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Forward: This issue is a long one, but one you should take the time to read and pray about. As I survey the prophetic landscape it is clear that God is working out His plan of redemption for the whole world. The Day of His return may be very near and the choices we make will determine if we will be counted worthy to escape all these things [judgement] that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man." (Luke 21:34-36)

Bill Clinton was the "prince" ["nagiyd" - a commander (as occupying the front), civil, military or religious; gen. (abstr. plur.), honorable themes] who strove to compel and force a treaty (or covenant) for one-week between the Israelis and the Palestinians? In any event, he did not succeed.

However, if Daniel 9:27 is in fact referring to two seven-year periods, then is it possible that the "Seventieth Week of Daniel" - The Time of Jacob's trouble follows this failed seven-year Oslo peace accord?

The Jews have certainly had trouble ever since September of 2000 when the current intifada commenced. Are we approaching the tribulation period -- the time of Jacob's trouble? There is nothing in the Hebrew that implies the two seven-year periods have to occur back-to-back. But we have certainly entered into the time of trouble for the Jews and if the tribulation period is fast approaching, then we would expect to have not only collaborating scripture that we are very close to this last week-of-years, but we should also start to see events that would confirm that we are very close to Messiah's return.

Consider the destruction of the Jewish Temple in 70 AD -- just as Jesus had foretold. Subtracting 70 AD from the year 2000 gives us 1930 years of desolations for the Jew. However, in computing the time of the desolation and captivity of the Jews, one has to include the seventy years of captivity under Nebuchadnezzar. 1930 + 70 = 2000 years, or based on Psalm 90, two Biblical Days -- as a day is as a thousand years. Consider the prophecy in Hosea 6:1-2:

If the Jews have completed 2000 years, they are in the process of being revived and we are approaching the third day where they will be raised up and live in His sight. To revive something, however, means it must have been near death.

The final corporate "death" for the Jews as a nation occurred in 70 AD with the dispersion (desolation) of the Jewish nation to the four corners of the earth.

Lost amidst the coverage of the ongoing peace process are God's continuing plans to call His children home where they will be revived. Then when the Jews are in the land, Satan will once again try to bring their total annihilation, just as he did during the holocaust. Why? Because Jesus himself said that He would not return until the Jews cried out "Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord." Therefore, if all the Jews can be destroyed, Messiah cannot return. But what Satan intends for evil, God intends for good -- which we will discuss below.

God declares: "I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and will bring them back to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and increase in number.'' (Jer 23:3) This has already occurred with the re-establishment of Israel. But the Lord amplifies His promise in verses seven and eight, telling us what to expect next.

This exodus from the "kingdom of the north" and the other countries of the world is continuing today. It is not difficult to determine the identity of the "kingdom of the north''. Simply get a globe of the world and draw a line due north from Jerusalem, the capital of Israel. You will find that the line exactly intersects Moscow, the capital of the kingdom of the north.

Exodus II has indeed begun. The Jews have been leaving Russia and returning to Israel in record numbers. In 1990 alone, nearly as many Soviet Jews returned home as had arrived since Israeli independence in 1948 -- about 200,000. In December of 1992, it was reported that 75% of the remaining 1.6 million Soviet Jews had applied for official permission to emigrate. And the Aliya (Israeli immigration under the Law of Return) continues today as hyper-inflation in Russia, gross scarcities of food and clothing, and continued anti-Semitism continues.

Here is a sample of some Russian rhetoric: "Jews are infecting the nation!'' "The Jews were to blame for the first two world wars, and it is they themselves who have provoked anti-Semitism.'' "In Russia today, Jewish children are going to school while our children are hungry. If you elect me I will put a stop to it.'' ``It would be best if they (the Jews) would all go back to Israel.''

It is no wonder that the number of Jews deciding to make Aliya back to Israel is on the rise. Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, the chief Rabbi of Moscow says: "The recent rise of extreme nationalism in Russia due to the economic situation gives us reason enough to believe that the next president of Russia will be a member of today's opposition....We must hope for the best, but prevail for the worst. I'm the last person among Jews in this country to say it, but I fear that in the long term, there is no future for the Jew here. I think we must begin to prepare our children for lives outside Russia.''

But the Jews were also returning from the other countries of the world, as predicted by Jeremiah.

Here are some selected banners from articles in the Jerusalem Post over the last few years: "Syrian Jews to be Released Soon''; "Ethiopia's Last Jews Expected Soon - Talks This Week on Immigration of Remaining 2,500''; "Ethiopian Jewery Rescued - Operation Solomon Flies 14,400 to Israel in 24 Hours''; "Yugoslavian Jews Now Keen to Come''; "Airlift from Tajikistan Arrives''; "481 North Americans Last Month''; "Sarajevo Jews are Desperate''; "Abkhazi Jews Set for Exodus''; "Albanian Jews Moved to Israel in Secrecy''.

The Syrian Jews had been in Syria for over 2,300 years. Since 1948, they were trapped in Syria. Those who were granted tourist visas in recent years were forced to leave children and families behind as collateral to insure their return. When Syria finally let some of them leave the country (they were allowed to go anywhere except to Israel), the chief Rabbi and several thousand of his flock emigrated to the United States. After spending several years in Brooklyn, New York, he said it was time to return to Israel. He took his family to Israel and told his flock that if they loved him, they would follow.

It is God himself that will regather the remnant of Israel. First from the kingdom of the north, and then from all the countries of the earth. Jeremiah 16:12- gives us additional information to help us pinpoint the timing of this event.

"..However, the days are coming,'' declares the LORD, ``when men will no longer say, `As surely as the LORD lives, who brought the Israelites up out of Egypt,' but they will say, `As surely as the LORD lives, who brought the Israelites up out of the land of the north and out of all the countries where he had banished them.' For I will restore them to the land I gave their forefathers. ``But now I will send for many fishermen,'' declares the LORD, ``and they will catch them. After that I will send for many hunters, and they will hunt them down on every mountain and hill and from the crevices of the rocks.''(Jer 16:12-16)

The first part of their return will occur during a period of increased Jewish Evangelism as God "sends in the fishermen.'' This is still occurring today. With the opening of the "Iron Curtain'', Evangelical Christian groups have been pouring into Russia and the other eastern block countries. When they entered, they found such a spiritual void, after almost 70 years of communist oppression, that decisions for Christ are being made in the tens of thousands at public outreach meetings. Many of those who have been saved were Jewish. In this country, Jewish Evangelism is increasing.

Consider the Brighton Beach area of New York City where over 100,000 Soviet Jews settled within a ten-block radius. Sid Roth's Messianic Vision has established a full-time Messianic congregation in this area. They hold Boardwalk outreaches and at a recent violin concert, 40 Russian Jews came to the Lord. There is an incredible openness to the Gospel and indications that several of these converts, who are currently being discipled, are going to become on-fire evangelists for the Lord (reminiscent of the 144,000 Jewish Evangelists of the book of Revelation).

But following this period of world-wide evangelism, God will send in the hunters. "For I will restore them to the land I gave their forefathers. But now I will send for many fishermen, declares the LORD, and they will catch them. After that I will send for many hunters, and they will hunt them down on every mountain and hill and from the crevices of the rocks."(Jer 16:15b-16)

Satan will undoubtedly cause a spirit of anti-semitism to rear its ugly head as there will be those whose desire for the Jews is to kill, maim and destroy. There is time-coming where the only place of refuge left for the non-believing Jew will be Israel. And for those who think a Jew would never want to leave America, read Hosea 11:10: "...He will roar like a lion. When He roars, then His sons shall come trembling from the west.'' Apparently something will happen in America so terrible that the Jews will leave America and return home, trembling.

When America is judged in the aftermath of the Ezekiel 38 invasion, will the Jews be blamed? Even now, in the midst of the current Middle-East unrest, a polarization is taking place as protest groups are expressing hatred for the Jews, the UN -- the forum for one-world-government -- continues to issue resolutions against Israel. Even the "man" on the street is openly vocal in response to the Mid-East crises. Anti-Semitism is on the rise once again as the Jews are being portrayed as monsters.

Gary Bauer, former U.S. presidential candidate wrote on April 1, 2002:

Consider this report from Saudi Arabia:

On April 5th, "In The Cleft of the Rock Ministries, International" noted the work of the anti-christ spirit in the hearts off those who have been deceived.

On April 6, 2002, the increased violence against Jews or Jewish institutions was reported:

Clearly, world opinion is turning against the Jews and the stage is being set for their persecution.

The nation of Israel has come together again and the Jews are in the process of returning home (albeit many in unbelief), but without spirit. This was foreseen by Ezekiel in his famous "dry bones vision'' described in chapter 37.

God tells Ezekiel that: "these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off! Therefore prophesy and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, O My people, I will open your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. "Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves. "I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken it and performed it," says the Lord.'''(Eze 37:11-14).

Hosea tells us they will return and be revived after 2,000 years.

These two-days are 2000 years and we are living in the season where God will revive (breath life -- spirit) into the dry bones that are Israel. When will this occur corporately? Possibly in the aftermath of the Ezekiel 38/39 confrontation when as a result of their deliverance from certain destruction, Israel is once again made God-aware, and the dry bones, spiritually, will be revived -- after "two days."

in the aftermath of the battle we see that the enemies of God are humbled in death -- as their invincible army is devastated and becomes fodder for the animals of the field. But let's look at the spiritual ramifications of these events from God's perspective.

God will be glorified before all the world. Even the gentile nations will see God's judgment, since the events will undoubtedly be covered on CNN. People will recognize that the Jews are still God's chosen people and are once again under His covenant protection. But more importantly, THE DRY BONES LIVE!!!

As a result of their miraculous deliverance from an impossible situation, Israel--after thousands of years--will have their spiritual blinders removed. It has been estimated that only 10% of Israel's population is ``religious''. No longer! The entire house of Israel shall know that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob delivered them. "Hear oh Israel, the Lord our God the Lord is One." They shall know the Lord their God from that day forward.

The gentiles will recognize that the people of Israel went into captivity because of their sin -- which separated them from God. They were under judgment and dispersed to the four corners of the earth into the hands of their enemies, where they were killed, but God will have mercy:

In these verses, God is saying that He will regather the Jews back to their homeland for His Name's sake. Then at a time when they ``dwell safely in their land'', their deliverance shall come. As a result, they will no longer be spiritually blind, but will become God-aware (revived spiritually).

From Israel's perspective, part of their spiritual revival is contingent on the Temple of God being rebuilt and according to the Bible it will be rebuilt prior to the return of Christ (Matthew 24:15, Revelation 11:1-2 and 2 Thes 2:4).

Considering all the preparations for Temple worship are nearly completed and the Ezekiel 38 invasion is in sight, it may be time to "look up." The Jews have fashioned the solid-gold Menorah, the bronze implements required for handling the sacrifices, and have computerized looms on which to weave the seamless linen worn by the priests. Over 200 priests from the tribe of Levi have now been trained to serve in the Temple.

Those stumbling blocks -- which a few years ago seemed insurmountable to rebuild the Temple-- are falling by the wayside, as God executes His time-table for the redemption of the world. For example, the royal blue dye required for the garments of Temple worship came from a certain marine snail that was thought to be extinct. A few years ago, this snail suddenly re-appeared in the Red Sea.

But temple sacrifice can not commence without the ashes of an unblemished red heifer -- required to cleanse the priests and temple.

In March of 2002 a red heifer was born in Israel. After the heifer's owner contacted the Temple Institute on April 5th, Rabbi Menachem Makover and Rabbi Chaim Richman traveled to the farm where the heifer is located, to inspect and validate her status. The rabbis found her to be kosher and were satisfied that this heifer could indeed be a candidate to be used in the process of purification of the Temple as described in the book of Numbers, chapter 19. This is an important development towards the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple.

So we know that in the aftermath of the defeat of the Ezekiel 38 invasion force, that Israel will once again becomes spiritually revived and aware of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Is it possible that the "man of peace", the anti-christ, will at that point step onto the stage of world history and confirm (strengthen) an existing treaty - perhaps the Oslo accords that are currently dead -- only to break it at the halfway point of the tribulation period?

Consider, that the Scripture of Ezekiel 38 gives evidence that the confrontation in the Middle East does include the use of nuclear weapons, is it not possible that in the panic that will follow the nuclear release, that the world will be ready to do anything to avoid another nuclear confrontation? Will this play into the plans of the anti-christ and his ultimate peace plan?

Will that plan include letting the Jew rebuild the temple and the commencement of animal sacrifices? Israel’s enemies will have been defeated by God and, according to Ezekiel and have been revived spiritually. Will this be the time to rebuild the temple? Is it possible? Yes! Then in the fullness of time, the identity of the anti-christ will be revealed as he desecrates the temple:

Also, as a result of the current events in the Middle East, we may be moving toward fulfillment of Isaiah 17:1 and Ezekiel 38.

Damascus has never ceased from being a city, but as Syria continues to posture for war and given the situation in Israel, this scripture may soon be fulfilled.

Gordon Thomas, is internationally syndicated and is an intelligence writer for several leading European newspapers and is contributing editor to Globe-Intel, an international newspaper devoted to intelligence matters. Gordon writes:

Is it not interesting that Isaiah 17:1 points out that, sometime in the future, Damascus will be totally destroyed (We know it has to be future since it has not happened to date). And it is well known that if Israel is backed into a corner, they will order preemptive strikes utilizing whatever technology they deem appropriate, including nuclear arms. If Syria and Israel do have a military confrontation, will Syria's military alliance with Russia be the "hook in the jaw'' mentioned in Ezekiel 38 that draws Russia into its end-times invasion of Israel? Keep your eyes on God, but watch Israel.

It is noteworthy that Israel has signed six peace accords as part of the peace process, and Syria has signed none. According to Arafat, Damascus has allocated 18 million dollars for terrorist organizations operating in Syria to operate against the peace accord and the PLO. Israel has launched preemptive strikes in the past; if backed into a corner, they will take the initiative, utilizing whatever technology they deem appropriate.

If Syria and Israel or Iraq and Israel have a military confrontation, it may be that Syria's military alliance with Russia will be another of the "hooks in the jaw'' mentioned in Ezekiel 38 that will force Russia into its invasion of Israel

The London Telegraph reported on Apr 6, 2002, that Colin Powell left Washington on his Middle East mission amid reports that Saddam Hussein and Yasser Arafat were planning to stage joint terrorist attacks in the region. Senior officials of Saddam's General Intelligence Agency (GIA) are reported to have held talks with Mr Arafat's Palestinian Authority to identify potential targets.

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 a few years ago 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 confrontation 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

As we grow closer to the return of Jesus Christ, the spirit of anti-Christ is indeed sweeping the world, manifesting itself in every area of society, education, legal rulings, so-called art, and the media. It will continue to increase in intensity and rapidity, just as the birth pains Jesus told us about.

It may be that as a true Christian you will someday have Jewish families living in your basement awaiting the underground railroad to take them home.

It is hard to believe that the Lord chose us to be alive at the time when He will redeem the earth and those that are His – those that have received the Holy Spirit as a down payment guaranteeing our future redemption. It is the time when the fields are ripe for harvest as multitudes are in the valley of decision BEFORE the coming of the Day of the Lord (Joel). It may be that this is the time that He will send you into the harvest field for night is fast coming when no man may serve Him. Who knows whether we have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"

It may not be this year that the door to salvation closes, but it is so very close. It is like watching a storm approaching on the horizon. You don't know the exact time it will hit, but because you are watching, you know it is coming. As it approaches, the signs of the storm intensify; the wind increases, the thunder becomes louder and the lightning grows ever brighter. It finally gets so close that you expect it to be upon you at any moment.

This is how the hour of Jesus' return will be. We cannot know the exact day or hour, but if we are faithful to his command to watch, we will see the signs intensify, and we will know that it is "time to look up for our salvation draweth nigh.'' However, if we fail to watch and take heed, we will be caught off guard. Will we have enough oil in your lamp to meet the Bridegroom (Matthew 25:1-13)?

These are exciting topics to be sure, but as we see daily movement toward fulfillment of Biblical prophecy and the Return of Jesus Christ to planet earth, what should our response be?

First of all, as a "watchman on the wall'' it is my God-given responsibility to sound the warning so all who have ears to hear will take heed. But it is the listener's responsibility to diligently search the scriptures to see if what I report and hypothesis could in fact be true -- according to the Bible (Acts 17:11, 1Thes 5:21). Remember, we all see through a glass darkly.

Secondly, as we explore additional prophecies in the months ahead, we believe that there will be little doubt in your minds that Jesus' return is very close. Recognize that the coming of Jesus Christ is the reason for the signs themselves, so that the Church, when it sees the signs, can point to them as evidence of His coming. And the purpose of that evidence is to convict the sinner to seek and get right with God before it is too late. It also serves to encourage Christians to be holy and godly (2 Peter 3:11-14). The daily fulfillment of prophecy is evidence that the Bible is true. And if the Bible is true, then the Bible is correct when it says that salvation, eternal life, is found in only one person and that being Jesus Christ.

But do not get caught up in fear, but rather do the work of an evangelist. Don't get so caught up with possible future events that you forget that many shall die before Christ's Return. Today is the Day of salvation for many who are perishing -- their tomorrow shall not see His return in glory to judge the living and the dead. Today is the day of their salvation. Many are called but few are chosen. Do the work of an Evangelist day in and day out. Don't delay. Time is short. You have no guarantee that you will even see tomorrow. If they die without receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior, their eternal destiny is fixed.

Lastly, do not neglect the daily reading of the Scriptures and your time in prayer. Remember, bitterness and unforgiveness has no place with God. Purify your hearts and thoughts through the washing of the Word and think on Him continually. He will not fail you, but will accomplish all that He will through you. Do not be easily discouraged. There remains much to be done before the fulfillment of all things.

Maranatha!

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