A Wake up Call! The Winds of War!
Vincent Aquilino
The Ezekiel 38 positioning is continuing as God is aligning the players on the chessboard of the Middle East.
Iraq has indicated to Syrian President, Bashar Assad, that Iraq would be willing to provide Syria with strategic depth, in the event of a clash with Israel. As evidence, Iraq has twice deployed division level forces in maneuvers along its common border with Syria and Jordan in the past several months.
An Israeli war with Syria could be the result of Israel large scale retaliation against the Hizbullah. Israeli Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Shaul Mofaz said yesterday that he holds Syria and Lebanon responsible for the Hizbullah anti-tank missile attack on an IDF patrol on the northern border last Friday. Mofaz hinted that Israel will not put off much longer retaliating on a larger scale. IDF Deputy Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh acknowledged that such a retaliation is liable to lead to a widening of the conflict, including a limited conflict with the Syrians,"
PLO is also engaging Syria in diplomatic discussion attempting contacts with Syria designed to coordine a common front against Israel's Prime Minister-elect Ariel Sharon's unity government.
The Biblical prophecy of Isaiah chapter 17 is crying out from over 2500 years ago: "Behold, Damascus will cease from being a city, and it will be a ruinous heap. The cities of Aroer are forsaken; they will be for flocks which lie down, and no one will make them afraid. The fortress also will cease from Ephraim, the kingdom from Damascus, and the remnant of Syria; they will be as the glory of the children of Israel," says the LORD of hosts."
Israeli deputy defense minister indicated that Saddam Hussein's threats against Israel should not be ignored as Iraq, in spite of sanctions, as re-armed its conventional forces. Perhaps, in what was a wake of call to Saddam, two dozen US and British warplanes struck five Iraqi radar and command posts north of the 33rd parallel, which had been threatening American and British aircraft. Russia condemns US-British air raids on Iraq. What is prophetically of interest is that it was Great Britain and the United States that brought the attack -- the Lion and Young lion of Ezekiel 38.
Russia, of course, in response to the attack and accusing the new US administration of George W. Bush of ignoring international humanitarian norms. "What the American military is in the process of doing, at the beginning of the new US administration, is a threat to international security and the entire international community," General Leonid Ivashov told Interfax.
Russia is not just posturing with these statements. It is actions that speak louder than words and Russia has been flexing its muscles. On Friday Feb 16,2001 Russia test-fired nuclear-capable strategic missiles from air, land and sea on Friday, a comparatively rare demonstration of all three branches of Russia's "nuclear triad." The navy and land-based Strategic Rocket Forces announced their launches within minutes of each other, one of a Topol rocket, the other of a ballistic missile fired from a submarine of the Northern Fleet. Two hours later, the air force said a TU-95 bomber had also fired a strategic missile. Russian strategic bombers intruded into Japanese airspace and flew near Norwegian airspace. The flights prompted a protest from Tokyo. Russian Il-78 tanker aircraft also have been sent to the edges of the vast Russian Federation and have been spotted in aerial refueling of Russian warplanes. In addition to strategic forces, Russian conventional forces are involved, according to intelligence officials. Troops of the Russian Border
Guards and Federal Security Service have been mobilized. Russia's military press reported Monday that motorized rifle and airborne divisions are participating, along with air force and air defense troops.
The Nuclear-capable Russian bombers had just two days earlier performed unannounced exercises near Norway and Japan, forcing those countries' air forces to scramble to respond. Japan said Russian warplanes entered its air space, which Moscow denied. Felgengauer said the missile launches and the earlier air tests were probably part of a single strategic exercise designed to simulate nuclear war.
Do you have ears to hear?
Equally disconcerting was the fact that U.S. spy satellites have pinpointed Russian tactical nuclear arms in the Baltic enclave of Kaliningrad between Poland and Lithuania on the Baltic Sea -- contradicting Moscow's contention that it had not transferred the battlefield
As has been discussed in past analysis, the Israeli-Turkish alliance is critical to preventing a Middle-East War. Israel and Turkey signed a military pact in 1996 that reversed years of frosty ties, but Turkey has begun to waver on support to the U.S.A. as well as Israel.
Turkey is an ally of the United States as well as Israel, but Turkey's close ties with Israel included military agreements and military cooperation such as in the recent Air force maneuvers using F15 and F16 fighter jets. However, Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said after talks with Yasser Arafat last fall indicated he supported the principle of Palestinian statehood. But was even more disturbing was that Arafat pointed out that Turkish soldiers are in the West Bank city of Hebron assisting a Palestinian army unit.
Turkey is an important regional power and it is continuing to move toward the Arab world. President Suleyman Demirel visited Eygypt last year with hopes increasing economic cooperation and to consolidate already close political ties with Cairo. King Abdullah of Jordan also said during a visit last year to Amman that Turkey should play an important role in middle eastern peace making: ``Changes in the region dictate that our relations with Turkey assume a strategic dimension which we hope will set an example for Arab-Turkish ties,'' Of particular note was Intelligence Digest's observation at that time that " Syria cannot possibly go to war with Israel until Turkey is neutralized." In their eyes, Turkey is the linch-pin to stability in the area. Syria figures prominately in Biblical prophecy as Isaiah chapter 17 tells us that at some point in the future that Damascus will be utterly destroyed:
"The burden against Damascus. "Behold, Damascus will cease from being a city, and it will be a ruinous heap. The cities of Aroer are forsaken; they will be for flocks which lie down, and no one will make them afraid. The fortress also will cease from Ephraim, the kingdom from Damascus, and the remnant of Syria; they will be as the glory of the children of Israel," says the LORD of hosts." (Isaiah 17:1-3)
The Syrian-Israeli peace talks broke off in early 1996 and relationships with Syria continue to be strained. A Syrian peace agreement was always contingent on Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon, which has occurred, but what has proved a stumbling block is the status of the Golan Heights -- which is critical to Israeli defenses. Syria is still insisting that the entire Golan be turned back over to Syrian control. This is not likely to occur and could make Syria the trigger-point that could result in a full-scale assault against Israel.
If Israel defends itself against Syrian aggression with a nuclear strike against Damascus, not only would this undoubtedly precipitate the Ezekiel 38 invasion of Israel, but the whole world would stand against Israel.
On Febuary 15th, 2001 the Middle East Newsline reported that Russia wants security cooperation from Turkey as Russia wants Turkey's help in fighting the Islamic insurgency in Chechnya. Officials said Moscow has sent a message to Ankara that calls for increased security cooperation that would include a joint battle against terrorism. This is a disturbing trend that has Russia(Gog) holding out its hand to Turkey (Togarmah)! - both part of the Israeli invasion force identified in Ezekiel 38. First they may Before invade Chechnya, then Israel. It is important to note that Chechnya is located just north of the Caucasus mountains in the Russian republic of Georgia, biblically known as Magog. We know that God will draw Magog into this ill-fated invasion of Israel by putting "hooks in their jaw". It appears that the Chechnyian affair may prove to be one of those hooks. This means that Russia, which already has a burgeoning military presence just 900 miles north of Israel, may soon be joined by Turkey. The Russian bear is in position for its final plunge south toward Israel and the riches of the Middle East.
Russia has been negotiating with Iran, exchanging nuclear technology and weapons for both Iran's silence in the Chechnyian affair (the Chechnyians are Muslim) and to prevent radical Muslim agitation in the southern republics of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Tadzhikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyztan. Russia is becoming hopelessly entangled in Muslim affairs. Furthermore, considering that every Arab state has expressed support for their Muslim brothers in Chechnya, Russia's predicament becomes more and more difficult. What price will they pay to maintain the relationship with their new-found Muslim allies? We know from God's word that it will be their direct involvement with and leadership of the Israeli invasion force.
Ehud Ya'ari, a Jew from a Caucasus city west of Chechnya, discusses this entanglement in an article entitled "The Northern Middle East" ("Jerusalem Report", June 29, 1995). He writes "The Caucasus, with Chechnya at its heart, is the new front line between Russia and the Islamic world; the new starting line for rising competition between Iran and Turkey; and the new point of contact between Israel and its Muslim environment. Whatever happens in the Caucasus will affect Moscow's stance toward Islamic powers far beyond...Jerusalem's current interest in the region is to rescue the 30,000 Jews from the Caucasus and, beyond that, is exporting goods in a limited capacity. Israel can only look on and watch the growing battle for influence, which our ancestors would have seen as something on the scale of Gog and Magog." An incredible choice of words and accurate prophetic assessment.
On Feb 17,2001, UPI reported that Russia and Iran are slated to hold military talks in Moscow soon to discuss security issues and closer military ties between the two countries, a senior Russian military official said Saturday. The official agenda will also include talks on regional security, the Middle East peace process and the situation in war-torn Afghanistan. In response to this explanation, the Editor of Weekend News Today had this to say: "Russia and Iran claim their expanding military ties are only for regional security and not for directing at third parties. Of course, it's too soon to tell the world that the reason for this great geopolitical alliance is not for peaceful causes. They don't want the world to know their consolidation plans are heading for a secret invasion of Israel. Not so secret though if you believe in God's word and are familar with the Russian invasion of Israel in the book of Ezekiel 38. Ezekiel, a prophet of God, predicts that in the final days Russia, Iran and other allies will form a regional military alliance capable of invading Israel. God will destroy the invasion."
So the Russian army is now in strategic proximity to the countries with whom she will ally in the attempt to destroy Israel. To the west and southwest of Chechnya lie Turkey and Armenia, the House of Togarmah. To the south, en route to Israel, lie Iraq and Iran (Persia). Chechnya is also close to Russia's Black Sea naval facilities, which would be key to quick deployment to the south and to the west.
"Gomer and all his bands" are also part of the Israeli invasion force. Gomer was an immediate descendant of Noah who settled north of the Black Sea and then migrated westward into what is today Eastern Germany and Poland. So Israel will be hemmed in by the Mediterranean on the West, on the east by Iran and Iraq, to the north by Syria and Turkey. "Cush" (Ethiopia) and "Put" (Libya) to the south will complete the invasion force, making Israeli escape an impossibility.
Interestingly, Syria--though not mentioned in Ezekiel 38 and 39-- remains a major threat to Israel. Syria is the leading Arab country in the development of chemical weapons. They have thousands of chemical bombs and a well-developed delivery system of Scud-B missiles and attack aircraft. She also has recently begun to produce the longe-range Scud-C missiles, in cooperation with Iran, North Korea and China. With these missiles, Syria can strike every point in Israel.
Should Israel decide to launch a preemptive first strike against Syria (see Isaiah chapter 17; Damascus is destroyed, never to be inhabited again), Russia would be forced to retaliate on behalf of her ally. In this event, Russia's alliance with Syria would prove to be another "hook in the jaw", which would draw Russia into the Israeli invasion. This is especially likely given Russia's growing ties to the Muslim nations. If that were to happen, Israel would use all options available to defend herself--including nuclear weapons.
Israel has openly stated that she will never be conquered again and, if faced with annihilation, would use the "Sampson" option (nuclear weapons). "The Jerusalem Post" reported in the June 17, 1995 issue that Israel's new and improved Jericho missile has been deployed. The Jericho-2 missile has a range of 930 miles and can carry a payload of 500 kg with incredible accuracy. Considering Israel has a significant stockpile of nuclear weapons, Israel can now reach southern Russia, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia and Libya. Rest assured that this has not been overlooked by either Russia or the radical Muslim nations, who may use it as an excuse to invade Israel and protect their borders from this "growing Israeli threat."
In any event, if Israel is put in a position of having to defend herself against overwhelming odds, or if she decides to launch a preemptive first strike, a nuclear disaster could certainly ensue. If this occurs, the world would want peace at any cost. Enter the "man of peace" (the anti-christ) and the One-World Government, stage left.
The noose is tightening around Israel and on Feb. 15, 2001 the Middle East Newsline reported that in preparation for a for regional war Israel plans to increase reserve military duty. Israel plans to significantly increase reserve military duty over the next year as part of efforts to prepare for regional war. Military sources said reserve duty over the next year will be doubled. They said this is a reversal of plans drafted less than a year ago that called for a reduction of reserve duty amid hopes that a peace accord would be signed between Israel and the Palestinians.
But the sources said that the military has dubbed 2001 as the "year of readiness" for a war with the Palestinians and their Arab allies. They said the military has been given hundreds of millions of dollars for the increase in reserve duty to allow the standing army to train for war.
On Feb. 16, 2001, World Net Daily reported that the Russian Bear has awakened and has become a major concern to intelligence experts over their spreading of influence in Asia and the Mideast: "Russian military and diplomatic contacts have been throughout Asia and the Middle East for the past several months -- namely with India, China and Iran -- which has caused increasing concern among U.S. intelligence and military analysts. Since 1998, Russia -- in a bid to regain some of its former superpower status -- began to expand contacts with old allies and rivals alike, both as a means of heading off future Western and NATO influence and as a means of bringing in much-needed hard currency through resumption of weapons sales. In the past few years, for example, Russia has signed a number of "strategic partnership" agreements with China, India and Iran that include the sale and transfer of advanced Russian weapons systems, exchanges of military-technical assistance and training."
The Kings of the East are also rising just as Biblical prophecy indicated. China, which at the time of the end will march into the Middle-East with a 200 Million man army, is also starting to flex its military muscles. In fact, two war simulations done between the USA and China shows the USA losing as they are eventually overwhelmed due to the sheer volume of China's weaponry and manpower. China has been moving closer to war with Taiwan and has recently moved missiles closer to the Taiwan theatre. Chain possesses long-range nuclear missiles that are capable of reaching the West coast of the U.S. and they have threatened to nuke the U.S. navy in the Taiwan straits if they get in the way of their ambitions for Taiwan and just last year they threatened to nuke Los Angeles. China and Russia have become allies against the United States.
The powder keg in the Middle East could ignite WWIII and the time is running short.
Middle East Newsline, on Feb 23,2001, reported that Israel's military was urging Prime Minister-elect Ariel Sharon to approve plans for an offensive against both the Palestinian Authority and the Hizbullah in Lebanon. Military sources said Deputy Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Moshe Yaalon and several leading generals said such an offensive is required to prove to the Palestinians, Arab states and Iran that Israel is capable of defeating any military coalition. The sources said Yaalon is concerned that what they term Israel's restraint policy is encouraging Iraq and Syria to consider launching a war against the Jewish state.
On February 24th, war almost started in the Middle East. World Net Daily reported that a regional war in the Mideast was on the brink of "exploding" into reality this week, only days after U.S. and British warplanes struck an Iraqi radar command-and-control site Feb. 16. Mideast sources close to The DEBKAfile said on Thursday that six divisions of Iraqi troops were massed near the Syrian border and U.S. intelligence officials had "additionally picked up Iraqi preparations for launching long-range surface-to-surface missiles," the intelligence news agency reported.
The movements, which were relayed to Israeli intelligence and military officials, were tracked by American spy satellites, the report said, prompting the Jewish state to place its forces on high alert and warn some towns in northern Israel to prepare for incoming missile attacks. The report said U.S. intelligence estimates claimed that Iraqi missile forces would have been ready to launch at Israel by 6 p.m. local time Thursday, but Mideast sources said "a European government -- probably Britain" -- sent word to Iraqi intelligence that if missile launch preparations continued, "Israel would not again sit still and wait for Iraqi missiles to rain down on its towns, as it did in the 1991 Gulf War."
DEBKAfile said Israeli air force officials were planning a pre-emptive strike against the amassed Iraqi troops and missile launch sites, using conventional munitions "and with the help of small neutron bombs."
Nevertheless, Iraqi forces continued preparing the missiles for launch, "taking them up to one stage before [Iraqi President] Saddam's firing order." On Jan. 18, WorldNetDaily reported that U.S. forces based in Europe had been placed on heightened alert on information that Iraq and other Arab forces may be planning strikes against Israel. In addition to wars and rumors of wars, sickness and disease are running rampant, earthquakes and volcanic activity is increasing, and the love of most is growing cold. Clearly it is time for all of us to get our spiritual houses in order. Read the Ezekiel 38 Study on this web site for America's role in all this and pray Luke 21:39 daily. America's days are numbered and there is not much time left.
As a closing thought it was the U.S.A. and Great Britain that let this latest attack on Iraq. These two countries are the "Lions" and "the young lions thereof" mentioned in Ezekiel 38. It is no co-incidence that the U.S.A. and England have been drawing closer together as they see there enemies closing in around them, but as Ezekiel indicates, when the invasion begins, nwither country will be able to mount more then a diplomatic protest.
I would encourage you to listen to the audio Message below as you consider your spiritual condition before it is truly too late! Watch Israel. Watch Israel's enemies. But most importantly keep your eyes on Jesus, turn neither to the left or the right, be aware of the wiles of the enemy that seeks to snare you and "watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man." (Luke 21:36)
The Return of the Lord grows closer day by day. Choose this day whom you will serve, for no man may serve two masters. You are either hot or cold and if lukewarm, the Lord will spew you out of His mouth. Are you yearning for His return? Are your lamps filled with the oil of the Holy Spirit as a witness to a lost and dying world or will you be left behind only to ultimately be denied access to the Wedding Supper of the Lamb and eternity in heaven.
Your eternal destiny hangs in the balance. Therefore, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Do all things without murmuring and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.
"Put off everything that easily entangles, forgive that your Father in heaven may forgive you, and love your neighbor as your self. "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
(John 13:35)Whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning. Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining. He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake. I write to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the wicked one. I write to you, little children, because you have known the Father. I have written to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the wicked one. Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
Purify yourselves daily by the reading of the Word. Jesus is returning for a Holy and Spotless Church. ``Today is the day of salvation for many who are perishing; their tomorrow shall not see my return in glory to judge the living and the dead. Today is the day of their salvation." Don't delay. Time is short. You have no guarantee that you will even see tomorrow. If you die without receiving Jesus as your Lord and Savior, your eternal destiny is fixed.
``It is now the hour to awake from sleep, for our salvation is closer than when we first accepted the faith.'' (Rom 13:11)
As we see the signs of His return drawing close, what manner of holy life should we be living? Remember that Jesus is returning for a Holy and Spotless Bride. Whether His return is today or 10 years from now is irrelevant since eternity is only a heart beat away for any of us. So choose this day whom you will serve, ask the Holy Spirit to search you to see if there be any iniquity in you, and then call upon Jesus your Deliverer. He is faithful for forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unfaithfulness.
"Watch and pray, therefore, that you would be counted worthy to escape the judgment that is coming upon the earth and be able to stand before the Son of Man" (Luke 21:36).
Maranatha!
How to Be Saved Through Jesus
How to Win the Race - Audio (2/19/2001)
The Invasion of Israel - Part 1
The Invasion of Israel - Part 2
The Invasion of Israel - Part 3
The Invasion of Israel - Part 4
The Invasion of Israel - Part 5
The Invasion of Israel - Part 6
The Invasion of Israel - Part 7
Return Home: prophecyandcurrentevents.com/thglory
Click Here to send EMail
to:To His Glory
"Prophecy and Current Events" is published by: "To His Glory
Ministries" Permission is
hereby granted to copy and distribute for non-commercial purposes.
Consider duplicating and distributing to friends, relatives, pastor or
your church congregation. However, copying for commercial purposes is
strictly prohibited. CopyRight 2001, To His Glory Ministries, All
Rights Reserved. We value your comments. Please forward them to us.
