I was thinking yesterday that Christians who are ready to get their dancing shoes on at the sight of the Biblical signs are highly likely to become the children of the Kingdom, while those Christians who will be disappointed to see the signs, because they so much want to be married or to own a dream home (etc.) before Jesus returns, are the most likely to fall away. If you're following these updates, or just checking back once in a while, it tells God a lot about you and your love for him, for you're probably following the updates because you want His Kingdom to arrive. We're banking on the sure fact that the Kingdom will be much better than being married or owning a dream home here. Believe you me, I have no doubt.
I was also thinking yesterday how the Bible speaks of a certain "revelation" of the anti-Christ (in 2 Thessalonians 2), as though there would come a special time in which he is to be revealed. It sure seems that way to me, for there is just no sign of him at this time. I simply haven't got a clue, and no one else does either. While Zhirinovsky seemed like the perfect character (Russian, bold, mean, anti-Israeli, desirous to invade the Middle East) to fit my view of the anti-Christ, there's no sign of him in Iraqi affairs, though he was involved with Saddam at his fall to Bush's invasion, and can be half-expected to have maintained dialogue with leading Baathists after Saddam's execution.
Let me remind you of his open claim that Bush's invasion into Iraq was a great opportunity for Russia, which must have been what other Russian leaders were thinking who were too smart to come out and say so. Zhirinovsky is the type to have so much confidence that he blurts out his own plans and strategies for all to hear, as though he thinks he can succeed anyway when even his enemies know what he's up to. The thing is, out of no regard for Zhirinovsky, I had interpreted the little horn of Daniel 8 as one who is "confident."
Imagine Zhirinovsky, with his bold and confident ways, smashing through the Middle East with God's help -- with God removing all obstacles out of his way. Imagine how he would talk at the time, so boastful, so proud, so vitriolic. It's exactly as I envision the anti-Christ according to all prophecies that describe his personality.
The DEBKAfile has an article telling that General Petraeus made a secret visit to Lebanon yesterday to verify whether the DEBKAfile report is true concerning the installation a few weeks ago of Iranian radar systems on two mountains of south Lebanon. The article made it sound as though Petraeus wants to go to those mountains himself. When I read this strange thing, it seemed as though I were reading National Enquirer. I'm waiting to see if other media report this story. Israel in the meantime (yesterday) assured Lebanon that it WILL destroy any sophisticated anti-aircraft systems should they be found as part of Hezbolah's systems.
A concerted US-Israeli effort against Iranian weapons and plans in Lebanon should escalate the chances of Iranian backlash, and it may be that Bush wants Iran to act militarily so as to justify a war with Iran. The DEBKAfile reports today that Russia's refusal to move ahead with more sanctions on Iran had the United States responding that Israel's strike on Iran's nuclear facilities are more assured if sanctions are not applied.
The Free Syria media reported yesterday a dubious thing, that a secret source in Iran has leaked what the Syrian and Iranian presidents had spoken on their recent get-together last weekend. This source claimed to be following the Iranian foreign affairs man around both to Syria and to Turkey (how many of them could there have been?), and to be sitting in the presidential meetings. This must be a sham, therefore, for any Iranian agent that spills the beans on what Ahmadinejad had said with president Assad would have more than his right hand cut off. http://www.free-syria.com/en/loadarticle.php?articleid=30025
When I look at what was leaked, exactly what the world suspects the two presidents to have talked about, it's obvious that the Iranian leader gave the source "permission" to make the leak. In other words, the content of the leak is what the Iranian president wants the world to believe was said. Basically, the content was that they spoke about Syria's slight re-positioning as a friend of Israel and a possible traitor of Iran, and that the French leader wanted Iran to know that Israel will definitely strike if Iran doesn't cease it's nuclear program. However, since these things must be a falsified version of the reality, I would suggest that what was truly dealt with was Lebanese "logistics," a military term having to do with deploying weapons and troops in preparation for war. By every indication, therefore, a war is truly brewing on the Lebanese-Israeli border that promises to set in motion the great tribulation of Israel.
Google reports another dire picture, though I don't know if it will ever be related to Israel's great tribulation: "'The coalition parties [of Pakistan] have agreed in principle to launch an impeachment motion against President Musharraf,' a senior coalition official told AFP on condition of anonymity." This move is being led by Nawaz Sharif, the ex-president of Pakistan that Musharraf ousted in a coup. Sharif, now still the leader of the Pakistan Muslim League (political party), has joined forces with Asif Ali Zardari, widower of the recently assassinated Benazir Bhutto. I don't know if, or how, either of these parties could be adverse toward Israel should they succeed in toppling Musharraf at this time. http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jpuJxx-xhy2gReRH2_RwdR0APszw
The question is whether pro-Taliban members of Pakistan's political factions are somehow capable of seizing power, or at least entering into a partnership with the next leadership. An article (National Public Radio) out yesterday discusses an al-Qaeda nuclear strike against the United States with a U.S. nuclear watch dog, Rolf Mowatt-Larssen.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93336821&ft=1&f=1004
Larson feels that al-Qaeda would think twice about striking the United Sates because it is concerned about it's own long-term goals and doesn't wish to be destroyed in U.S. retaliation. The flip side is what the article points out: "Al-Qaida is sometimes portrayed as a terrorist group with an apocalyptic vision, intent mainly on destroying its enemies, without a focus on long-term goals of its own." The problem with the Larson position is that al-Qaeda's long term goals include as a priority the destruction of the United States, and consequently the crippling of the entire West. The ceaseless suicide bombers of al-Qaeda speak largely on whether or not al-Qaeda leaders might themselves be willing to die in return for meeting this goal.
The advantage that al-Qaeda has is that there is no al-Qaeda nation for the United States to attack in retaliation. If bin-Laden has learned anything since 9/11, it's that all the satellite tracking systems in the world can't find him. If Pakistan's next government goes the way of the terrorists, al-Qaeda will have that nation's mountains, and it's nuclear capability, as protection, a scenario that could make the difference in its decision on whether or not to strike American soil with the ultimate weapon. Simply put: How will America bomb al-Qaeda in Pakistan, or even Pakistan itself for harboring al-Qaeda?
The Afghan government at this time will not allow American action inside its borders, but Pakistan, even under the "anti-terrorist Musharraf," has denied the Americans due to Muslim public pressure and no doubt from pro-Taliban sectors of Pakistan's political veins applying further pressure. The question is whether or not Musharraf is anti-terrorist, for even a dumb leader would at this time want to appear opposed to al-Qaeda in every way, in case al-Qaeda strikes the United States again. The further problem is, al-Qaeda is in so many countries that the origin of a nuclear plot may not become known. One can't pick up the pieces of a nuclear missile/bomb to find hint of where it was made. I hate to break it to Homeland Security, but missiles coming in from Canada don't need a passport. Will Obama bomb Canada under such a scenario?
Fear of al-Qaeda is for this reason a real and terrifying fear, and Democrats, as well liberals the world over, have wasted nearly eight years spouting off against Bush instead of supporting him so that this fear might have been alleviated by now. It's not enough to view liberals as the fools that they are, for even now they continue forward with the belief that al-Qaeda can be pacified by friendliness, and they know that such a relationship will mean a betrayal of Israel by the West, and especially by the United States. Therefore, liberals are more than fools; they're active agents of the final Satanic spirit coming over this world. Whoever opposes Israel in the last days is one with Satan.
I "oppose" modern Israel on God's grounds, philosophically, which is to say that I don't oppose Israel's right to exist in so-called Palestine. I oppose Israel's religious and non-religious ways, not the Promise of God to make Israel the jewel and ruling nation of the world...when finally they come to receive Christ as their God.
If the nuclear topic can be anymore dismal, it's the probability that al-Qaeda won't likely bomb the United States when it manages to acquire a nuclear bomb, but when it has acquired numerous bombs. The only good news is, God. He has the final say. If He is happy with sufficient numbers American Christians, He'll curb any of al-Qaeda's nuclear ambitions. Democrats can be thankful that they will be saved from such disaster thanks to the American Christians that they oppose.
But what do you suppose will happen to America's weeds once the wheat is safely transported into the skies? It's called Armageddon, liberals the world over, and it's aimed at you. The worse you treat the Church in the last days, the harder God's wrath will retaliate against you. If you feel justified in retaliating against Osama for how he mistreats you, then you will have no argument against God when he retaliates against you, and those who betray Israel.
My oldest son has been in China this past month on a Christian outreach program. He was there last year as well. This year I warned him to be lower-key because the end-time Satanic spirit is near, promising to make China clamp down on Christianity once again. And what do you know, an article out yesterday says that China has been attempting to outlaw home-church meetings during its Olympic games. What else besides Satan could possess a government to outlaw mere home churches just because the world is in the country for a sports event? Why would Christians be a threat to the Olympians? Is China so demented that they feel Christians are a threat to its international image?
Have you ever been embarrassed by wearing your shirt inside out, or wearing socks of two colors to draw attention to yourself? China, you red-dragon lover, you have egg on your face. But liberals of the West will follow suit soon enough. Ironic, is it not, that God sends the "kings of the east" with 200 million strong to destroy the weeds among the West. The nuclear weapons of al-Qaeda types are not enough to pay back the demented West for its sins, for God will use the nuclear weapons of Russia to scour Europe, and the nuclear weapons of China to scour Gog's forces in the Middle East.
It's all right to call a spade a spade, Christians; it's okay to print that liberals are demented, for Armageddon isn't coming upon them because they are the shining lights that they profess to be. Just don't call them names out of immaturity or malice. Use the proper terms that describe them accurately, and hope that they'll come to their senses. If we don't lay this out on the table, they will continue to view themselves falsely as shining lights. How has the Catholic church benefited by evangelicals ceasing in their denunciations of that superstitious and twisted organization? Catholicism has only grown stronger due to evangelicals turning down the heat and laying bridges instead.
Did the prophets of God ever cower from calling a spade a spade? It is God's will to do so, a sheer necessity in an effort to change the human heart. Blessed are the wounds of a friend, but cursed are the kisses of an enemy. Is there a Jonah anywhere that can cause Mosul to repent again without the dread use of a whale's belly? And where are the Two Witnesses of Revelation, anyway, whose mouths are like fire that "kill" their enemies? Fine, we are all asleep during the run-up to the final Week, but come "mid-night," when the world opposes us in line with the vitriolic spoutings of Satan through the anti-Christ, we will become warriors, aroused and zealous for God's interests.
Did I fail to mention that I'm delighted at how my oldest son has turned out? I assure you, he's not devoting himself to God merely to please me, and his will to enter Bible college this year comes in opposition to my will. I have directed my children to go ahead with life normally -- e.g. to enter college for making a better living -- until Gog becomes visible. At that time, my direction to them will change, and hopefully they will all fall away...from the world at that time. Yes, if we are to fall away, let it be from the world.
I was thinking yesterday that, while I now complain bitterly at times about the biting flies that harass me all day long on my forest property, Christians will be able to stand up against much more without complaining when finally the signs of His return become our fuel. Hope is a powerful fuel, and the lack of hope puts us to sleep in indifference. Perhaps the oil in the parable of the ten virgins is simply the joy of seeing the signs. That is, whoever wants the final Week to arrive is the one with oil; the one who is disappointed to see the signs is the foolish believer without oil. I regret to say, some of my children seem to wish that the signs not appear at this time. And my ex-wife long abandoned me in my trib-prep project (actually, she was never on board).
Somewhere, in Israel I assume, there are two giants for God watching the events come to pass year by year, connecting some of the events to the prophetic signs, and wondering when the anti-Christ will be revealed. They will be the chief enemies of Gog, and the bulk of the Israeli nation will, according to Revelation 11, celebrate the day of their deaths...when Gog murders both on the same day. The prophecy tells that peoples (notice I didn't say "Israelites") of Jerusalem will not allow them to be buried, and who knows but that their bodies will be made a spectacle of in some inhumane or mocking way.
Arabs and Palestinians will have the run of the city at the late time of their deaths, and Revelation 11 calls Jerusalem "Sodom and Egypt" (v 8) to show God's disapproval of the city's inhabitants. Might these terms signify that Edomites and Egyptians make up the bulk of the city's new inhabitants...after Gog desolates it? It's known that Gog will be destroyed in Edom, and since Sodom was an example of Armageddon, it's very fitting that he should be destroyed wherever Sodom was located on the Dead sea.
The idea that Americans will betray Israel under Obama is not far-fetched, and in fact the movement has begun:
WorldNetDaily reported that the website, titled MyObama, allows registered users to set up conversation groups and community blogs...
Many of the posts are of typical fare, including accusations that Israel was behind the 9-11 terrorist attacks, that Israel and American Jews control the US government and that Israel is perpetrating atrocities against the Palestinians.
A handful of posts, however, rival even the most hate-filled Muslim rhetoric, and in Nazi fashion call on Americans to solve their nation's problems by throwing the Jews 'in the oven.'
Reads one such post:
http://www.israeltoday.co.il/default.aspx?tabid=178&nid=16835
That article was out just yesterday. It's no surprise that anti-Zionists are activating for Obama, but the call is to abandon Israel. The questions are, how far and how fast will this attitude spread, and will President Obama be able to use it to justify the betrayal of Israel? That is, will Democrats make it such a Democratic issue that Obama can go along with it as the Democrat thing to do? Again, Democrats seem to have no choice but to betray Israel if the only other alternative is to war with terrorists, for Democrats are sure that such a war is not the answer.
Listen to me, Christians. When the ball game becomes this agitated, abuse will come from the streets. The spirit that has Americans betraying Israel will also betray Christians. Your own neighbor could become your critical enemy. Israel Today has a related article dated yesterday:
August 7
"As for the group's thinking, Mowatt-Larssen imagines Osama bin Laden and other al-Qaida leaders sitting around a campfire somewhere in the mountains of Pakistan or Afghanistan, debating whether a nuclear attack on the United States would be a good idea."
"An official blog website set up by US Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's campaign team has become a clearinghouse for some of the most virulent anti-Semitic rhetoric found anywhere on the Internet.
'Shed ourselves from the racist Zionists in America. They control everything. But they won't keep us down any longer. Throw the Jews in the oven this November. Its the only way we can free America and make sure Barack Obama is elected!'
"Former Israeli cabinet minister and respected international figure Natan Sharansky warned American Jews this week that voting for Democratic candidate Barack Obama in the upcoming presidential election would risk Israel's future.Speaking on Shalom TV, a Jewish cable network that reaches 18 million American households, Sharansky avoided the rampant conspiracy theories regarding Obama, but did note that his lack of a positive record vis-a-vis Israel should raise concerns.
...Also of concern is Obama's tendency to surround himself with advisors who are either hostile toward the Jewish state or advocate sacrificing Israeli interests for American interests."
http://www.israeltoday.co.il/default.aspx?tabid=178&nid=16836
The Bible (2 Thessalonians 2) says that the anti-Christ will be revealed when God removes his powers from out of Satan's midst. Revelation 12 says that there will come a short time when Satan is permitted to act with fury. These things imply a sudden shift in the world toward satanism, and although we have been seeing this in movies and song writing for an entire generation, crunch-time appears to be opening its doors as Democrats are re-invigorated with hope. Obama nailed it on the head when he made hope the Democratic fuel, for he knew that Democrats had lost hope. Watch it, Christians, from the streets to the highest halls of power, the hour of Satan is about to dawn, and the people who rule will no longer make sense. Perhaps a Democrat on his death bed might seek to straighten out his fellow Democrats, but they won't listen to him.
Did I suggest that we should cower? NEVER!! Did I suggest that we should withdraw? NEVER!! Just have a place to keep your body alive, because the time is coming when you won't be able to pick up bread at the local grocery store for lack of a skin-implanted numeral code. Courage is not the absence of fear, and in fact courage cannot exist apart from fear. Courage is defined as acting boldly when you are filled with fear. If there is no fear, it is not bravery. Also, courage is harder to produce when one is alone, for dying alone is harder. Dying apart from an important cause is harder. Dying in the midst of a spiritual war, with other believers in support, is easier and less-frightening. We need each other. Jesus had to rebuke his disciples too many times to stop thinking about which of them would be greatest; the message is again for now.
I have just found an article from the Assyrian National News Agency verifying that General Petraeus has visited Lebanon. Another article by the same Assyrian media, dated today, reads:
The United Nations Security Council held a meeting on Iraq yesterday, noting progress on security despite the fragility of the Iraqi political arena....Deputy Permanent Representative of the United States of America Alejandro D. Wolff came out strongly against the alleged Syrian and Iranian role in attempting to promote instability in Iraq. Mr. Wolff said, 'Syria is the primary gateway for foreign terrorists moving into Iraq and the Government of Syria must do more to halt the operation of foreign fighter networks within its territory.'"
My point is that, if the movement of terrorists is relatively high from Syria into Iraq, then large movements in the other direction, possibly for carrying weapons shipments into Syria but intended for Lebanon, must also be true. And of course it's coming into Iraq from Iran: "'Iraqi troops uncovered convincing evidence that Iranian lethal aid has continued to flow into Iraq,' Mr. Wolff added." Syria merely needs to feign that it's doing all it can to stop this traffic, but of course this is part of the Lebanese logistics project (mentioned earlier in this update) that must be the main interest between Assad and Ahmadinejad at this time. Strikingly, the Assyrian article above on Petraeus says that he's in Lebanon to check in with "logistics" of the Lebanese military!
I have wondered more than once whether the Assyrian News agency will ultimately reveal Gog's appearance in Mosul, so I keep it bookmarked.
Obama is losing much voter ground to McCain, and Hillary is starting to give in to temptations again of toppling him somehow at the convention, saying now that she's not sure he can beat McCain. This explains why Bill has not been campaigning for Obama, and why Hillary is not a front-runner for VP. The media is reporting that Bill Clinton is sour (to put it lightly) because of the race card that Obama accused him of, but, truly, isn't it because he wanted to be President again? She and he want the gold medal and nothing but. I do think the two could make an exceptional two-horned lamb if they choose to seek the Christian vote. Hey, who knows, Obama might spoil his lead with McCain so much that the convention will elect Hillary.
Condoleezza Rice, in the meantime, when asked if America would be safe with President Obama, said, "Oh, the United States will be fine." One question that's not been asked very often is: will Obama form a new policy lowering the criteria by which Muslim suspects merit being interviewed or spied upon?
The Jerusalem Post today updates the struggling "horizon" deal: "Two Iraqi officials say the US and Iraq are close to a deal under which all American combat troops would leave by October 2010 with remaining US forces gone about three years later." To the Iraqi government, "close to a deal" at this late time in Bush's presidency means, "we've only got to stall a couple more months to get Bush off our backs." Besides, the above quote does not maintain a time horizon anymore, but rather it's a timetable, and it's essentially the Obama timetable (which may have been the Iraqi timetable that the Obama people borrowed in the first place). Note that US officials are not responding in like manner, that the deal is nearly finalized. The article says that U.S. officials report quite the contrary, that Rice had a "very difficult telephone conversation" yesterday with Iraqi the prime minister (Nouri al-Maliki) "in which she pressed the Iraqi leader for more flexibility, particularly on [troop] immunity." http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1218104237586&pagename=JPArticle%2FShowFull
No immunity means that American soldiers can be jailed or worse (by Iraq) if they harm innocent Iraqis, or damage their properties unnecessarily, and who knows what all that could entail, or how it could make life more dangerous for the troops if they've got to think for a few seconds before shooting in a sudden outburst of chaotic/unusual activity.
The Post also reports that:
"Two additional United States naval aircraft carriers are heading to the [Persian] Gulf and the Red Sea, according to the Kuwaiti newspaper Kuwait Times....Meanwhile, the Arabic news agency Moheet reported at the end of July that an unnamed American destroyer, accompanied by two Israeli naval vessels traveled through the Suez Canal from the Mediterranean
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1218104233164&pagename=JPArticle%2FShowFull
Perhaps it's a good idea to purchase, now, a small car.
It's raining today, explaining the longer update. Just learned that the Associated Press has the entire article that the Post sliced down to size, so that there's more details on what Iraq wants from Bush/Obama: "The proposed agreement calls for Americans to hand over parts of Baghdad's Green Zone — where the U.S. Embassy is located — to the Iraqis by the end of 2008. It would also remove U.S. forces from Iraqi cities by June 30, 2009, according to the two senior officials, both close to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and familiar with the negotiations." http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080807/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_us_bases
Hmm, could the latter stipulation urge Gog to devise his own timetable based on Iraq's timetable, exactly what Bush is seeking to avoid? The article admits that "American officials said the Bush administration is losing patience with the Iraqis over the negotiations." Bush? Losing patience? Not likely. Rather, he realizes that he's on the losing end of the deal, and may lose the deal altogether. It's called desperation. He has a right to be concerned, in the sense that his end-goal is about to be washed away by the mighty flood of Iraqi ignorance. Iraq is pulling the drain on itself without realizing it.
[April 19, 2009 -- Don't know how it had been done, but the info below the above line was deleted accidentally, then saved in the partially-deleted form, then uploaded to the book in that form, and therefore lost permanently.]