May 4, 2008 9:20 | Updated May 4, 2008 15:57
'Breakthrough reached in intel on Iran'
By JPOST.COM STAFF

Mossad chief Meir Dagan is expected to brief MI6 head Sir John Scarlett, who is slated to visit Israel later this month, on an intelligence gathering breakthrough regarding the Iranian nuclear program, The Sunday Times reported.

There is mounting concern in Israel that Iran's nuclear capability may be far more advanced than was recognised in a declassified assessment by the US National Intelligence Estimate last December, which concluded that Iran had halted its nuclear weapons development program in 2003 in response to international pressure.

A source quoted by the paper claimed that the new information was on par with intelligence that led to the discovery and destruction of a partly constructed nuclear reactor in Syria last September.

Israeli officials believe the US will revise its analysis of Iran's program. "We expect the Americans to amend their report soon," a high-ranking military officer said last week.

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni briefed British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Foreign Secretary David Miliband on Israel's findings during talks on the Middle East in London last week. Israeli intelligence officers, en route from Washington where they had been outlining their latest information to American officials, joined Livni for the briefing.

It is thought that if Israel were weighing military action against Iran, it would first seek diplomatic support in London and Washington because of the danger of triggering a wider Middle East conflict.

"We're doing a lot of things about Iran," Defense Minister Ehud Barak said last week. "We say we shouldn't rule out any option. Not ruling out options means action, but the worst thing to do at the moment is to talk [about it]."

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satelli...cle%2FShowFull
...............................................................benny

The Blood Moon Scenario
Perspective by Jack Kelley



There's a video currently on the web, promoted by a well known prophecy website, that a whole bunch of you have either sent links to or asked about it or both. Here's my response.



This video shows the result of tracking solar and lunar eclipses and comparing them with Levitical Feasts, and notes that the only time in this century when 4 consecutive full lunar eclipses, known as a tetrad, will coincide with either Passover or the Feast of Tabernacles is in the years 2014-2015. Lunar eclipses are also known as “blood moons” because the moon often takes on a red cast during an eclipse.



There will also be 2 solar eclipses during that time. In the spring of 2015 Israel's religious year will begin with a total solar eclipse, followed two weeks later a total lunar eclipse on Passover. And then six months later the sequence will repeat itself with a second solar eclipse on Rosh Hashanna followed two weeks after that by another total lunar eclipse on the Feast of Tabernacles, all in 2015.



The last time anything like this happened was in 1967, when Jerusalem became an undivided Jewish city again, and before that there were several occurrences during the years of 1948-50, as Israel was becoming a nation. There were none at all in the 1800's, 1700's, or 1600's, and none in the 1500's that coincided with Feast Days.



What Does That Mean?

The conclusion being drawn from this by the video's producer is that 2015 is the most likely year for the Lord's 2nd coming in the entire 21st Century, and the fall is the best time in that year.



Prophecy buffs from across the spectrum are falling all over themselves to get on board this. But in the rush of emotion that rightfully accompanies thoughts of the Lord's impending return most are ignoring a tool for evaluating where we are in the end times that I first introduced in my series entitled “Seven Things You Have To Know To Understand End Times Prophecy”. It's a business management tool called back scheduling. (You can access the series from our home page.)



Sensational claims like the one made in this video can result in real confusion if you don't know the sequence in which major End Times events will occur. Actually their order is very logical, and once you learn it, you'll wonder why you didn't see it before. The best way to figure it out is to perform what the business world sometimes calls a back scheduling exercise. It involves going to the very end of a process and identifying its final outcome. Then you list in reverse order all the things that have to happen to produce that outcome, backing into the present. It's simpler than it sounds, and much simpler in prophecy than in business because there are many fewer events to organize. Here's how it goes.



We all think of Eternity as the final outcome, and so starting at the end and working backwards means we begin there. But the last major event described in any detail in the Bible is the Kingdom Age or Millennium, the Lord's 1000 year reign on Earth, which is distinguished from and precedes Eternity. Simply put, Eternity can't begin until the Millennium ends.

The Millennium obviously can't happen till the Second Coming, because that's when the Lord returns to establish it. And the Second Coming can't happen till the end of the Great Tribulation. And that can't happen till the anti-Christ stands in the Temple in Israel declaring himself to be God. (2 Thes. 2:4) That's the event Jesus warned Israel to look for as the Great Tribulation's opening salvo. He called it "The Abomination of Desolation" in Matt. 24:15-21.

But that can't happen till there's a Temple. There hasn't been a Temple in Israel since 70AD and there won't be one until the Jews decide they need one. That won't happen until God reinstates their Old Covenant relationship, signaling the start of Daniel's 70th week. And that can't happen till the Battle of Ezekiel 38-39 is won, because it's Ezekiel's battle that officially draws the Jews back to God. (Ezek. 39:22) And that can't happen till the Church is gone, because the Church and Israel are mutually exclusive to Him. (Romans 11:25 & Acts 15:13-18) And that brings us to the present, because there is no preceding event for the Rapture of the Church. It could happen at any time.

Using this scheduling tool we can see how end times events are scheduled to take place, and the only one whose timing is at all speculative is the Rapture. Some argue that there's doubt about the timing of the Battle of Ezekiel 38 but I think the Bible is pretty clear in saying that the battle of Ezekiel 38 is Israel's wake up call to begin Daniel's 70th week. It's the event that brings Israel back into covenant with God, requiring that a Temple be built. Daniel's 70th week by definition is seven years long. The last half is the Great Tribulation, after which the Lord will return.

What's The Point?

That brings me to my point, and to make it, I'll use the back scheduling tool again. In order for the Lord to return in the fall of 2015, Daniel's 70th week will have to begin the fall of 2008, a few months from now. That means that over the summer, the Battle of Ezekiel 38 will have to take place, and God will have to re-introduce Himself to Israel, bringing them back into an Old Covenant relationship that results in Biblical Judaism becoming the official and national religion of Israel. And the anti-Christ will have to appear and gain enough power to help Israel negotiate a seven year treaty that includes provisions for a Temple. (Daniel 9:27) Then there's the matter of the Rapture of the Church. While this schedule is of course possible for God, having them all take place this summer would be a major departure from His normal approach to things.



In truth, there are several interesting facts you should know about this summer that make it an attractive possibility if you disregard everything we've just covered. Israel will celebrate its 60th birthday and at the same time the world's population is projected to reach 6,666,666,666. The 1976th birthday of the church will also occur. (Because of calendar differences much of the Western church will celebrate on May 11, but the correct date is June 8-9.)

Also some military experts say that June will effectively be the last time this year that Israel will have an opportunity to take out Iran's nuclear capabilities, an act that will obviously cause major repercussions in the Middle East. Iran's rainy season begins in July making visibility an uncertain thing, and by September the US Presidential election will be ramped up for its all out run to our November election. Many observers believe that the current administration won't agree to let such a distraction interfere with America's focus on the election this fall. Adding these things into the mix has tempted a number of prophecy buffs to throw off all constraints and proclaim that the Day of the Lord is at hand.

Hold On Just A Minute!

But before we join them, let's take a closer look. Have the conditions for Ezekiel 38 been met? Most of the players are lined up, the exception still being Turkey. But Syria, not mentioned in Ezekiel 38, is right in the thick of things, teamed up with Iran and North Korea in a new axis of evil focused against Israel. Can Isaiah 17 also happen this summer?



And then there's the requirement that Israel be living in such a state of supposed peace as to be taken by surprise in a battle to the death. (Ezek. 38:11) If Israel goes after Iran's nukes next month, they'll be the ones pulling off the sneak attack. Could Iran's certain retaliation in any way be called an unexpected surprise that catches Israel off guard? I don't think so.



No, I think it's much more likely that any war this summer between Israel and the Moslems would result in Syria's demise and end in a false peace that puts into place the conditions necessary for Ezekiel 38 to happen some time later. And despite my earlier speculation about the 2012 magnetic polar reversal fulfilling the 6th seal of Rev. 6, I have to admit that the most likely coming event that fits the sequence and is worthy of announcement by signs in the heavens in 2015 would be the beginning of Daniel's 70th week.



If these earlier Blood Moons did in fact announce the re-birth of the nation and the reunification of Jerusalem as it appears, then the next major step in Israels' journey toward the Kingdom is their national reunion with their Creator. This is the way Ezekiel saw it happening, and in my view is important enough to God to merit such a celestial announcement. After all He's been waiting to take them back for 2000 years.

"Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence.” (Hosea 6:1-2)

Thankfully, it won't be long until we know for sure who's right and who's wrong. And it won't take any rocket science to tell. Because if the 70th week is set to begin in September then the next few months will astonish the world in a breathtaking series of prophetic fulfillments unparalleled since the Lord's crucifixion and resurrection. You can almost hear the footsteps of the Messiah. 05-03-08

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

Hey guys-
This an ENORMOUS THREAD! Why not break it up into subsections?

April

British secret service seeks Mossad update on Iran’s nuclear program
May 4, 2008, 6:33 PM (GMT+02:00)

The head of the UK’s MI6, Sir John Scarlett will visit Israel later this month for an update by Mossad chief Meir Dagan on Iran’s nuclear program and other subjects of common interest. The London Times reports that it is understood Israel has made a breakthrough “on intelligence gathering within Iran.”

DEBKAfile reports Israeli transport minister Shaul Mofaz maintained in America last week that Iran may attain full command of the uranium enrichment process before the end of 2008. Israeli officials have consistently challenged the conclusion reached by the US National Intelligence last December that Iran halted its covert military nuclear program in 2003. They have warned while the NIE report tied US hands on a military option, the Iranian program is advancing apace.

The British-Israeli intelligence-sharing process is described by Israeli officials as a “strategic dialogue.”

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

Peres: Iran – the world's nightmare


President Shimon Peres holds foreign press meet, speaks of Iranian threat, possible peace talks with Syria, fighting Hamas

Ynet Published: 05.05.08, 13:38 / Israel News




President Shimon Peres held a press conference for foreign correspondents Monday.



Peres began the meet by speaking of the Iranian threat, saying it should deeply concern every nation in the world. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's call to obliterate Israel, combined with allowing a radical, crazed religious leader to reach nuclear capabilities has all the makings of a nightmare, he said.



"I'm not calling for military actions, but the world must form a coalition of strong, firm nations, willing to impose severe sanctions on Iran," he said, adding that Iran has proven itself a hub for world terror, financing and training terrorists.



Addressing the Syrian issue, the president said: "If Syria truly wants to hold talks – Israel would be willing to do so. We want comprehensive peace in the Middle East and are willing to pay a certain price for it."



As for Hamas, Peres slammed the group, saying "talking to Hamas is like talking to a wall." If not for Hamas' criminal behavior, he added, the Palestinians could have had an independent state by now: "You have to remember that we pulled out pf Gaza and still – Hamas continues to fire on Israeli women and children.


"We do not wish to harm innocent (Palestinian) population. We make sure food, fuel and medicines are let in Gaza, but we cannot ignore the damages Hamas is causing its people. They have only themselves to blame."

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

Exclusive: Syria hardens positions, retracts peace feelers to Israel
May 12, 2008, 9:42 AM (GMT+02:00)


Flexes muscle
DEBKAfile’s Middle East sources report that in the last 48 hours, Damascus has broadcast new, intransigent policy positions through diverse channels under the influence of Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert’s legal plight and the swift victories its ally, Hizballah, has achieved in Lebanon:

1. Leaders in Olmert’s position are only capable of making war – not peace, according to leaks from Damascus to Arab media. For this reason, Syrian officials claim after the fact that they exposed the secret meeting scheduled to take place between Israeli and Syrian officials in Turkey for sabotage, knowing it would go nowhere.

2. The Israeli prime minister’s offer to give up the whole of Golan for peace was likewise leaked by Damascus to discredit the prime minister at home.

3. Another message informed Jerusalem that any accommodation with Damascus was contingent on a peace deal with Beirut – or rather the real masters of Lebanon, Iran-backed Hizballah.

4. Israel must rescind the disputed Shebaa Farms enclave on Mount Hermon.

5. Syria’s relations with Iran are none of Israel’s business. This is a reference to the demands for the Assad regime to cool its ties with Tehran as a prerequisite for a peace deal.

6. As for the American-Israeli demand that Syria stop hosting terrorist headquarters, Damascus advises Israel to make do with the Hamas political chief Khaled Meshaal’s last statement. He said that Hamas is prepared to accept - though not recognize - Israel within the pre-1967 war boundaries and offer a long-term informal truce. Syria finds nothing further to discuss with Israel on the subject of Hamas.

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

'Hizbullah is pushing Lebanon towards a Khomeini-style of rule'

By JPOST.COM STAFF
www.jpost.com


South Lebanese Army Gen. Antoine Lahad, 81, currently living in Europe after having fled Lebanon more than eight years ago after Israel's withdrawal gave an interview to Israel Radio in which he was asked about recent developments in the outbreak of fighting by the Hizbullah terror organization.

"The situation in Lebanon is extremely dangerous, especially given that Hizbullah is pushing the country towards a Khomeini-style of rule," he said, alluding to the Shi'ite terror group Hizbullah's Iranian backing and influence.

When asked what he thought about what the role of foreign powers- in particular the US and UN- ought to be he responded saying "that the actions of the Arab League would certainly not suffice to bring about any meaningful change in the situation" and that "foreign powers certainly must be involved."

Lahad further expressed his view that only a ground operation would be able to bring about the necessary change of the situation with Hizbullah, though he acknowledged that such an operation, if undertaken by Israel, might prove "inadvisable" due to the "enormous risks" involved in any future IDF ground incursions into the country.

When Lahad was asked about the prospects for peace between rival Sunni and Shi'ite grounds responded sharply by pointing out that that peace between the various Lebanese factions had existed in the past and was possible, though certainly not likely as long as "Hizbullah remains armed" and "enjoys the widespread support" of the Lebanese Shi'ite communities.

Lahad, who had been retired as a high ranking officer in the Lebanese Army was appointed commander of the SLA at the request of former president Camille Chamoun during the Lebanese Civil War.

The SLA was a Lebanese militia during the Civil War and after 1979 operated under the authority of Sa'ad Haddad's Government of Free Lebanon. The Maronite Christian-led group was supported by Israel during the south Lebanon conflict from 1982-2000.

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

Force: The Only Language Hezbollah Understands
By Elias Bejjani
FrontPageMagazine.com | Monday, May 12, 2008
http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles...A-79229F9BF05A

The recent ongoing bloody terrorist riots that Hezbollah has been inflicted on Lebanon and its peaceful people since last Wednesday, tragically show that this country today is confronting challenges of a magnitude unseen since the end of its civil war in 1990.

Hezbollah's military criminal acts against the Lebanese civilians, and its armed rebellion coup d'état against the country's legitimate Government were not, in fact, a surprise to those well-informed observers and political activists who have been closely monitoring this Iranian armed militia since it was founded in Lebanon by the Iranian mullahs (Shiites clergymen) in 1982. It is worth mentioning that Hezbollah's main mission is to export, advocate for, force and spread the Khomeini's religious ideology and its revolution to all the Middle Eastern countries.

Hezbollah is not a Lebanese party by any criteria, but a foreign army in Lebanon, no more and no less. Its decision-making process, financing, ideology, training, supplies and weapons all come from the Iranian Revolutionary Guards headquarters and leadership. It is well documented by many neutral informed resources that Iran annually pays Hezbollah more than three billion dollars.

Hezbollah's Iranian mission and objectives have never ever been a secret at any time. They are public and well known to each and every Lebanese, while Hezbollah boasts with their divinity every day. Simply this group and as planned by its masters the Iranian mullahs has been from day one working on all levels, and by all means, to topple the Lebanese democratic, peaceful, consensual, multicultural, free and liberal regime in a bid to replace it by a religious state, a replicate of the forced on the Iranian people.

Hezbollah, who has an actual state inside the Lebanese Central state, fully controls more than 40% of Lebanon's territories in Beirut, the South and Bekaa. Its state was erected during the Stalinist Syrian occupation era of Lebanon (1976-2005). Iran with Syria helped Hezbollah to control the Shiite Lebanese community and in fact to take its members as hostages of intimidation and oppression. The Lebanese people in general and the Shiites Lebanese community in particular had no say whatsoever in this matter. Syria forced Hezbollah on the Shiites and on the rest of the Lebanese communities through murder, kidnapping, terrorization and violence.

When the Syrian Army was forced to withdraw from Lebanon in 2005 after thirty years of nasty occupation, Hezbollah replaced Syria's occupationa and criminal role. Since then it has been purposefully crippling the country and not allowing its democratic process to take place. Numerous pro-Lebanon - anti Syrian MP's. Journalists, officials, army officers and intellectuals including ex PM Raffic Hariri were assassinated by Hezbollah and Syria. The country's Parliament was closed by force and the MP's have been unable to elect a president. In 2006 Hezbollah instigated a devastating war with Israel that cost the country more than1500 victims and about 30 billion dollars in losses.

Hezbollah refuses to disarm, and has kept the central Lebanese government and its authority on all levels out side its closed cantons. It has its own army (60 thousand well armed and well trained men), it runs its own schools, jails, hospital, social services, construction companies, communication network, transportation, foreign relations, etc. It does not recognize the central government and has withdrawn its ministers from it in a bid to stop the Hariri International Tribunal and protect the Syrian regime and its leaders whom many believe are behind the Hariri assassination.

In simple mathematics we can assume that one state has to cancel the other. It is either the Lebanese Central government that will prevail and Hezbollah's state inside the state will disintegrate or visa versa. Hezbollah backed by both Axis of evil countries Iran and Syria is systematically working on destroying the Lebanese state and toppling all its institution, the parliament. the cabinet, the presidency, the judiciary, the armed forces etc. Syria, Iran and Hezbollah are viciously planning to take control of the whole country.

Hezbollah Party wants to keep by force its own communication network and appoint his own loyal men in all government key positions and specially the security ones. In this context, its present on going bloody riots took place after its leadership falsely accused the country's cabinet of declaring a war against the Shiite community because the government is questioning the party's communication illegal network and has decided to transfer the country's airport security chief who was helping Hezbollah keep an on going surveillance over the Beirut International airport through very advanced cameras planted secretly and without the government's knowledge.

Hezbollah's General Secretary, Sheik Hassan Nasrallah is threatening to severe the hands and cut the necks of any one who dares to approach his party's weapons. Nasrallah tagged his weapons as holy and sacred and tied its fate to the Holy Quran and Jihad.

Hezbollah is endeavoring to force on the Lebanese an education of Jihadism (holy war against Israel, USA and the infidels), in conjunction with the Iranian mullah's religious ideology (Welaet Al Fakeh Islamic governing concept), the same ideology that is forced on the Iranian people.

Simply Hezbollah is not a resistance group as it alleges, but a mere Iranian-Syrian terrorist army stationed in Lebanon. Its bloody global and regional terrorism record is extremely notorious and there is no way in the world that this terrorist armed party will peacefully or willingly give up its state inside the state. (Hezbollah launched suicide attacks on Western targets and took Westerners hostage in Beirut in the 1980s. The most spectacular attack was a suicide bombing that destroyed the U.S. Marine headquarters in Beirut in October 1983, killing 241 servicemen. One of the groups, Islamic Jihad, was thought to be led by Imad Moughniyah, who was Hezbollah's military commander when he was assassinated on February 13 in Syria).

Hezbollah was supposed to disarm like all other Lebanese militias after the "Taef accord" in 1990, but the Syrian occupation hindered this procedure and imposed it as a resistance armed organization through force and terror and not through consensus.

The whole world should be put on notice, and understand that losing Lebanon for Hezbollah will create a fundamentalist monster that will devour the middle East countries one after the other. Meanwhile Hezbollah's actual and serious danger will not be limited to the Middle East, but will definitely target all the free world countries.

Based on all the above, we call on the UN, USA, European countries, Canada, Australia, the Arab states and the rest of all the free world countries to help Lebanon and its government in disarming Hezbollah by all means including the military one before it takes over Lebanon and becomes a serious threat for peace and stability not only in the Middle East, but in the entire world.
In the face of this organized and intentional evil deadlock that Lebanon and its people are facing alone, we call on the Free World democratic countries, the moderate Arab countries, the United Nations and the Arab League to step in militarily under UN Security Council Chapter Seven mandate and take over Lebanon for a rehabilitation interval as was the situation in Afghanistan, East Timor, Kosovo and some African countries. It will be even more effective and deterrent if NATO forces can assume this mission and not the UN.

The solid and proved fact that no one in the entire world should ignore is that Hezbollah, like the rest of the regional and global terrorist groups understands and bows to only one language. This language that they master and understand is a combination of force, deterrence and decisiveness. Hopefully the world will be able to communicate with Hezbollah with the only language that it knows and understands.
.............................................benny

The cost of Middle East peace
by Michael G. Mickey
(5-12-08)


Tomorrow President Bush is off to the Middle East where he is, once again, going to be pressing Israel to make the concessions necessary for the mythical state of Palestine to be born on Israel's covenant lands during his trip May 13-18.

The question on my mind at this point? At what cost to America will this trip come? And no, I'm not talking about the cost of the jet fuel it will take to carry the president and his entourage to the region; I'm talking about the cost that may come as a direct result of our nation assisting the enemies of God in their never-ending efforts to drive the nation of Israel into the Mediterranean which logic dictates our government, unless blind, deaf and oblivious to reality, has to realize is their end goal regardless of whatever idle talk of peace said enemies of God offhandedly make on the peripherals of these periodic overtures on the part of our government (and the international community) to end the Middle East conflict.

Leading up to the president's visit, the news has been rife with stories suggesting that progress toward peace is being made as well as stories urging the Middle East peace process to be ramped up. Below are several examples:


Bush has "no illusions" on Mideast breakthrough - Dated April 28, this article states, in part: "U.S. President George W. Bush will try to bolster the faltering Israeli-Palestinian peace process on a May 13-18 trip to the Middle East, but the White House said on Monday he is "under no illusions" of a quick breakthrough."
Bush: Hopeful for Mideast peace deal by end of term - "Negotiations have bogged down since Bush hosted a conference in Annapolis, Maryland, in November where both sides pledged to try to reach a peace deal by the end of his term" yet President Bush still hopes to secure "a Middle East peace legacy that eluded his predecessors."
Rice to Israel: Tear down anti-terror roadblocks - "Upon Rice's previous visit to the region last month, she reportedly urged the removal of specific West Bank roadblocks. Within hours of the elimination of one of the barriers, a knife-wielding Palestinian attempted to attack two Jews near the area from which the roadblock had been removed. Israeli lawmakers then charged Rice's demands were responsible for that attempted attack."
J'lem official: Peace talks making considerable progress - Israel and the Palestinian Authority have reportedly made "considerable progress" toward delineating the border of a future Palestinian state.
J'lem source: Rice seeks Israel, PA memo this week - U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has made both Israel and the Palestinian Authority unhappy of late by asking them to "publish a memorandum of understanding on the progress of their final-status negotiations to date before U.S. President George Bush arrives on a visit next week."
Blair: Mideast peace process must move faster - Blair's associates, according to the article, have said that "the coming weeks will be critical and will be make or break for the chances of an agreement."
Several things becomes abundantly clear when one looks at these stories:

President Bush, following in the footsteps of U.S. presidents before him, is entering the legacy-setting stage of his presidency. He wants to be remembered, as do a thousand other global movers and shakers, as the man who orchestrated the achievement of a long-standing goal of the international community (and the new world order). He wants to be known as the man who brought peace to the Middle East.
All direct actions that could actually lead to peace coming to the Middle East are, as always, being dropped into the lap of the Israeli government to achieve, primarily because the so-called President of the Palestinian Authority has about as much authority over the actions of his people, a vast portion of whom are terrorists or terrorist sympathizers, as the business end of a baseball bat has concerning what it strikes when swung.
Because President Bush wants Middle East peace to come prior to him leaving office, the pressure on Israel to make it happen is growing by the second, in spite of the fact that absolutely nothing is taking place to make Israel sense it will be safer for its efforts, even if it gives the Palestinians everything they're asking for! Case in point? Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, as Israel celebrates its 60th anniversary, is referring to Israel as a stinking corpse doomed to disappear. That's hopeful in light of the fact Iran is assisting Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad and all the usual suspects who prevent lasting peace from coming to the Middle East to sabotage every effort made toward peace that leaves Israel in existence in any form whatsoever, right? Hardly.
No matter how one does the math, so to speak, the onus to bring peace to the Middle East rests solely with Israel. As such, there is absolutely no way President Bush can attempt to bring peace to the Middle East without risking the loss of more innocent Israeli lives. Therein lies the problem - and it's a big one!

Paying God's price can be hard

Over the course of the last few weeks we've seen tornadoes tearing up swaths of land, sweeping away the homes and possessions of many hard-working Americans. In a number of instances, the very lives of those in the paths of these storms have been lost as well. There have been earthquakes in the Midwest, Nevada, California and off the cost of Oregon, some of them being downright mysterious in composition, and then there's the ongoing crisis concerning our honeybee population - key to our nation's ability to produce food. Over 36% of our commercial hives have now been lost dating back to last year and the trend is continuing. At a time when our nation desperately needs God's hand of protection upon it, our government, ignoring God's promise of blessing and curse concerning the nation of Israel, is inviting His wrath to fall on us.

What am I saying? The cost of Middle East peace is, ultimately, going to be very high if it isn't right away.

God has said of the nation of Israel, as recorded in Genesis 12:3: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

Presently, I can't foresee any sort of peace agreement coming into existence that will achieve anything concrete in the Middle East absent of a confirmation of peace occurring as well. That, as we see in Daniel 9:26-27, will require the advent of the Antichrist to occur leading the world into the Tribulation Period. Having heard nothing to indicate that the seven-year peace covenant that will be required for that to come to pass is in the works, I'm not sure President Bush is going to see his goal of Middle East peace achieved by January of 2009 but that doesn't mean it can't take place. For all I know it may all be in the works as I type these words, being formulated in secret to prevent Israel's enemies from sabotaging it prematurely.

Regardless of where we are on the prophetic timeline, there is going to be a heavy price to be paid by those nations which jeopardize Israel's safety in seeking the peace that is going to lead to the advent of Antichrist and the onset of the Tribulation Period.

America, having been blessed above all nations, needs to consider what the cost of enabling Israel's enemies may be. God may elect to collect those costs at any point He chooses to but watching the news the next few days? It could prove to be quite interesting, particularly because President Bush will be pushing Israel into a corner at a landmark point in its history. On the 14th, Israel will turn 60 years of age since its miraculous rebirth in 1948.

While the entire Christian world should be joyously reflecting on the fulfillment of Bible prophecy that was Israel's rebirth and its present existence against all odds, many of us who sense the lateness of the hour we're presently living in need to be prayerful concerning the peace of Jerusalem and the safety of the United States of America which is going to have its arm in the cookie jar of God's wrath all the way up to the armpit through the 18th.

Have mercy on us, Lord.

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

The shadow of the emergence of Satan's Middle Eastern beast is approaching

There is a 7 year covenant that is coming, that will be confirmed between the anti-christ and Israel........it is coming, but not as soon as some may have concluded.....The next major event will be one of two events....either the rapture of all born again christians,...or the prophecy of Isaiah 17;1....It is my personal opinion that the Rapture will come first! There are many prophetic details that are in view, that are developing towards a point in time.............The newly forming Medterranian Union, will be the finishing touch.The recipe in forming coming prophecy of Daniel 9;27...are nearing their final stage, before the breakoff point(RAPTURE),For instance, the religious element....At this time the pope is trying to united all faiths,which is tied together by the "Alliance Of Civilizations"(A.O.C.)....which in turn,is backed by the United Nations.....which again, is being utilized towards the current peace negotiations......Eventually,...this is how the Whore of Babylon, sets itself into the equation.Once the rapture happens......A lot of people will become religious overnite, and then shortly afterward, the false prophet will call fire out of the sky to deceive men....in a sense,it would be like putting icing on the cake!.....Fir the first time since the birth of Israel.....The Jewish Rabbi's are very much involved in the current peace negotiations.......At this time there are christians in our government who speak up for Israel, thru the United Nations.....But once the rapture comes to pass, there will not be anyone to speak up for Israel.....Soon,Israel will have to nuke the capital of Syria(Damascus).............and the world will say...."We were so close to acheiving peace, and now you nuke Damascus?.............But out of Isaiah 17;1....."Recommendation 666" is activated, by the new E.U. Foriegn Policy Minister.....and a TEMPORARY FALSE PEACE comes onto the scene, setting up the required conditions for Ezekial 38....................It will be a minimum of 3 1/2 years after Ezekial 38 has come to pass....before the prophecy of Daniel 9;27 would come to pass.........The Jews will have just wittnessed the Creator wipe out Israels enemies.........And then Jews from the four corners of the earth will converge on Israel with one desire in their heart.....and that is to build the third temple.....Unfortunately, the Jews, even still, will not recognize Jesus as the Son Of God, not until the Abomination of Desolation comes to pass.........................................benny

Israel’s Birthday and World Problems Converge
Modern Israel’s 60th birthday takes place Wednesday, May 14 this week. The Jewish state, however, seems to have few celebrants outside of the Jewish community in Israel and the other places Jews cluster around the world. International problems, at the same time, grow considerably--especially problems in production and distribution of food supplies that are, according to experts, dwindling.

The following excerpts capture the predecessor celebration leading to modern Israel’s actual 60th birthday celebration. The celebratory mood harbors in its shadows, however, worries about the nation’s future.

JERUSALEM - Israel staged its 60th birthday bash with fireworks, air force flyovers and a great sense of pride Thursday, but also with uncertainty about its future and doubts about prospects for peace with the Palestinians…Israel at 60 is a paradox of exuberance and despair - a country enduring near daily rocket attacks from militants while producing scientists who have pioneered Wi-Fi and instant messaging. Six decades after rising from the ashes of the Holocaust, the Jewish state is still plagued by threats from abroad and an identity crisis at home.

A large part of the angst the Jewish citizens of Israel face is engendered by media bias against its perceived illegal occupation of the tiny portion of the “holy land.” Note the tone and tenor of the writer’s following report: "Its 41-year occupation of Palestinian territories has invited international condemnation. Yet Israel is a thriving democracy that has provided a haven for the world's Jews.”

Reports on Israel by secular media are almost always tinged with accusation of that nation being there illegally and unwanted. While Israel’s early birthday celebration was going on, the “Palestinians” and the international press jumped on the opportunity to point out the Jewish state’s evil actions in usurping the hapless Arabs’ land. The report continues:

Peace talks have produced no tangible results. Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad warned Thursday that "the peace process is facing difficulties, when compared with its declared goals." President Bush wants to see a peace deal by the end of the year, but the target date appears increasingly unrealistic…In the West Bank and Gaza, Palestinians staged events to remind the world that Israel's creation has been their "nakba," or catastrophe.

Hundreds of thousands were uprooted during the 1948 war over Israel's creation, and some 4.5 million Palestinian refugees and their descendants are scattered across the region today (Source for this excerpt and those above: "Israel celebrates its 60th with pride, but also uncertainty," Steven Gutkin, Associated Press Writer, 5/8/08; http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080508/ap_on_...ea/israel_at60).

Barely controlled global anger against the modern incarnation of God’s chosen nation is evidenced through the global community. So, too, are the many signals of God’s displeasure about treatment of the Jewish people. The signals are similar to those that Bible writers reported throughout millennia past, when nations assaulted ancient Israel.

Food supply seemed to always affect people who dealt harshly with God’s chosen. Remember the great famine in Egypt that Joseph, a Jew, had to deal with, through his God’s intervention? And recall the Egyptian situations of Moses' day, when even the water was undrinkable, when Pharaoh wouldn’t let the Israelites leave Egypt. Food supply became more critical, the harsher the treatment became. We can’t help noticing similarities between then and now, if we truly look at the facts.

Thursday May 9, Fox News reported that the dictator of Burma was refusing to allow American food supplies into that cyclone-ravaged country, where more than 100,000 are thought to have died. The United Nations could only issue the asinine statement that they couldn’t understand why the Burma government –a communist state, by the way--wouldn’t allow the foodstuffs into the hurting country. Burma’s spokesperson said only that they didn’t want to open their people or nation up to American influence. Imagine the uproar if George W. Bush had made a comparable statement keeping the U.N. out of America. Of course, the point is moot, as the U.N. takes from America, not contributes to the nation.

America’s own food supplies are affected due to the oil problems of the Middle East, while President Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice try to pressure Israel into going along with dividing Jerusalem for the sake of peace in the region. Our government continues to pursue keeping the ever more expensive oil, thus gasoline flowing by placating Israel’s neighbors, even though it is the Islamic Israel-haters who keep things stirred, and will not let peace ever come to the region. Satan wants Israel removed from existence, period. Lucifer is the unseen force that deludes the human diplomats, as well as the beastly Islamic fanatics who want to remove Israel as a burdensome stone that is, they evidently believe, the major obstacle to peace.

Consider how the price of petroleum has forced farmers to turn to selling grains to produce hybrid fuels. This action has created shortages, thus higher and higher prices in food staples, even in things like breakfast cereals. The increasing pinch is felt not only in the U.S., but also by the whole world.

Those who deal in ways detrimental to Israel or with Jerusalem, God says, touch the apple of His eye. There is always a violent reaction when one’s eye is poked. Israel is linked directly to their God, whether they prefer the tether or not. This doesn’t mean that individual Jews are under His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob if they are in rebellion against Him. But, Israel as a race, as a nation, are forever under His protection in the sense He will absolutely preserve all who turn to Him in repentance. All such individuals within God’s chosen nation during this present age will be saved. Those during the tribulation–the remnant—will be lifted out of the deadliest holocaust ever. Saved Jews who are raptured will be part of the Church–Christ’s bride--for eternity. Those preserved (the remnant) through the tribulation will inherit the millennial earth, and will be the chief nation occupying the entirety of the land God gave them.

They will bless the whole world with their productivity. There will be no shortage of life-sustaining food. Watch for the increasing pressure from Almighty God as more pressure is brought to bear on His people of destiny.

--Terry

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

MOSCOW (AFP)--North Atlantic Treaty Organization planes regularly undertake " dangerous" practice attacks against Russian bombers patrolling the Arctic Ocean, the head of the Russian air force was quoted as saying Saturday.

"Regularly as our flights are fulfilling combat patrols, we are tracked by planes from the patrol forces of both NATO and other countries," Gen. Alexander Zelin was quoted as saying by Interfax news agency.

"Over the waters of the Arctic Ocean we are regularly attacked by F-15, F-16 and F-22 aircraft. I did not use the word 'attack' lightly, as our partners, so to speak, practice combat maneuvers, up to the threshold of an attack. I can tell you this is not very pleasant, even dangerous. Naturally we practice counter-maneuvers."

Foreign planes "violate flight safety in every way" when tracking Russian planes, he said, adding: "It's good that our crews are restrained, disciplined."

He said Russia would continue to send strategic bombers on long-range flights well beyond its borders, a Cold War practice reinstated by then Russian president Vladimir Putin in August 2007.

The flights, which Moscow has said don't carry live nuclear weapons, will continue over the Arctic, Pacific and Atlantic oceans as well as over the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, Zelin was quoted as saying.

Interfax said Zelin made the comments to Russian journalists but didn't say when.


Link to story:http://www.nasdaq.com/aspxcontent/Ne...nes%20Practice

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

Israel: Iran could have nukes by '09
By YAAKOV KATZ AND HERB KEINON
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With Iran racing forward with its nuclear program, Israel now believes the Islamic Republic will master centrifuge technology and be able to begin enriching uranium on a military scale this year, The Jerusalem Post has learned.


Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, center, visits the Natanz Uranium Enrichment Facility some 322 kilometers south of the capital Teheran, Iran.
Photo: AP

Slideshow: Pictures of the week The new assessment moves up Israel's forecasts on Teheran's nuclear program by almost a full year - from 2009 to the end of 2008. According to the new timeline, Iran could have a nuclear weapon by the middle of next year.

Iran, a senior defense official said on Tuesday, had encountered numerous technical obstacles on its way to enriching uranium but was now on track to master the technology needed to enrich uranium within six months.

Israel is also concerned that Teheran is developing a cruise missile that can evade interception by the Arrow, the IDF's anti-ballistic missile defense system. Iran is suspected of having smuggled Ukrainian X-55 cruise missiles and using them as models for an independent, domestic project. A cruise missile, which flies at low altitudes to dodge radar detection and interception, could be used to carry a nuclear warhead.

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Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Tuesday that Israel had the ability to create the tools needed to ensure its continued existence. Hinting at Iran, Olmert said that nothing in the world could undermine or bring an end to Israel's existence.

In a speech to a Keren Hayesod group, Olmert said, "I am asking that you take this with you and tell it to your communities everywhere - the people of Israel are strong, the State of Israel is strong, there is no enemy that can destroy us."

"We will not place ourselves in a position where anyone will, in an effective manner, threaten us with destruction, because if there was one thing that has changed since the establishment of the State of Israel 60 years ago until today, it is not that here the Jews are safe in every situation, in every condition and that there will not be any dangers," Olmert said. "There are also dangers here, like in many other places.

"But here, my friends, the Jewish people can fight, and when it needs to, it fights, and when it fights, it wins."

Last week, Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz said during a visit to the US that Teheran would likely achieve control of the technology to enrich uranium for an atomic bomb within a year.

In the past, the consensus in the intelligence community was that Iran had encountered technical difficulties with fuel enrichment and that its attainment of nuclear capability was much further off, Mofaz said, but a recent IDF Military Intelligence assessment showed that the Islamic Republic could go nuclear before the end of the decade.

Also Tuesday, NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer warned that more nations would follow the examples of Iran and North Korea and work to develop nuclear weapons. He said that the possibility that Syria was building a weapons-capable nuclear reactor before the IAF destroyed it on September 6 showed that NATO must find an answer to ballistic missile threats.

"The nuclear ambitions of Iran and North Korea threaten to set in motion a domino effect that will be difficult to contain," de Hoop Scheffer said in a speech at a missile defense conference at the Czech Foreign Ministry.

"If there is a serious suspicion that in Syria there was a facility in the making, it only increases the arguments... for finding a collective answer to a ballistic missile defense threat," the NATO chief said.

CIA Director Michael Hayden said last month that the alleged Syrian nuclear reactor would have produced enough plutonium for one or two bombs within a year of becoming operational.

"The number of states that possess ballistic missiles is already growing, slowly and surely," de Hoop Scheffer said. "The proliferation of ballistic missiles is a reality that concerns us all."

AP contributed to this report.
..................................................benny

IRAN CLERICS REBUKE AHMADINEJAD OVER "HIDDEN IMAM"



Excerpts from an Agence France Presse story: "Clerics have told President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to stick to more worldly issues after he was quoted as saying the 'hidden imam' of Shiite Islam was directing Iran. Ahmadinejad has always been a devotee of the Mahdi, the twelfth imam of Shiite Islam, who Shiites believe disappeared more than a thousand years ago and who will return one day to usher in a new era of peace and harmony. But in a speech to theology students broadcast by state television on Monday, Ahmadinejad went further than ever before in emphasising his belief that the Mahdi is playing a critical role in Iran's day-to-day politics. 'The Imam Mahdi is in charge of the world and we see his hand directing all the affairs of the country,' he said in the speech, which appears to date from last month but has only now been broadcast. 'We must solve Iran's internal problems as quickly as possible. Time is lacking. A movement has started for us to occupy ourselves with our global responsibilities, which are arriving with great speed.' Two leading clerics retorted that Ahmadinejad would be better off concentrating on Iran's social problems -- most notably its double-digit inflation -- than indulging in such mystical rhetoric. 'If Ahmadinejad wants to say that the hidden imam is supporting the decisions of the government, it is not true,' sniped Gholam Reza Mesbahi Moghadam, the spokesman of the conservative Association of Combatant Clerics. 'For sure, the hidden imam does not approve of inflation of 20 percent, the high cost of living and numerous other errors,' he said, according to the Kargozaran daily. Ali Asghari, a member of the conservative Hezbollah faction in parliament, told the president not to link the management of the country to the imam. 'Ahmadinejad would do better to worry about social problems like inflation ... and other terrestrial affairs.'.....Since becoming president in 2005, Ahmadinejad has repeatedly stated that his government is paving the way for the return of the Mahdi and chided his foes for not believing that his return is imminent."
* Jerusalem Post: Israel: Iran could have nukes by '09

posted by Joel C. Rosenberg @ 5:16 PM

AS ISRAEL MARKS MEMORIAL DAY, IRAN CLOSES IN ON TECHNOLOGY TO ANNIHILATE HER, WHILE IN MOSCOW PUTIN & MEDVEDEV SHARE POWER, SORT OF







22,347....That's how many Israelis have been killed by war and terrorism since 1948. Today, sirens wailed for two minutes throughout the Jewish State and flags were flown at half mast, bringing the country to a standstill to mark Memorial Day and honor of those who have given their lives to create and defend modern Israel. Today is a day of mourning. Tomorrow will be a day of celebration, marking the 60th anniversary of the dramatic, prophetic rebirth of Israel. (The Jewish calendar is different from the Western calendar, on which May 14th is the 60th anniversary)...."This special day wipes away our divisions. The feeling of unity and shared destiny is stronger than ever," Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said in a ceremony at Mount Herzl, the country's national military cemetery. "Memorial Day is a sad day, but free of any disagreements and very Israeli."....The Prime Minister's comments notwithstanding, Israel at 60 is actually deeply divided -- between those who see and properly appreciate the existential threats they face from Iran, Syria, Hezbollah and Hamas, and those like Mr. Olmert who believe Israel should give away the Golan Heights, the West Bank and even half of Jerusalem to people like Bashar Assad, Abu Mazen, and Khaled Masha'al. If that weren't enough, Mr. Olmert faces an aggressive corruption investigation that threatens to topple his government this year....Latest headline in the epicenter: Israel: Iran could have nukes by '09....Meanwhile, due north in Moscow, Dmitry Medvedev was officially sworn in today as Russia's new President. Two hours later, Medvedev officially named Mr. Putin Russia's new Prime Minister. Will this Putin-Medvedev partnership be a dynamic duo for peace, or a diabolical duo for war? Will they expand democracy, and free markets, and protect freedom of religion in Russia, and seek peaceful and cooperative relations with NATO and the West? Or will they continue to silence their political opponents, critical journalists, and emerging evangelical Christian churches? Will they continue to arm our worst enemies, and Israel's? Will they continue to build alliances with radical Islamic leaders and nation states? Will they continue to build up offensive military capabilities and directly threaten Russia's neighbors, such as Georgia, whose leaders fear an imminent war with Russia? Will they threaten to cut off oil and gas supplies for Europe unless the E.U. accedes to their wishes on a wide range of critical policy issues? Will they be the leaders who eventually seek a direct confrontation with Israel, as the Bible says will happen in the "last days." Time will tell, but I must be honest: I am not optimistic. I fear Russia is about to go from bad to worse, and most of the West is sleeping.
-----------------------------------------
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-------------------------------------------
HEADLINES TO TRACK:
* CNN: Russia's new president names Putin as PM
* AP: New Russian President Medvedev nominates Putin as premier
* Reuters: Putin restored Russia's pride, at a price
* Australian newspaper: Medvedev takes over, but Putin retains grip
* Haaretz: Israel boosts security in face of Independence Day terror alerts
* Haaretz: Your guide to Israel's 60th Independence Day celebrations

posted by Joel C. Rosenberg @ 9:19 AM
......................................................benny

O Russia, you started to provoke NATO yourself by fly-by's of bombers a few weeks ago, and now you lament about NATO showing off? Get a grip (on yourself mainly) and grow up.

America, do NOT divide Israel and Jerusalem. God is sending you huge signs that He will divide you if you do. Turn back from this fake peace process!

Wake up from your slumber, and become alert! These are not times to sleep!

Exclusive: Iran-backed Hizballah offensive closes in on Israeli border

May 10, 2008, 12:05 PM (GMT+02:00)
http://www.debka.org/headline.php?hid=5256


DEBKAfile’s military sources report: Hizballah’s advance on two key Lebanese locations Saturday, May 10 had immediate effect on the strategic balance between the Iran-backed Shiite group and Israel. Sidon in the south, Lebanon’s second largest city, which provides Hizballah with control of a continuous coastal strip from its southern Beirut district all the way to Tyre.

The second point is on the northern slopes of the Hermon range. After Hizballah seizes control of this enclave and the Syrian 10th and 14th armored divisions step over the border into Lebanon, the two forces can join to form a strong military line opposite Israel near the Litani River.

Our military sources report that the vanguard of the 10th Division has already moved across to the Lebanese side of the border.

Hizballah’s victory in taking over western and central Beirut therefore has had the effect of adding another link to the pro-Iranian chain encircling Israel. In many ways it is a more damaging setback for Israel’s national security than the Palestinian Hamas' seizure of the Gaza Strip

Yet Israel’s prime minister, defense minister and foreign minister are all too busy with the political fallout of the bribery case against Ehud Olmert to lift a finger to arrest Lebanon’s decline to a Tehran satellite before it is too late - any more than Hamas was stopped from developing into a major military menace.

Equally inert are the two presidents who are pledged to support the Siniora regime, George W. Bush and Nicolas Sarkozy. The United Nations, which maintains 15,000 armed peacekeepers in southern Lebanon, backed by marine forces off the shores of Beirut, has no thought of stopping the Iranian-Syrian-backed terrorist militia from capturing the country.


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

May 12, 2008 0:16 | Updated May 12, 2008 14:40
Israel eyes dangers, opportunities in Hizbullah takeover of Lebanon
By HERB KEINON AND YAAKOV KATZ
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If Hizbullah takes over Lebanon and uses it to stage attacks on Israel, Jerusalem would have no compunction about striking at Lebanon's infrastructure, something it was hesitant to do during the Second Lebanon War for fear of toppling the democratic government in Beirut, diplomatic sources said Sunday.


Hizbullah supporters in the streets of Beirut.
Photo: AP [file]

Slideshow: Pictures of the week According to the officials, while Hizbullah control of Lebanon would pose enormous challenges for Israel, it would provide opportunities for the IDF in that infrastructure targets considered out of bounds while Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora was in control would suddenly be fair play if Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah were making the decisions.

This assessment came as the cabinet heard security briefings on the rapidly changing situation in Lebanon, and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said that Israel was "naturally monitoring events there."

Vice Premier Haim Ramon told the ministers that "Lebanon must be treated as a Hizbullah state. Everything that happens there is the responsibility of Hizbullah. The country is controlled by this terrorist organization, and its government has become irrelevant."

The idea of an independent government apart from Hizbullah in Lebanon was "entirely fictitious," Ramon said.

OC Intelligence Maj.-Gen. Amos Yadlin briefed the cabinet ministers on the recent clashes in Lebanon and said that Israel must prepare for a new situation there.

Although Israel must be realistic about the new situation, he said, "there is no need for hysteria." The fact that Hizbullah was using its arms inside Lebanon, and not "to defend Lebanon against Israel" - its historic excuse for maintaining arms - showed that it felt its position threatened, Yadlin said.

Religious Services Minister Yitzhak Cohen called for an urgent appeal to the UN to renew discussions on Security Council Resolution 1701, which brought an end to the Second Lebanon War. Diplomatic sources, however, said Israel was not involved in diplomacy behind the scenes to convene a Security Council debate on the issue.

Public Security Minister Avi Dichter said that "Hizbullah continues to be in control of Lebanon, without carrying the responsibility of managing the country."

"[They] continue to create problems for Israel, like during the Second Lebanon War, and this prevents us from fighting terrorism," he said.

Defense officials, meanwhile, expressed concern Sunday that the growing instability in Lebanon would lead to a dissolution of the power of the UNIFIL peacekeepers, as well as pave the way for Hizbullah to obtain control of at least a third in the Lebanese cabinet, granting it the power to veto major government decisions.

Israel is concerned that the March 14 group, led by Saad Hariri - son of assassinated former prime minister Rafik Hariri - could lose control of the government to Hizbullah. The Shi'ite group could then shoot down government initiatives, including the upcoming renewal of UNIFIL's mandate to operate in southern Lebanon.

While the IDF - particularly the Northern Command and Military Intelligence - is closely following the events in Lebanon, officials said there was not an immediate concern that the unrest there would include attacks against Israel. The bigger concern was long-term, they said, and involved the possibility that if Hizbullah violently took over the country, Israel would in essence share a border with Iran.

One defense official said the violence in Lebanon was proof that Security Council Resolution 1701 had failed in preventing Hizbullah's military buildup and rehabilitation following the Second Lebanon War.

"Hizbullah's demonstration of its strength over the past few days shows that 1701 was never fully enforced the way it was supposed to be," said the official, who expressed concern that the political instability and violence in Lebanon would lead European countries to reconsider their participation in the UN peacekeeping mission there.
........................................................benny

Make no mistake that God will intervene.

The Blood Moon Scenario
Ikvot ha'Mashiach

Perspective by Jack Kelley

There's a video currently on the web, promoted by a well known prophecy website, that a whole bunch of you have either sent links to or asked about it or both. Here's my response.

This video shows the result of tracking solar and lunar eclipses and comparing them with Levitical Feasts, and notes that the only time in this century when 4 consecutive full lunar eclipses, known as a tetrad, will coincide with either Passover or the Feast of Tabernacles is in the years 2014-2015. Lunar eclipses are also known as "blood moons" because the moon often takes on a red cast during an eclipse.

There will also be 2 solar eclipses during that time. In the spring of 2015 Israel's religious year will begin with a total solar eclipse, followed two weeks later a total lunar eclipse on Passover. And then six months later the sequence will repeat itself with a second solar eclipse on Rosh Hashanna followed two weeks after that by another total lunar eclipse on the Feast of Tabernacles, all in 2015.

The last time anything like this happened was in 1967, when Jerusalem became an undivided Jewish city again, and before that there were several occurrences during the years of 1948-50, as Israel was becoming a nation. There were none at all in the 1800's, 1700's, or 1600's, and none in the 1500's that coincided with Feast Days.


What Does That Mean?
The conclusion being drawn from this by the video's producer is that 2015 is the most likely year for the Lord's 2nd coming in the entire 21st Century, and the fall is the best time in that year.

Prophecy buffs from across the spectrum are falling all over themselves to get on board this. But in the rush of emotion that rightfully accompanies thoughts of the Lord's impending return most are ignoring a tool for evaluating where we are in the end times that I first introduced in my series entitled "Seven Things You Have To Know To Understand End Times Prophecy". It's a business management tool called back scheduling. (You can access the series from our home page.)

Sensational claims like the one made in this video can result in real confusion if you don't know the sequence in which major End Times events will occur. Actually their order is very logical, and once you learn it, you'll wonder why you didn't see it before. The best way to figure it out is to perform what the business world sometimes calls a back scheduling exercise. It involves going to the very end of a process and identifying its final outcome. Then you list in reverse order all the things that have to happen to produce that outcome, backing into the present. It's simpler than it sounds, and much simpler in prophecy than in business because there are many fewer events to organize. Here's how it goes.

We all think of Eternity as the final outcome, and so starting at the end and working backwards means we begin there. But the last major event described in any detail in the Bible is the Kingdom Age or Millennium, the Lord's 1000 year reign on Earth, which is distinguished from and precedes Eternity. Simply put, Eternity can't begin until the Millennium ends.

The Millennium obviously can't happen till the Second Coming, because that's when the Lord returns to establish it. And the Second Coming can't happen till the end of the Great Tribulation. And that can't happen till the anti-Christ stands in the Temple in Israel declaring himself to be God. (2 Thes. 2:4) That's the event Jesus warned Israel to look for as the Great Tribulation's opening salvo. He called it "The Abomination of Desolation" in Matt. 24:15-21.



But that can't happen till there's a Temple. There hasn't been a Temple in Israel since 70AD and there won't be one until the Jews decide they need one. That won't happen until God reinstates their Old Covenant relationship, signaling the start of Daniel's 70th week. And that can't happen till the Battle of Ezekiel 38-39 is won, because it's Ezekiel's battle that officially draws the Jews back to God. (Ezek. 39:22) And that can't happen till the Church is gone, because the Church and Israel are mutually exclusive to Him. (Romans 11:25 & Acts 15:13-18) And that brings us to the present, because there is no preceding event for the Rapture of the Church. It could happen at any time.



Using this scheduling tool we can see how end times events are scheduled to take place, and the only one whose timing is at all speculative is the Rapture. Some argue that there's doubt about the timing of the Battle of Ezekiel 38 but I think the Bible is pretty clear in saying that the battle of Ezekiel 38 is Israel's wake up call to begin Daniel's 70th week. It's the event that brings Israel back into covenant with God, requiring that a Temple be built. Daniel's 70th week by definition is seven years long. The last half is the Great Tribulation, after which the Lord will return.


What's The Point?
That brings me to my point, and to make it, I'll use the back scheduling tool again. In order for the Lord to return in the fall of 2015, Daniel's 70th week will have to begin the fall of 2008, a few months from now. That means that over the summer, the Battle of Ezekiel 38 will have to take place, and God will have to re-introduce Himself to Israel, bringing them back into an Old Covenant relationship that results in Biblical Judaism becoming the official and national religion of Israel. And the anti-Christ will have to appear and gain enough power to help Israel negotiate a seven year treaty that includes provisions for a Temple. (Daniel 9:27) Then there's the matter of the Rapture of the Church. While this schedule is of course possible for God, having all these events take place this summer would be a major departure from His normal approach to things. In truth, there are several interesting facts you should know about this summer that make it an attractive possibility if you disregard everything we've just covered. Israel will celebrate its 60th birthday and at the same time the world's population is projected to reach 6,666,666,666. The 1976th birthday of the church will also occur. (Because of calendar differences much of the Western church will celebrate on May 11, but the correct date is June 8-9.)

Also, some military experts say that June will effectively be the last time this year that Israel will have an opportunity to take out Iran's nuclear capabilities, an act that will obviously cause major repercussions in the Middle East. Iran's rainy season begins in July making visibility an uncertain thing, and by September the US Presidential election will be ramped up for its all out run to our November election. Many observers believe that the current administration won't agree to let such a distraction interfere with America's focus on the election this fall. Adding these things into the mix has tempted a number of prophecy buffs to throw off all constraints and proclaim that the Day of the Lord is at hand.


Hold On Just A Minute!
But before we join them, let's take a closer look. Have the conditions for Ezekiel 38 been met? Most of the players are lined up, the exception still being Turkey. But Syria, not mentioned in Ezekiel 38, is right in the thick of things, teamed up with Iran and North Korea in a new axis of evil focused against Israel. Can Isaiah 17 also happen this summer?

And then there's the requirement that Israel be living in such a state of supposed peace as to be taken by surprise in a battle to the death. (Ezek. 38:11) If Israel goes after Iran's nukes next month, they'll be the ones pulling off the sneak attack. Could Iran's certain retaliation in any way be called an unexpected surprise that catches Israel off guard? I don't think so.

No, I think it's much more likely that any war this summer between Israel and the Moslems would result in Syria's demise and end in a false peace that puts into place the conditions necessary for Ezekiel 38 to happen some time later. And despite my earlier speculation about the 2012 magnetic polar reversal fulfilling the 6th seal of Rev. 6, I have to admit that the most likely coming event that fits the sequence and is worthy of announcement by signs in the heavens in 2015 would be the beginning of Daniel's 70th week.

If these earlier Blood Moons did in fact announce the re-birth of the nation and the reunification of Jerusalem as it appears, then the next major step in Israels' journey toward the Kingdom is their national reunion with their Creator. This is the way Ezekiel saw it happening, and in my view is important enough to God to merit such a celestial announcement. After all He's been waiting to take them back for 2000 years.

"Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence." (Hosea 6:1-2)

Thankfully, it won't be long until we know for sure who's right and who's wrong. And it won't take any rocket science to tell. Because if the 70th week is set to begin in September then the next few months will astonish the world in a breath taking series of prophetic fulfillments unparalleled since the Lord's crucifixion and resurrection. You can almost hear the footsteps of the Messiah.
.....................................................benny

May 13, 2008 0:07 | Updated May 13, 2008 0:52
'Accept truce, or resistance will go on'
By KHALED ABU TOAMEH
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Hamas and Islamic Jihad leaders warned Monday that they would continue the "resistance" if Israel rejected the Egyptian initiative for a truce.




Olmert meets with Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman

Hamas, meanwhile, said the negotiations over the release of kidnapped IDF soldier Cpl. Gilad Schalit would begin only after Israel agrees to the truce proposal.

"If Israel does not want a hudna [temporary truce] now, they can forget about Schalit for many years to come," a senior Hamas official in Gaza City said. "Our position is that there should first be a hudna before we start talking about the soldier. We're not going to make any progress on the case of the soldier as long as Israel is continuing its attacks on the Gaza Strip."

The official said the next 48 hours would determine "whether we are headed toward a cease-fire or an all-out explosion not only in the Gaza Strip, but probably in the entire region." Egyptian General Intelligence Chief Omar Suleiman is expected to brief the leaders of the two organizations Tuesday on the outcome of his talks in Jerusalem with Israeli officials.

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Suleiman to meet Olmert, Barak
Video: Former Israeli envoy to US Ayalon: Truce with Hamas not in Israel's best interest

Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar said Israel was "inclined" to accept the initiative. "We believe the Israeli leaders will accept the initiative," he said. "But they won't announce their position in public." He claimed that Israel does not want to create the impression that it has been defeated by the "strong will" of the Palestinians. "That's why we expect Israel to drag its feet regarding the implementation of the terms of the truce, especially with regards to the reopening of the Rafah border crossing and halting its aggression against the Palestinians," Zahar added.

He said Hamas was waiting to hear from Suleiman about the results of his visit to Jerusalem before it makes its final decision regarding the truce initiative. "We hope the voice of reason will prevail in Israel," he said. "We hope they will lift the siege [on the Gaza Strip] and stop their aggression." Zahar said Israel was now facing an opportunity of tahdiyah [period of calm]. "If they accept it, that would be a positive move," he added. "But if they turn it down, they should expect our people to pursue the struggle and resistance until we achieve our goals."

The Hamas leader said his organization expects Egypt to reopen the Rafah border unilaterally once Israel rejects the truce initiative. He pointed out that as far as Hamas and the Palestinians are concerned, the blockade on the Gaza Strip has been a complete failure.

"Even [former US President] Jimmy Carter has condemned the siege," he said. "The Palestinians are not beggars and we don't seek humanitarian aid from anyone. Nor are we standing in line in front of the UNRWA offices to receive bread."

Islamic Jihad leader Muhammed al-Hindi also threatened that his group would continue to fight if Israel rejected the Egyptian plan. "There's more than one indication that Israel is headed toward accepting the initiative," he said. "In any case, the Palestinians maintain the right to self-defense.

"We aren't begging for a cease-fire and we will never surrender to anyone."
..................................................benny

Analysis: Lebanese army will not step in before Hizballah fights pro-government forces to the finish
May 13, 2008, 1:00 PM (GMT+02:00)


Lebanese army adapts to Hizballah's goals
DEBKAfile’s military sources report: After six days of fighting between government loyalists and Hizballah leave close to a 100 dead and 200 wounded, the Lebanese army’s demand that all combatants lay down their arms will go unheeded until the Shiite terrorists decide they have achieved their goals.

Hizballah is now focusing on the northern Tripoli region and the central mountains east of Beirut in line with those goals after deciding there is no need at this stage to topple the pro-Western Siniora government:

1. The northern port of Tripoli is important to Hizballah and Syria - both as the largest pro-Syrian Sunni stronghold in Lebanon and as a supply hub for incoming Iranian arms for Tehran’s Shiite proxy. The arms are unloaded from Iran freighters at the Syrian ports of Latakiya and Tartous and trucked to Tripoli.

2. Hizballah has a strategic interest in crushing the Druze militias of the anti-Syrian pro-government Walid Jumblatt, which control the Chouf mountains east of Beirut. Over and above this goal, DEBKAfile’s military sources stress that, after capturing most of Beirut last Saturday, Hizballah has focused on isolating and disarming the Sunni supporters of the Siniora government.

After a series of fierce clashes, Hizballah slapped down an ultimatum for Jumblatt: Pull your militiamen out of their bases and hand over your heavy weapons i.e. cannon, mortars, heavy machine guns, RPG’s and explosives, to the Lebanese army, or face the consequences. Hizballah then brought in heavy artillery, with Syrian help, and set about pounding Druze mountain positions. It is hard to see them holding out for long before Hizballah seizes control of the hills which command the entire Beirut plateau.

After the Druze militias fall, Hizballah may be expected to focus on vanquishing majority leader Saad Hariri’s Sunni forces in Sidon. This would isolate the only armed force left in Lebanon, the Christian Phalangists led by Samir Geagea.

In the face of the Iranian surrogate army’s lightning conquest of Lebanon, US president George W. Bush’s statement in Washington, on the even of his Middle East trip, that the United States would not let Syria and Iran undermine Lebanon’s sovereignty comes very much after the fact. His offer to help Siniora by strengthening his armed forces is equally belated. The Lebanese army is by now more an operational arm of Hizballah than an armed force that serves the government.

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

Pentecost And The Rapture
Perspective by Jack Kelley

Let me begin by saying that I don't believe the Rapture must necessarily fall on any Jewish Holy Day because I believe that the Rapture is a number specific event, not a date specific one. From my studies I have concluded that the Rapture is not connected to any other end times event, nor is it "scheduled" to take place on a given day, and certainly not on a Jewish Feast Day, which have so far been fulfilled in a manner significant to Israel, and which are easily identifiable in advance.



The key to the Rapture's occurrence is in Romans 11:25 where Paul used what I think were two carefully selected phrases in writing, "Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of Gentiles has come in." The first phrase is "full number". It was a nautical term that described the number of soldiers and sailors that had to be contracted and on board before a ship could set sail. As soon as the full number was accounted for the ship could leave the harbor, but not before. The last few crew members were often obtained in suspicious ways, so the ship set sail the minute all were on board. In effect, no one knew the exact day or hour of departure, and the ship often stole away in the middle of the night, before the most recently “contracted” crew members woke up from their drunken stupor to discover what had been done to them.



The other phrase is "has come in." It was another nautical term that meant "to arrive at its destination". You've probably heard someone say, "I'm waiting for my ship to come in" meaning he's waiting for his

fortune to arrive at its destination, in this case his bank account. It's a play on words that came from this term.



When I put it all together, I think that Paul was telling us that the Rapture is a number specific event not a date specific one, and that's why no one will know the day or hour. There is apparently a "full

number" of members in the Church and when the full number has arrived at its destination, heaven, then the Lord will turn again to Israel, their blinders will come off, and He'll fulfill the last seven years of Jewish history, Daniel's 70th Week.



That being said, since no one knows the full number, no one can guess the day and hour of the Church's departure. But as soon as the full number of born again believers is reached the Church will set sail for it's destination no matter what day or hour it happens to be. Then the scheduled End Times events can begin to happen, because they're all geared toward accomplishing 2 things for God. One is disciplining Israel and the other is completely destroying the unbelieving world (Jer. 30:11) and the Church has no part in either.



But since Pentecost is celebrated by much of the Western church this weekend and since I get a lot of questions about the Rapture occurring on Pentecost, here's why if it was scheduled for a Jewish feast day, Pentecost would be the most likely.

What's Pentecost?
Pentecost comes in the early summer (May-June). It's the only Holy Day between the 3 Spring Feasts (Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits) which were all fulfilled in the 1st Coming, and the 3 in the Fall (Rosh Hashanna, Yom Kippur, and Tabernacles) which will all be fulfilled in the 2nd Coming. Its Hebrew name is Shavuot. Pentecost is a Greek word that means "50 days" since it comes 50 days from the Sabbath after Passover. The Feast of First Fruits (Resurrection Morning) is celebrated on the day following the first Sabbath after Passover and Pentecost on the day after the Sabbath seven weeks later, (Lev. 23:15-16) giving rise to its nickname "Feast of Weeks." Since the Jewish Sabbath is Saturday, both these Holy days are Sundays, although Pentecost has become a 2 day event.

Jews celebrate Pentecost (I'll just use its Greek name to avoid any more confusion than necessary) as the day Moses received the Law on Mt. Sinai in the wilderness and the nation Israel was born. (Exodus 19-20) Christians celebrate it as the day the Holy Spirit fell on the Disciples in Jerusalem and the Church was born (Acts 2). If you agree with my view that the parables of Matthew 13 describe the church on Earth and that the parable of the yeast predicts there will be sin in the church, you'll be interested in the fact that unlike all the other Jewish Feasts that call for unleavened bread, Pentecost requires bread baked with yeast (Lev. 23:17). Pentecost also began the annual wheat harvest, perhaps pointing to another of Matthew's Kingdom parables, the Wheat and the Tares.



The Pentecost ceremonies reveal a subtle link to the coming church. In synagogues, the Book of Ruth is read on Pentecost. The story of Ruth has been called "The Romance of Redemption" where-in Naomi, a Jewish woman from Bethlehem loses land and position and is forced into exile in a foreign country where her husband soon passes away leaving her penniless and alone. She decides to return to Bethlehem and is accompanied by Ruth, a gentile woman who has sworn never to leave her. Ruth is a Moabite who had married one of Naomi's sons who also died, making her Naomi's daughter-in-law and, like her, a destitute widow.



Once back in Bethlehem Naomi's relative, a prominent Jewish man named Boaz, falls in love with Ruth and marries her, in the process redeeming Naomi's land and position according to the law. (Lev 25:25 & Deut. 25:5-6). The modeling here is dramatic, with Naomi in the role of Israel, destitute and alone; Ruth as the Church, the gentile bride; Boaz as the Kinsman Redeemer (Messiah) and the story a prediction of the relationship between the three of them. On His way to redeeming Israel, the Kinsman Redeemer takes a gentile bride, saving both from destitution and restoring Israel's land. The identification of the Church with Pentecost began in the prophecies of Ruth.



By the way, Boaz was the son of Rahab, the supposed harlot from the Book of Joshua, and 3 generations later his great-grandson David became King of Israel. Rahab and Ruth both show up in the Genealogy of the Lord Jesus (Matt. 1:5), and one of the pillars at the entrance to the Temple was named after Boaz. There's a tradition that the shepherds of Bethlehem, who were the first to be informed of the Lord's birth, were tending their sheep in fields that once belonged to Boaz and Ruth.

When Is Your Birthday?
But there's more. Another tradition holds that Enoch, one of the patriarchs from Genesis 5, was born on the day later to be known as Pentecost. Enoch's name means "teaching" a primary function of the Church and so many scholars see him as a "type" of the church as well. Genesis 5:21-23 indicates that Enoch was very close to God and was actually taken live (raptured) into Heaven some time before the Great Flood. Pre-Trib scholars see this event as hinting of a yet future disappearance of the Church just before the Great Tribulation, especially since the Lord said that the day of His coming would be like the days of Noah. In the Days of Noah the unbelieving world was destroyed in the judgment, a believing remnant was preserved through the judgment and Enoch disappeared before the judgment. If these conditions repeat themselves as the Lord indicated, then preceding the 2nd Coming, the unbelieving world will again be destroyed in the judgment, a believing remnant of Israel will be preserved through the judgment, and the church will disappear sometime before the judgment.

These same traditions also hold that Enoch disappeared from Earth on his birthday. So here's a model in Genesis of a man identified with the church being born and raptured on the day that would become Pentecost, the day the church was also born. And that's why of all the Jewish feasts, Pentecost is the most likely Rapture Day.

All this of course is merely an accumulation of circumstantial evidence. The Rapture is a secret event, and as such it's exact timing is known only to God. And if, as I believe, it will happen as soon as the full number has come in, then it would be impossible for anyone on Earth to know the day or the hour in advance.

Soon And Very Soon
One day soon now, all who are in Christ, having heard and believed the Word of Truth, the Gospel of our salvation, thereby receiving the mark of the promised Holy Spirit, will suddenly disappear from the face of the Earth. Included among them will be all children and those mentally incapable of making informed choices. An unknown number of instantaneous deliveries will temporarily leave the world without a single pregnant woman at the same time. In one instant we will have been going about our daily routines and in the next we'll be standing in the presence of our Redeemer, our sins forgiven and forgotten, and all our imperfections gone. Joining us will be all the faithful dead, reunited with their perfected bodies and restored to eternal physical life. Together we will begin the most incredible journey of exploration and realization ever dreamed of.

Neither we, nor the unbelieving world, will have received any advance warning of the timing for this event; it will have come totally by surprise. Maybe it will happen on Pentecost, maybe not. But one thing is certain, when it does happen, none us will care one whit whether we had predicted it's timing accurately. We will only express in unimaginable joy our gratitude for being there. For it is by grace you have been saved through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephe. 2:8-9) As it is written: No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him – but God has revealed it to us by His Spirit. (1 Cor. 2:9-10). You can almost hear the footsteps of the Messiah. 05-10-08

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

Obliterate Iran? Let's not
Submitted by SHNS on Mon, 05/12/2008 - 14:06. By JOHN M. CRISP, Scripps Howard News Service editorials and opinion
Does anyone doubt that the United States would respond militarily to an attack on Israel by Iran? Even knee-jerk doves know that such an attack could not be allowed to pass unanswered. Certainly Iran knows it.

But Senator Hillary Clinton, candidate for the Democratic nomination for president, overstated the case when she told ABC's "Good Morning America'' last month that if Iran attacks Israel, "we would be able to totally obliterate them.''

Of course. We're the only nation with the weaponry and the delivery systems to obliterate any other country in the world. It goes without saying. But statements like Senator Clinton's are useful during presidential campaigns.

Clinton's opponent, Senator Barack Obama, accuses her of saber rattling, of adopting the threatening "bluster" and cowboy diplomacy of President George W. Bush. In response Clinton says that U.S. leaders "have to be very clear about what we would do" in the event of an attack on Israel by Iran.

But how clear was Senator Clinton? She was careful not to say that the U.S. would obliterate Iran, only that it would "be able to." And the clarity of her language wasn't enhanced by her use of the unnecessary and redundant adverb "totally," the sense of which is carried entirely in the verb "obliterate." It's like saying "completely destroyed" or "fatally electrocuted."

And would we truly be willing to "obliterate" Iran? Even by itself, "obliterate" is a powerful verb that denotes the destruction of any trace of existence. In fact, it implies a Hiroshima-like mushroom cloud over Tehran and the deaths of many innocent men, women, and children.

I don't think that this is what Senator Clinton has in mind. It's more likely that we would hit military installations and the industrial and petroleum infrastructure. Or maybe we would preserve the petroleum infrastructure, since important countries depend on it. Precisely what any president would do in the event of an Iranian attack on Israel depends on circumstances beyond the powers of any leader to predict accurately.

In any case, maybe it's time to start thinking --and talking -- about Iran differently, before we reach the point of this sort of crisis. Bad guys and nutcases have managed to acquire power in Iran, and we've helped them maintain and consolidate it by serving as a convenient external threat that makes it hard for Iranian moderates to resist them.

Iran has benefited strategically from our presence in Iraq, but it must be feeling threatened. It's surrounded by the military forces of the world's most powerful nation, which happens also to be avid for its oil at a time when the world's supply is diminishing. We've called the Iranians "evil" and threatened them with regime change. And who knows how a verb like "obliterate" translates into Persian?

But there are two good reasons to develop better relations with Iran: because they're necessary and because they're possible.

They're necessary because stability in the Middle East is unlikely without Iran's participation, and an unstable Middle East will be an unceasing source of problems for us, at least until we become more serious about reducing our dependence on oil from that region. Under these conditions, Iran will always be a world and regional player, with too much pride to give in to threats and too powerful to obliterate.

And better relations are possible; in some respects, Iran is a natural ally. Its democratic tendencies, which go back about 100 years, were derailed by a CIA-sponsored coup in 1953, and it's had terrible leadership ever since, first the U.S.-backed Shah and then various versions of the current crop of radicals.

But there's considerable evidence that the Iranian populace contains a critical mass that's inclined favorably toward the West and the modern world. Persian is the third most common language on the Internet and Iranians maintain over 80,000 blogs. The writings of Immanuel Kant and other westerners sell well in Iran, and many Iranians desire to be a part of a modern secular world. (Evidence of this can be found in the work of experts like Elaine Sciolino, Sandra Mackey, and Vali Nasr.)

Words have power, and the Iranians are listening. Perhaps it's time to find ways to use words to ratchet the tensions down, rather than up.


(John M. Crisp teaches in the English Department at Del Mar College in Corpus Christi, Texas. John M. Crisp teaches in the English Department at Del Mar College in Corpus Christi, Texas. . E-mail him at jcrisp(at)delmar.edu For more news and information visit www.scrippsnews.com.)




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

The 83rd Piece Completes the Prophecy Puzzle



Bill Salus





Astonishingly the final piece of the end-times puzzle was uncovered in, of all places, Ireland on July 26, 2006. An engineer digging up Irish bog-land to create commercial potting soil noticed just beyond the bucket of his bulldozer, a well-preserved ancient parchment. It was Psalm 83, opened up in place and in plain view. Perhaps it is no coincidence this Psalm that is filled with prophetic content has been dug up, dusted off, and rendered newsworthy in these latter days.

By placing this 83rd piece into proper place, predicted events come into appropriate alignment. This exciting discovery now completes the last days puzzle, enabling the prophecy buffs to confidently forecast the coming Arab-Israeli War, followed by the Russian – Iranian led invasion of Israel described in Ezekiel 38 and 39, and lastly the dreaded “Tribulation Period”.


Located in the Old Testament, Psalm 83 alludes to an Arab confederacy that seeks to destroy the modern day Jewish State of Israel. The Psalmist lists these ancient enemies of Israel by their ancestral names: “The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites; Moab, and the Hagarenes; Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre: Assyria also is joined with them.” (Psa. 83:6-8, ASV; emphasis added)



Back then labels like Palestinians, Jordanians, Hamas, Hezbollah, Syrians, and Saudi’s, didn’t exist, so it is up to this present revelation generation to locate the whereabouts of these ethnicities today. This map taken out of my new book Isralestine; The Ancient Blueprints of the Future Middle East, identifies these Islamic nations alongside their historical counterparts.


These nations have the tiny Jewish State completely boxed in on every side. Although a temporary and fragile peace exists between, Israel, Egypt and Jordan, the preponderance of these Arabs, don’t recognize Israel’s right to even exist.



Here is how the 83rd piece completes the prophecy puzzle. These predominately Arab groupings, whose ancestors have harbored an ancient hatred of the Jewish people from time immemorial, are going to attempt one final concerted effort to destroy the nation Israel.



The Psalmist puts it this way: “They [the Arab confederates] devise crafty schemes against your [Jehovah] people [the Jews], laying plans against your precious ones. “Come,” they say, “let us wipe out [modern day] Israel as a nation. We will destroy the very memory of its existence.” This was their unanimous decision. They signed a treaty as allies against you” (Psa. 83:3-5, NLT)



This self-explanatory passage informs us that the Middle East conflict of today will escalate into a massive war. This will make the historical Arab – Israeli wars of 1948, 1956, 1967, and 1973, look like cross-town sporting rivalries comparatively. This war will leave Israel no choice but to decimate all of its evil Arab neighbors, and in the process put the world on notice that is has emerged into the “exceedingly great army” foretold to come in Ezekiel 37:10.

Furthermore, the Jewish State will stretch out sovereignty over some of the conquered Arab territories. They will do so in an effort to claim sections of the land their God Jehovah promised to their patriarch Abraham in Genesis 15:18. This potentially puts portions of Egypt on through to Iraq into their Real Estate portfolio. Part and parcel with increased territory comes Jewish possession of Arab resources and the associated spoils of war. Israel will become a much wealthier nation as a result of their conquest, and will begin to dwell securely in what I refer to as Isralestine, and Daniel 11:41 classifies as the “Glorious Land”.

In this post war condition, the Jewish State will appropriately resemble the nation of Israel described in the prophecy of Ezekiel 38:8-13. They will be a peaceful people gathered back into their ancient homeland of Israel, in the latter days. They will dwell prosperously, and securely. This is prerequisite for the stage setting of the Russian – Iranian led coalition described in Ezekiel 38 and 39 that comes to destroy Israel and take over Isralestine.

Pundits have often wondered why the Palestinians and their Arab cohorts, who are the most observable opponents of Israel today, are not enlisted in the Russian – Iranian coalition. The Psalm 83 puzzle piece evidences why; these populations are fragmented at that time. They are reduced to prisoners of war and refugees, and as such, of no military utility to the Russians and Iranians.

Sometime after Israel takes out their Arab neighbors, and becomes one of the wealthiest nations in the world, the cry will go out across the Promised Land, “The Russians are coming, the Russians are coming”! Then the world will witness the God of the Jews execute the destruction of the Russian – Iranian led invasion of Isralestine. These events are described in Ezekiel 39:1-8, and are entirely orchestrated by God, without the assistance of the Israeli army. Thus the Israeli Defense force of today, is emerging for the primary purpose of combating the Psalm 83 Arab confederacy.

Completing the prophecy puzzle, the Antichrist enters into the Middle East Theater, in an attempt to neutralize the empowered Jewish State, which at the time will be basking in the glory of two significant victories. The Jews will have defeated the Psalm 83 Arabs, and their God Jehovah will have destroyed the Russian – Iranian led coalition. In essence the struggling Jewish State of Israel today, will be a super nation tomorrow!




For more information on all of these prophecies, you are encouraged to pick up your copy of my new book -ISRALESTINE, available at www.isralestine.com.





*Puzzle piece and book cover art provided by Steve Warner at Anomalos Publishing, and map by Lani Harmony at www.gallery3nine.com

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

Outgoing Israeli Air Force commander: Israel faces unparalleled threats
May 13, 2008, 6:44 PM (GMT+02:00)

Handing over the command of the air force at a ceremony on Tuesday, May 13, Maj. Gen. Eliezer Shkedy warned that Israel faces threats unknown in the past. “We must prepare itself to withstand them as a nation, as an army and as an air force,” he said. The incoming air force chief Maj. Gen. Eidan Nehushtan said the regime in Tehran combines poisonous rhetoric with actions drawn from an ideology that denies Israel the right to exist.


-------------------------------benny

http://www.rapturealert.com/2008/051308jerusalem.asp .......benny

Only cowards give into blackmail and bullying.
Get out of the way, cowardly men who weasel as diplomats with the devil.

For it is to God's Glory, that You shall witness that nothing is to big or too great for God to achieve, as He has already seen it in the reserved time.
Somewhere, God said to me:

"I can see where you would take offense on the thorn (jihad) in the side of an old adversary of Mine (spirit causing islam).
You can not know this, for this is of old a bill, that I have come to collect. This is My Dispute to settle. You did the right thing: You called Me!".

People, it will not be long before God will SMITE the enemy! Praise the Lord our God!

Ahmadinejad: Israel to be 'swept away soon'


Tehran - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Tuesday that Israel would "be soon swept away" from the Palestinian Territories by the Palestinians. It is the second time within less than three years that the Iranian president predicted the eradication of the Jewish state.
The first time was in 2005 when Ahmadinejad hoped that Israel would be eradicated from the Middle East map.
"This terrorist and criminal state is backed by foreign powers, but this regime would soon be swept away by the Palestinians," Ahmadinejad said in a press conference in Tehran.
Referring to worldwide celebrations for the 60th anniversary of Israel's foundation, he said that "it would be futile to hold a birthday ceremony for something which is already dead."
"As far as the regional countries are concerned, this regime does not exist," Ahmadinejad added.
The Iranian president said last week that the anniversary feasts could not save this "rotten and stinking corpse."
Ahmadinejad caused international outrage in the past by hoping for the eradication of Israel, the relocation of the Jewish state to Europe or Alaska and questioning the historic dimensions of the Holocaust.

tp://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/205101,ahmadinejad-israel-to-be-swept-away-soon.html
.....................................................benny

Bush calls Iran 'single biggest threat' to Mideast peace
Monday, 12 May 2008
JERUSALEM (AFP) — US President George W. Bush on Monday called Iran the "single biggest threat" to peace in the Middle East ahead of a visit to the region centered on celebrations of Israel's 60th anniversary.

"To me it's the single biggest threat to peace in the Middle East, the Iranian regime," because of its nuclear programme and its support of groups like the Lebanese Hezbollah militia, Bush told Israel's Channel 10.

"Their funding of Hezbollah -- look what's happening in Lebanon now, a young democracy trying to survive," Bush said in excerpts of an interview to be broadcast in its entirety on Tuesday.

In recent days Lebanon has been driven to the brink of civil war after days of deadly sectarian street clashes between the Shiite Hezbollah and its allies and Sunni Muslim supporters of the US-backed government.

"By the way it's in Israel's interest that the Lebanese democracy survives. You need to be concerned about Iran and you are concerned about Iran and so are we," Bush said.

The US and Israel accuse Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons and Israel has considered the Islamic republic its greatest strategic threat in the wake of repeated statements by its president predicting the Jewish state's demise.

Iran insists its nuclear programme is entirely peaceful.

Bush was due to meet Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Wednesday at the start of a five-day trip anchored on Israel's 60th anniversary celebrations and aimed at bolstering US-backed Middle East peace talks launched in November.

Bush declined to comment on a major corruption investigation recently launched against the beleaguered Israeli premier, saying only that he has "great relations with the prime minister."

"I find him to be a frank man and an honest man and an open man," Bush said.

Olmert is suspected of having received funds illegally from a US businessman before he became premier in 2006

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

Exclusive: Hizballah received 35 new Iranian speedboats shortly before current crisis
May 11, 2008, 9:22 AM (GMT+02:00)

DEBKAfile’s military sources report that three weeks before Hizballah seized western Beirut, the Shiite terrorist group took delivery of 35 fast speedboats for use with explosives from Iran. The craft can threaten US Sixth Fleet and Israel Navy shipping close to Lebanese shores, reach Israel’s Haifa and Ashdod Mediterranean ports and raid its coastal oil installations.

The speedboats were tailor-made for Hizballah by Iranian Revolutionary Guards shipyards at Bandar Abbas as the only marine terror fleet operating in Mediterranean waters. Our military sources report the boats are capable of carrying chemical, biological and radiological weapons systems.

They were delivered in mid-April by an Iranian freighter at the Syrian port of Latakia and trucked to Naimah port south of Beirut. There they were hidden in the subterranean hangars belonging to Ahmed Jibril, head of the Palestinian Liberation Front-General Command. Today, the PLF-GC is financed and directed by the Revolutionary Guards. The hangars were constructed in the seventies by East Germany engineers with a protected Mediterranean anchorage and made virtually impenetrable by sea or air.

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

Funny, since the goalkeeper canon is custom made for speedboat intercepts. You gotta be kidding!

Last update - 20:30 13/05/2008


Fayyad: Israel shouldn't celebrate independence until peace deal signed

By The Associated Press

Tags: Gaza, Israel, Palestinians

Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad reprimanded Israel on Tuesday for triumphantly celebrating its 60th birthday before having reached a peace deal with the Palestinians.

"Such festivities are out of place as long as Israel rules over the Palestinians," the usually mild-mannered Fayyad said in a speech marking the nakba ("the Catastrophe"), as the Palestinians refer to the events surrounding Israel's independence in 1948.

"I direct my speech... to the people of Israel, to say 'how can you?'" Fayyad said in marking the anniversary. "How can you celebrate and the Palestinian people are suffering from your settlements and the crimes of your settlers and the siege of your state and the conduct of your occupying army?"
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"There is no meaning to celebration if we don't celebrate together, with a fair peace," he added.

Israel celebrated the 60th anniversary of its May 14, 1948 independence declaration with great fanfare last week, following the Hebrew calendar. Israel is hosting another round of festivities this week and will be joined by foreign leaders, including U.S. President George W. Bush.

Palestinians will hold events marking the nakba on Thursday.

Plans include flying thousands of black balloons in a show of mourning, rallies in the West Bank and Gaza and the screening of films about Palestinian history.

In Gaza, the ruling Islamic militant Hamas wants supporters to march toward a main passenger crossing with Israel. Gaza has been virtually sealed since the violent Hamas takeover a year ago.

Arab students at Israeli universities in Haifa and Jerusalem plan nakba marches. In Jerusalem, artists plan to exhibit 3,000 figurines, meant to represent Palestinian refugees.

During the 1948 Mideast War, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were uprooted and scattered across the region. Along with their descendants, they now make up about 4.5 million, according to United Nations figures.

Commemorations are meant to direct attention to the unresolved plight of Palestinian refugees, and to encourage young Palestinians to learn their history, activists said. The fate of refugees is a key issue in Israeli-Palestinian peace talks which resumed earlier this year, but have yielded little progress.

"Palestinians have been dispossessed long enough, and how many years do they have to wait before they come home?" said Huwaida Arraf, a 31-year-old Palestinian activist in Ramallah.

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

It is the Philistines who rejected the 1948 agreement. Instead of sharing in peace and living like brothers, they choose deliberately to be the enemy.
Arraf, you do not have a memory that holds facts, does it? Oh that is right, 31 years old, and you were not even BORN when 1948 came along. Well then your fathers have taught you some history then? Oh no! That is right, you ten year olds were already playing with kalashnikofs and being indoctrinated to hate Israel and the Zionists. Yes I have seen many documentaries about Ph