran is the proper response, or is there another way.

Yes, nuclear war. According to all reports, part of a U.S. offensive against Iran would be the use of so-called "bunker-buster" nuclear weapons, which have the ability to unleash a nuclear blast beneath the ground. These bombs would be used to destroy or cripple the Iranian nuclear program, which is likely buried far below ground, protected from conventional bombs.

Even Vice President Dick Cheney doesn't deny this is part of the plans. In Australia last week, he said of reports that the U.S. might launch these types of strikes, "All options are on the table."

The obvious question is how dropping nuclear weapons on Iranian facilities solves the problem of the Iranians' supplying arms to insurgents in Iraq? In short, it doesn't.

In fact, a strike on Iran would likely increase violence by its allies in Iraq against our troops. The Shia insurgents and Mahdi Army, which have largely been inactive while they have replenished and rebuilt after the U.S. offensive against them in 2004, would be unleashed by Iran.

Even the troop increase in western Iraq that the president is implementing wouldn't be enough to handle the Iranian-backed uprising. Remember, it's designed to be just enough to handle the active insurgents, not new ones. We would likely see a huge spike in U.S. deaths, as both Sunni and Shia insurgents concentrate their attacks.

Perhaps in response to reports that the decision to go to war already has been made, the White House announced this week that it would take part in a roundtable discussion, organized by Iraq, that would include representatives from Syria and Iran.

This is a positive first step. During the course of these talks, the United States can learn what economic, political and diplomatic leverage we have over the Iranians, and how it could be used to encourage their exit from Iraq. This first step must be followed with more shuttle diplomacy in the region, so we can learn more about the Iranian threat and any means we can use short of nuclear war. In late 2002, the White House merely went through the motions of diplomacy with Iraq, but the decision to go to war already had been made. For the sake of our forces in the region, and the long-term stability there, the president must not make that mistake again with Iran.
.........................................benny

IRAN:

THE TIDE IS TURNING, WARNS ISRAELI SECURITY CHIEF

http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level_En...91251397&par=0

Jerusalem, 1 March (AKI) - (by Giovanni del Re) - In recent months Iran has seen its political influence and its popularity in the region growing, but now this is beginning to wane as other 'moderate' Muslim nations are flexing their political muscles.

This analysis comes from Daniel Kutner, who heads the office of strategic and economic affairs of the Israeli foreign ministry, an office which provides analysis for the fearsome Israeli secret service, Mossad. In an interview with Adnkronos International (AKI), Kutner explains that Iran is obviously among Israel's biggest worries and the biggest existential threat for the Jewish state.

The Israeli intelligence services estimate that by year's end Iran will have resolved the issues relating to the functioning of the more than 3,000 centrifuges already activated, with the aim of producing the enriched uranium needed to make a nuclear weapon. If it did so, would it attack Israel? "Who knows," responds Kutner, "but the fact is that we Israelis cannot allow ourselves to take the risk. In any case the dangerous mix of an extremist ideology, long range missiles able to reach Israel and the development of nuclear capability is enough to make us very, very nervous," he added.

However "if military action was required, Israel whether it takes part directly or not, would pay a very high price." For this reason Israel is closely watching the evolution of events in the region, in particular the stand off between Tehran and Western nations – led by the US – over its nuclear programme.

"Last year we saw a revival of the revolutionary zeal and the influence of Iran, with the activism of president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the invective against Israel, the nuclear question. But also with other phenomena which are of great concern for us, like the action of Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iranian support for Hamas."

According to Kutner, the Israeli-Lebanese conflict of last July and August "led Hezbollah to present itself to the man on the street in the Arab world as victorious" while "in the Palestinian Authority, attempts to bring down Hamas, which has very close ties with Iran, failed."

But in his analysis it was just this crescendo of Iranian influence that worried part of the Arab world, in particular "the countries of the status quo," Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates. "These countires have been consulting one another very closely, forming a sort of alliance with an unusual leadership role for the Saudis, who are now much more diplomatically active under king Adullah."

The creation of this "alliance" has, in Kutner's view, been helped by two factors. The first was the execution of Saddam Hussein, and above all the way in which it was carried out and made public. "This provoked the wrath of the Sunni Arab world rather than against the Americans against the Shiites [who are the majority in Iraq where the government is Shiite-led] and the Iranians considered their sponsors," he noted.

The second factor is Tehran's nuclear programme, which it maintains is for purely peaceful civilian purposes but on which it has failed to provide transparency and guarantees to the UN's international atomic watchdog.

These two issues, he argues, have "strongly reduced support for the organisations backed by Tehran, first and foremost Hezbollah and Hamas."

The proof of this, he says, is that Hezbollah, despite massive street demonstrations and shows of strength, has failed to bring down the Lebanese government led by Fouad Siniora. "It is a political defeat which has undermined its legendary status," he added.

Even Hamas has failed to get the upper hand over Fatah in what comes close to a civil war in the Palestinian territories, and had to accept the Mecca accords, mediated by the Saudi royal family, on the formation of a national unity government.

Kutner is wary about drawing future scenarios, based on the emerging resistance to Iran within the Arab world. "What is certain is that the four Arab countries are not willing to accept a consolidation of Iran as a regional power," to the extent that they look with favour on the hardening of Washington's position towards Tehran.

Any alliance with Israel is of course out of the question, Kutner emphasises, "but we are working in parallel."

But if there was an eventual American military intevention in Iran, would these Arab nations form a "coalition" with the US? "I would rather hope that an intervention was not required, we still hope in a diplomatic solution," he concluded.
__________________
.............................................benny

By .......herb peters............................................................................Sensing the Change
Are you sensing the change? I sure am. Consider Washington's surprise decision to talk with Iran and Syria Read about it here I And here. It appears that this meeting is part of a much broader, geo-political strategy game. For example, take a look at these two -- probably related -- news reports Read about it here I And here.

The international game board is complicated. However, there are patters for us to perceive -- especially if we accurately understand the end-time prophecies. It's my view that, based on the prophecies and the facts before us, the Middle East may soon enter into a short period of false peace. If so, when the peace ends, our world could experience unprecedented destruction. And while the destruction is occurring, we people of God could be the target of a globally waged religious war -- a war against both body and spirit.

Have you noticed all the natural disasters we have been experiencing? Yesterday we had another in Alabama that killed at least 19. Many deaths were caused by a direct hit by a tornado on -- of all places -- a high school filled with teachers and kids Read about it here.

If you are a regular at FP, you are aware that I usually don't pay too much attention to natural disasters. I prefer instead to follow the clear, geo-political elements of prophecy -- things that in my book I call, "road signs" Read about it here. You will also seldom find me discussing dreams. But, that doesn't mean I don't have them. Since I mentioned a natural disaster, and since at the time of writing my internet is down and I can't check the news, I might as well share a dream I had last night too.

In my dream I was in a small outbuilding -- the type found on a farm. The room was so bare that I felt fortunate to have electricity. A screen of some kind had been placed on the wall and a few old chairs of various kinds were gathered around. It became obvious why I was there. It was to give my powerpoint presentations. It also became obvious that, once again, there would be very few attending.

Before starting my presentation, I decided to find a rest room. Having none in the small building I was in, I walked next door to a huge metal farm building. As I reached the large doorway, the owner of the farm approached. It turned out to be a relative -- someone who shared with me the same long religious tradition. I told him about my presentation. I said the prophecies that we have long believed in are finally coming to pass. I invited him to drop in and see. He told me he had something to do that evening. I explained that it was a series, he could drop by tomorrow evening or the next. He said he would be busy then too. That's when I woke up.

Friends, Jesus tasked us all to take His gospel to the nations. And the way it looks, we don't have much time left. The most tragic part to this situation is, neither do those have time to whom Jesus wants us to reach. We need to put down our minor doctrinal differences and get to work. If you don't know how, just ask Jesus. Believe me, He will answer that request (John 15:16). In fact, my book and FP are an answer to such a prayer.

You too may not believe in all the things that I've been reporting. But, I bet you're still sensing the change.

It's time to commit. It's time to work.

..................................................benny

Excubitor,



Right here, when God made stars: Genesis 1:14
And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:



And also BEFORE the day of the Lord: Joel 2:31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD come.

Acts 2:20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come:



These people in the above verse were not acknowledging the God of the universe, nor were they merely observing the signs that God placed in the skies to show his amazing, calculated order to the universe and the events of mankind. Yes, it is indeed wrong to live one's life by trying to figure out what every day will hold, or whether one will be successful or not, or how long one's life will be (recall palm reading?), or anything else like that where we try to usurp the sovereign authority of God.

Here's a simple example: Remember when the wise men followed Jesus' star and knew not only when he was born, but where? Who warned the wise men not to return home via Herod's abode?

Here's the verse: Matthew 2:12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

God had showed the world the sign of Jesus' star. He spoke to the wise men in a dream. Obviously, the religious folk of the day weren't being very observant (watchful), otherwise there would have been a whole crowd in the stable that night. Don't you think?

Briefly...There's not a need to explain the difference between astronomy and astrology, I know, so I won't.

You may find this article interesting: http://www.sonstoglory.com/Revelation12starSignBirth.htm

Granted, this total lunar eclipse on the eve of Purim may be just that--an eclipse. It's the times we live in (morning of 7th 1000 year/day, morning of 3rd 1000 year/day since creation and Jesus, respectively), and all of the happenings in the Middle East with many nations shouting death to Israel that make this event on the eve of Purim particularly noteworthy.

The Heavens truly do declare the glory of God. They're not to be worshipped, but looked at as a declaration of God's glory.

In Christ,

Mike

=




02 Mar 2007

Israel 'wants to hit Iran'

http://www.jewishtelegraph.co.uk/world_3.html

ISRAEL has asked the United States for permission to fly over Iraq on the way to attacking Iran's nuclear facilities, a British newspaper has reported.

The Jewish state plans to conduct surgical air strikes against Iran's nuclear facilities, said the Daily Telegraph.

The newspaper quoted a senior Israeli defence official as saying that negotiations are underway between the two countries for the US-led coalition in Iraq to provide an "air corridor" for Israeli planes.

It would be used in the event of the Knesset deciding on unilateral military action to prevent Tehran developing nuclear weapons.

"We are planning for every eventuality and sorting out issues such as these are crucially important," said the defence official.

He added that the only way to get to Iran would be to fly through US-controlled air space.

"If we don't sort these issues out now we could have a situation where American and Israeli war planes start shooting at each other," the official is quoted as saying.

Israeli high-ups are urging "crisper" and "faster" moves to sanction a strike on Iran since a UN report last week found that the Islamic Republic had expanded its programme to obtain nuclear weapons.

But deputy defence minister Ephraim Sneh denied the reports, claiming that no such plan exists.

He said the reports hailed from sources that wished to renounce responsibility for a lack of diplomatic action towards the Iranian nuclear threat.

Iran has ignored the UN's deadline to halt uranium enrichment. UN officials will discuss arms controls and whether to cut back on the $25 billion-worth of export credits which are used by European companies to trade with Iran.
..........................................benny

Enough gladiator games, the Middle East must talk
By Rami G. Khouri
Daily Star staff
Saturday, March 03, 2007


Suddenly, the diplomatic season seems to have broken out all over the Middle East. The main players perhaps have seen the looming catastrophe hovering over the region, and decided to pull back from the brink. The most important meeting is the one this weekend between Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah. Other significant gatherings include the March 10 meeting in Baghdad of regional states and world powers who will explore how to restore security in and sovereignty to Iraq; the trip of an American assistant secretary of state to Syria to discuss humanitarian issues related to Iraqi refugee flows; last month's meetings of Palestinian and Israeli leaders with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice; and the Hamas-Fatah leaders' meeting and agreement in Mecca under Saudi auspices.

This movement reflects a growing realization that everybody will lose if things continue on their present trajectory in the Middle East. The danger signs are embodied in two continuing violent trends that plague the region: the steady expansion and popularity of militias, resistance organizations, other powerful armed political groups, and terrorists, that are beyond the control of governments and often challenge these; and, the steady build-up of American-led armed forces in the region, combined with diplomatic pressure, aimed against Iran, Syria, Hizbullah, Hamas and others who oppose the American-, British-, and Israeli-led alignment that includes several Arab governments.

This trend culminated in last summer's Israel-Hizbullah war, a worsening security situation in Iraq, and the continuing pressures against Iran and Syria. Both sides in this regional face-off continue to prove their strength in public opinion and in their determination to face down and, if necessary, militarily fight the other side. The big losers are incumbent Arab regimes, who are squeezed between the indigenous militancy of their own people and the aggressive militarism of their foreign allies. Lost, too, is the wellbeing of ordinary citizens throughout the Arab world and Iran, who do not wish to see themselves collapse into the incoherence and suffering of open war that are the natural consequence of intemperate policies.

The leaders of both camps have shown a stubborn streak that has turned this region into a large armed camp - a battlefield and militia proving ground. The brinksmanship that all sides have engaged in has finally brought us all to the brink - and what we see is not pretty. The frightening potential is exemplified by talk of the catastrophic regional and global consequences of a US attack against Iran; and of the spillover of Iraq's troubles into the region in the form of refugees, radicalism, political tensions, and new militias, resistance groups and terrorists.
http://www.dailystar.com.lb

............................................benny

Does Ezekiel 38 say that any Jew is actually killed in this, or at least, any fair number of them killed? I don't see anything of that sort. Perhaps I'm missing something.

I'm simply saying that a false peace would be the case if, indeed, God was not set to deliver them. However, given the victory of God Almighty in this passage over Gog and Magog, I'd say the Jews are resting quite judiciously. Peace without a Protector, now that would be a false peace. In this case, God delivers them with quite a show of power. Who have they, or we for that matter, to fear?

In Christ,

Mike

Dear Bonomike,...I would think that none of the Jews in Israel would become harmed in the Ezekial 38 war....The lord says in Ezekial 39;3 says,..."Then I will knock the bow out of your left hand, and cause the arrows to fall out of your right hand"......This indicates that Russia did not get a chance to use their weapons effectively..............As far as the false peace...In Ezekial 38;13....here we have a discription of a diplomatic protest.....It is my understanding that the merchants of Tarish are a english speaking people,from the European area.....If Israel is to gain a security agreement from the E.U....and the E.U. does not come to her aid when the Ezekial war begins.....then that is not a good thing.....But also,when a time comes to what looks like peace and then there is sudden destruction.... I could not call that a true peace......Maybe the word "False Peace" is the wrong word to use...........But as you can see, Israel does want to become under the umbrella of the E.U. in some form....It's my opinion, that this will play out completely after Isaiah 17;1 and the rapture,then this time of peace will happen.....Considering that Israel is instucted to burn those weapons for 7 years....I believe that Ezekial 38 will happen at least 3 1/2 years, before Daniels 70th week begins.........After Isaiah 17;1 and the rapture happens, there will be a lot of chaos and confusion,....and I do not believe that the world would be able to get thier ducks in order so quickly overnight.......When Daniels 70th week begins...1260 days later....The "A.O.D."....comes to pass....I cannot envision Israel burning weapons or taking the time to bury the dead at that time....considering they were instructed to flee for thier lives..................................benny

I hear what you're saying. You know, I just wonder if we've missed something somewhere. I've looked at a lot of different interpretations and current events, the info at Ellis Skolfield's website (www.ellisskolfield.com), our friend Gavrial's thought-provoking "coincidental" 2300, 1290, and 1335 day periods, David Eells info at Americaslastdays.com, and Benjamin Baruch's book, The Day of the Lord is at Hand, and of course, much reading and study of the Bible (save the best for last in this list) and I wonder this:

After the Roman destruction, all the dispersing of Israel for all these years, after all the wars, Islamic terrors (Muhammad, who marched through Jerusalem, and all representatives since), not to mention the tragedy of the Holocaust (Jer. 30:6 is remarkably reminiscent of naked men in lines.), with God drawing them back to the holy land, why would he do this only to "smack 'em" again? He brings them all back together just to make them run for the hills again? Do you understand what I'm questioning? On the surface, just taking a look over the whole picture, it doesn't seem to fit the "Hal Lindsey--Tim LaHaye" method of defining a seven-year tribulation and sequence of events. (I know...bordering on the heretical.)

Here's the gist...I'm done with running biblical interpretation of end things through the filter of traditional evangelical protestantism's views of how it's all supposed to work out. I've put all the cards on the table and said to the Lord, "You deal." It's God's truth I want to know, not what most prominent members of today's church are confidently asserting MUST be the case.

After all, if the latter-day church is supposed to be apostate, how in the world can I trust even their collective understanding of the way the end times are supposed to work out? The leaders in Jesus' day missed the signs, and indeed Jesus himself. It's likely many of those of our day may as well.

Thanks very much for your thoughtful replies.

May the Lord lead us to his truth, and give us teachable hearts.

In Him,

Mike

Complete Judgment and Results

Not only will the armies be utterly destroyed as mentioned above, but their countries of origin will also suffer judgment.

Ezekiel 39:5-6 5 Thou shall fall upon the open field: for I have spoken it, says the Lord God. 6 And I will send a fire on Magog, and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the Lord.

The Lord will judge the countries joining the confederation. It may be similar to the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah, where fire and brimstone rained down on them.

Genesis 19:23-25 23 The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar. 24 Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven; 25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.

It is implied that there will not be the utter destruction of these countries as Sodom and Gomorrah suffered. However, the survivors of this judgment will know that it was from the Lord, as revealed in the latter part of verse six. Further, in verse seven, the Lord is making himself known to his people Israel again, who seem to have forgotten Him. This would begin to serve as the reestablishment of the relationship between the children of Israel and the Lord, which will be solidified in the wilderness, or Petra, during the last half of the seven years of tribulation.

Ezekiel 39:7-8 7 So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more: and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, the Holy One in Israel. 8 Behold, it is come, and it is done, says the Lord God; this is the day whereof I have spoken.

Again, in verse 22, the Lord reaffirms that Israel will regain their knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ as their Messiah from that day forward. Recall that in the first half of the tribulation period 144,000 individuals from twelve tribes of Israel have been marked and sent out as witnesses of God to the world.

Ezekiel 39:22 So the house of Israel shall know that I am the Lord their God from that day and forward.

The God of Israel

From verse nine through verse twenty-one in chapter 39, the great destruction upon the invading forces is described. Much detail is provided to help generations understand the massiveness of the invading armies, their consumption by beast and fowl, and the effort taken to bury the dead over a very long period of time in a plot of land set aside for just this reason.

From verse 22 to the end of the chapter, the Lord is reminding Israel of the reason for their captivity and dispersion. The Lord’s mercy provided their return to the land He promised them. He gathered them back and sanctified them. This singular event will weigh prominently in the history of Israel, and begin to turn the nation of Israel to the Lord. God assures His people that He will not hide His face from them, and will pour out His spirit upon them.

Ezekiel 39:22-29 22 So the house of Israel shall know that I am the Lord their God from that day and forward. 23 And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity: because they trespassed against me, therefore hid I my face from them, and gave them into the hand of their enemies: so fell they all by the sword. 24 According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions have I done unto them, and hid my face from them. 25 Therefore thus says the Lord God; Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for my holy name; 26 After that they have borne their shame, and all their trespasses whereby they have trespassed against me, when they dwelt safely in their land, and none made them afraid. 27 When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations; 28 Then shall they know that I am the Lord their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there. 29 Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, says the Lord God.

..............................................benny

March 2, 2007
A Dark Cloud Forming Over Damascus
by Michael G. Mickey
(3-2-07)

Is it just me or is there a storm cloud forming over Damascus, Syria?

Isaiah 17:1: The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.

Damascus is considered by most historians to be the longest continuously-inhabited city on the planet earth, but will it remain so? As we look at Isaiah's prophecy above, the news of today doesn't bode well that it will.

On February 19, Haaretz reported that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Iran and Syria would "form an alliance against what they referred to as U.S. and Israeli conspiracies against the Islamic world."

The Jerusalem Post reported recently that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert instructed the IDF to prepare for war with Syria.

The Jerusalem Post is reporting that Syria has spent the past few months constructing and moving infrastructure to its southern border that could be used to launch a war against Israel.

Haaretz is reporting that "Syrian armed forces are being strengthened in an unprecedented way in recent memory with the help of generous funding from Iran." Not only that, the Haaretz report indicates "there has been a redeployment of forces along the front lines. It appears that the Syrians have moved forces closer to the border with Israel on the Golan Heights."

Top Palestinian intelligence officials are indicating that Israel this week conducted military training exercises in a Palestinian city for a possible war scenario against Syria or Iran, according to WorldNetDaily.com.

And now the clincher, which could demonstrate how Isaiah 17:1's fulfillment could be in the wings - a dark cloud of judgment forming over Damascus. Israel National News is reporting the following (emphasis mine):

Israeli security officials said if any war breaks out involving Iran, they expect Syria, Hizbullah and terrorist groups in Judea, Samaria and Gaza to join the fray and attack Israel. This assumption is echoed by terrorist leaders from several groups.

The security officials told WorldNetDaily.com that the greatest threat Syria poses to the Jewish state are the country's missiles. They noted that Syria recently test-fired two Scud-D surface-to-surface missiles, which have a range of about 400 km., covering most Israeli territory. The officials said the Syrian missile test was coordinated with Iran and is believed to have been successful. It is not known with what type of warhead the missiles were armed, but Syria is known to possess weapons of mass destruction.
All it is going to take, in a Syria-Israel war footing, is for Syria to roll out ONE WMD missile and fire it at Israel! Just one!

Guess what comes next in that scenario? Quite possibly, the fulfillment of Isaiah 17:1..........................................................................................benny

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The gog, magog invasion has been on my heart and mind for sometime now. I approached my study on this with an open mind and heart. I fill like, due to current events in the news that A-if the invasion was something that happens before tribulation then b-it had to be soon, very soon. However, i also felt that if scripture proved the invasion to be after the start of trib or after the millineum (in other words, the gog invasion mentioned in revelation) then all this iran/syria vs Isreal stuff was just normal everday muslim hatred of the jews. I felt determined to forget all I had ever heard about Ezek 38 and let God lead me.

The timing: It is either A-it happened in the past=we know nothing like this has ever happened, (bury the dead for 7 months-burn weapons for 7 yrs as the only source of fuel needed etc).
B-It will happen at the end of the 1000 yr reign. meaning it is the same battle as spoken of in revelation.=we know this is not so. there is tons of evidence why not but i give one great example. In revelation we are given the scenerio; satans is loosed after the 1000 yrs, surronds jerusalem and fire comes down from heaven to destroy the bad guys and satan is thrown into lake of fire forever=completly different description in Ezek. (ezek says they are in the mountians of Israel and 1/6th survive to go tell others what has happened. No mention of satan etc...

So if it has not happened yet, will not happen after or during the 1000 yrs, that leaves only sometime between today and the end of tribulation.

C-is it during or at end of trib? NO...They must burn the weapons for 7 yrs and burning them into the 1000 yr reign does not fit the description of what it will be like at the start of the 1000 yr reign. (one could argue that the battle takes place at the start of the trib and the reference to 7 yrs is the same 7 yrs as trib). I only have one thing against that: as Benny has stated many times, the Jews are told to flee to Petra at the abom of desolation...it would be hard to flee and still stay to burn the fuel and weapons for 3.5 more yrs.

D-so that leads me to the conclusion that the invasion must be before tribulation (i had been taught that this invasion was during trib or part of armeggedon, but it is not in my opinion)

So, if it happens before Tribulation: what are things like when Gog attacks? Two major things, we are told...1-Gog wants to attack the UNWALLED villages. (not possible now because the security fence is up). 2-Israel is to be at ''peace''. I think most agree that they are not at a peace today. What would cause Israel to be at peace and have no walls? A peace treaty...Israel agrees to tear down the security fence, in exchange for peace w/ neighbors. But we seem to be moving farther from peace and closer to war w/ iran. I think the key here is Isiah 17. Damascus becomes a ruinous heap. Notice Syria does not come with iran in Ezek invasion but yet they are allies today. Demascus will be taken out before this invasion. I see this scenerio: soon Damascus will be hit by Israel (why, i dont know. maybe US/Israel strike iran and syria launches missiles. maybe the Rapture happens and syria thinks that is the time to take out Israel. or maybe in the next yr or so, Syria starts making nukes like iran is and Israel has to bomb them.) What ever the scenerio, it is going to happen and when it does, that is the trigger in my opinion that starts the beginning of the end. (very well could be set off by something totally unforseen. I was shocked last summer when hizbullah kidnapped soldiers and the bombing started. You never know what will happen in the mid east). After damascus is bombed, the world is very upset with Israel and sounds like (Isiaha 17) Israel is hit by syria too. This will lead to the EU/UN/ (US roadmap?) treaty to be signed by Israel and her neighbors calling for peace and the destruction of security fence. (probably also a nonproliferation act that calls for no more nukes by Israels enemies, maybe israel has to dismantle her nukes too). I think then, Iran will regroup, Just like hizbullah is doing (God foreshowding again?)...this will be a very short peace, just long enough to tear down the security fence. Then either on purim or on israel or jerusalems anniversary, Gog invades. I think the rapture will have happened before the invasion of gog. That is why gog suddenly feels bold enough. (think about it, Iran wants to invade now but God is using the united states to hold them back) Iran knows invasion now would mean all our forces over there attacking iran. But if the rapture causes the US to be in chaos, not to mention our number of soldiers gone in the rapture...)
This gog invasion will eventually lead to the Antichrist confirming the treaty that was in place already. and tribulation will then begin.

I said all that to say this-based on this time table and the evidence of how things are now in the mid east, we are very close to damascus being hit, very close to the gog invasion and thus, very close to the rapture.

Ezekiel 39;7
amplified bible

God will make His Name known to His people Israel, and Israel will NEVER profane His Name any more.

(doesn't this occur at the end-of-trib?........if not, then, Israel will turn to Christ at beginning-of-Trib)

verse 7
the nations shall know that I am the lord, the Holy One of Israel

(this is at the end-of-trib,.............if not, the nations will know that the god-of-israel is Christ at the begining-of-trib)

verse 10

Israel does not despoil the nations thru thre Trib.
Israel despoils the nations , beginning at the end-of-trib.

i'm thinking that this armegeddon is at end-of-trib

there will be ANOTHER armegeddon at end-of-millenial reign

verse 29
god will pour out His Spirit upon israel at end-of-trib

(if israel accepted the Spirit of God (christ) at the beginning-of-trib, they wouldn't build the 3rd stone temple during the trib.)

Dear Dennis Mann,...You quote.."(this is at the end-of-trib,.............if not, the nations will know that the god-of-israel is Christ at the begining-of-trib)".....................................................................................If that were true,...There would be no need for the two wittnesses...and in a sense for that matter, the 144,000......Ezekiel 39:5-6 5 Thou shall fall upon the open field: for I have spoken it, says the Lord God. 6 And I will send a fire on Magog, and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the Lord.

The Lord will judge the countries joining the confederation. It may be similar to the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah, where fire and brimstone rained down on them.

Genesis 19:23-25 23 The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar. 24 Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven; 25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.

It is implied that there will not be the utter destruction of these countries as Sodom and Gomorrah suffered. However, the survivors of this judgment will know that it was from the Lord, as revealed in the latter part of verse six. Further, in verse seven, the Lord is making himself known to his people Israel again, who seem to have forgotten Him. This would begin to serve as the reestablishment of the relationship between the children of Israel and the Lord, which will be solidified in the wilderness, or Petra, during the last half of the seven years of tribulation.

..................benny

The Lord is truly worthy to be praised! His judgments are righteous and his mercies eternal! May he be gloried through Christ Jesus forever!

I wonder how long the Jews still living in America will be comfortable remaining here? What do you suppose will give them urgency to return to the promised land?

In Christ,

Mike

Dear Bonomike,...I believe that when God, The Creator of all things, has made an example of Russia and the invading armies....They will realize that God is God...........................benny

Yes...but also America may not be what it use to be...literally speaking.

SIGNS




ONE WAY STREET...
NO PASSING ZONE...
CAUTION, BRIDGE, CONSTRUCTION...
Some signs just inform us,
others warn of some destruction.
There's signs with just a picture
that you don't have to read.
The pictures are so graphic
you need not read, to heed.


WATCH FOR CHILDREN...
KEEP OFF GRASS...
GARAGE SALE ONE BLOCK WEST.
If you can find a sign to read,
you can complete your quest.
We should give our full attention
to the message on the sign.
Most are advertisements
but others guide you by design.


All the signs that I have mentioned
can assist to some degree.
There are "Other" signs occurring
that concern both you and me.
How about the great Tsunami,
which happened in the East.
A cataclysmic "major" disaster
to say the very least.






The crisis in the weather
brought by Global warming...
Avalanches, Major floods,
and pestilences swarming.
All these things by themselves
are just a common threat.
But it's happening all together
and they're not over yet.


The Earthquakes which occur throughout,
a staggering amount.
Almost occurring daily...
so many, I've lost count.
Unwholesome, suggestive images
flash upon our T.V. screen.
It's not family entertainment
and it borders on obscene.






There's signs in our society,
men that marry men,
Women just as guilty
both genders share the sin.
Crooked Politicians,
corrupt in things they do
Voting on the policies
that affect both me and you.


Escalating interest...
gasoline at highest prices.
Job declines in our own country,
causing major crisis.
Military powers,
assembling all their might...
Preparing for the battle,
all a major fright.






There's many types and forms of signs,
I only touched upon a few.
Biblical Prophecy's fulfilled
should more than interest you.
The "End Times" are upon us,
don't be caught here unaware.
There's little time to set things straight,
so little time to spare.


JESUS said in Matthew
that these things would be occurring.
HE also told us to "Look Up"
which I find most assuring.
"When you see all things occurring...
Look Up... your redemption draweth nigh".
That means my friend,
HE's coming Back!!!
We'll meet HIM in the sky.


The signs are all about us,
it's not hard not to see the trend.
As foretold in the Bible
It's nearing the "Time of the End".
I don't mean the end of the earth,
"For the Earth Abideth Forever".
I'm speaking of the end of the "age"
life can still endeavor.






The telling signs are all among us
in each direction that I look.
But the one's I deem most important,
are found within HIS BOOK.
They're happening!! Just look around...
You just cannot ignore it.
If you're not ready when we all leave,
I know that you'll abhor it.


This is no dress rehearsal.
We'll only get one shot at this.
The one event that's coming up
You don't want to miss.
You know what I refer you to,
I don't have to spell it out.
We're heaven bound with our LORD JESUS...
of that I have no doubt!


C.C. ©February 8, 2006

.............................................benny

March 4, 2007 at 10:37 AM

Former diplomat says Iran ready to strike

http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Top_New...-101034-2224r/

LONDON, March 4 (UPI) -- A former Iranian diplomat said Tehran has agents ready to strike against Western interests in the Middle East if action is taken against its nuclear facilities.

"The Iranian government believes that to survive it needs permanent bases throughout the Middle East. Anybody who contemplates threatening or invading Iran will have those cells unleashed against them," Adel Assadinia, formerly Iran's consul-general in Dubai and an adviser to the Iranian foreign ministry, told The Sunday Telegraph.


He said spies working as teachers, doctors and nurses had been trained in Iran and had recruited other agents.


A spokesman at the Iranian Embassy in London said Assadinia's claims were "baseless and fabricated," The Sunday Telegraph reported.


Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, meanwhile, visited Saudi Arabia Saturday in what the Sunday Telegraph said was seen as an attempt to diffuse Sunni-Shiite tensions in the region.
.................................................benny

MIL-ISRAEL-SYRIA-MINES

Israel finds Syrian mines on the borders -- Radio Israel

http://www.kuna.net.kw/home/Story.as...en&DSNO=957770

GAZA, March 4 (KUNA) -- The Israeli Army reported Sunday a find, Friday noon, of mines near the border fences at the Golan Heights.

An Israeli army spokesman said the "anti-personal mines were dumped by Syria." "The sappers team diffused the mines and Israel will file a complaint with the United Nations (UN) regarding this matter," he added.

This report came two days after Israel accused Syria of forming a military infrastructure near the borders with Israel and laying ground for military activity.(end) zt.

.........................................benny

Dear Brothers and Sisters of Christian-Forum,.....Tomorrow morning will be my last post, at least for a month........My wife and I have inherited 3 grandkids....so we are going to have to find a 3 bedroom house......but have to accomplish this by the 15th, or eles these kids may end up going to the state........We are having a financial problem and are struggling to meet that deadline. We have not yet been approved by cps, but one of the conditions are that we have a 3 bedroom....so we are trying to pull a rabbit out of a hat.......Your prayers are very much needed.....................benny