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IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
Gog and Cyrus: The Hooks Have Been Placed
- By Vanessa P. - https://www.raptureready.com/2019/01/11/gog-cyrus-hooks-placed-vanessa-p/ Over the summer, as the surrounding "inner circle" of nations moved closer to Israeli borders, Psalm 83 appeared to be on the horizon. In fact, It looked like we were about to witness the Psalm 83 war way before the Ezekiel 38 war - Gog of Magog war (Russia). Several things have happened over the last couple of months that have made me reevaluate where I believe the Gog invasion fits into Bible prophecy. Could Iran, Turkey and Russia grow emboldened enough to attempt an attack on the heartland of Israel? Moscow just warned Israel against any further air strikes against Syrian defense systems; if they fail to heed the warning, there will be an air strike in central Israel, where tens of thousands of civilians live. This is more evidence of the cooling relationship between Israel and Russia, or Magog. "Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, 'My lord, what shall be the end of these things?' And he said, 'Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand'" (Daniel 12:8-10). As the end draws near, we understand so much more than they did even one hundred years ago. In 2018, Syrian missiles shot down an Israeli Jet for the first time since 1982, leaving many to question whether Syria was guided by Russian help. On September 17, Israel carried out air strikes against Iranian and Syrian forces near a Russian air base in Latakia. Syrian regime forces fired back and they accidentally downed a Russian plane. It resulted in the deaths of all 15 Russian service members on board. This was the leading cause of the cooling relationship between Israel and Russia. President Putin blamed "a chain of tragic accidental circumstances," but the Russian Defense Ministry said Israel hid its F-16s behind the Russian plane, making it a target for Syria's anti-aircraft missiles. In response, Moscow delivered S-300 missiles to Syria, putting Israel at further risk. What military feat could Israel boast of that would make people all over the world take notice and turn to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob? Destroying Russia in the Golan Heights is certainly one way. Israel defeating Russia would make lesser nations think twice before threatening or attacking Israel again, which could bring a peace treaty to the people in the region. The loudest cries of peace come during war. "You will come up against My people Israel like a cloud, to cover the land. It will be in the latter days that I will bring you against My land, so that the nations may know Me, when I am hallowed in you, O Gog, before their eyes" (Ezekiel 38:16). With the U.S. withdrawing from Syria, Israel is letting Syria and Iran know that - while the U.S may no longer be involved in the war-torn country - Israel will not let Iran gain a strong military hold in Syria. President Trump, in reality, is leaving Syria to not just Turkey, but also Russia and Iran. Something will embolden these countries or anger them enough into thinking they can overtake Israel. But these forces will fall on the mountains of Israel. And I believe President Trump has withdrawn for reasons unknown to us. But they won't be unknown for long. The coming destruction of Damascus could be the match that sets the entire Middle East on Fire. God did say he'd kindle a flame in Damascus. With Assad being allies with Russia and Iran, it's not hard to see them engaging Israel, and soon it seems. On New Year's Eve, the United States military sent out a very odd but also extremely telling tweet: "#TimesSquare tradition rings in the #NewYear by dropping the big ball ... if ever needed, we are #ready to drop something much, much bigger," the original post read. "Watch to the end! @AFGlobalStrike @Whiteman_AFB #Deterrence #Assurance #CombatReadyForce #PeacelsOurProfession." This was a warning to someone, and it most likely was directed towards Iran and Russia. Russia is a military superpower, second only to the United States. Russia has now officially threatened Israel, militarily. Recently the US, for the first time, endorsed Israeli control of the Golan Heights by voting against the annual UN resolution that condemns the "occupation" by Israel. But is it really occupation? The resolution titled, "The occupied Syrian Golan," was adopted with 151 votes in favor, two against (Israel and the US), and 14 abstentions. The newest resolution condemns Israel for "repressive measures" against Syrian citizens in the Golan Heights. Never mind that the IDF routinely rescues Syrian citizens along the border and provides medical care. The Jewish settlement in the Golan Heights region ended in 636 AD, after Arab conquest. Then, in the 16th century, the Golan was conquered by the Ottoman Empire, which was then part of the Damascus province until it was taken by the French in 1918. The Ottomans were Turks, not Syrians. When the French mandate ended in 1946, the Golan became part of the newly created Syrian Arab Republic. Almost immediately, they used it as a launching ground for attacks against the new Jewish State. This began in 1948 and continued for 19 years until the Six-day War. The Golan Heights was recaptured by Israel. It was in 1981 that Israel passed what was called the Golan Heights Law. This annexed The Golan from Syria and extended Israeli laws and jurisdiction to the area. The short end of the story is that this area belongs to the Jewish people. It was taken from them first. Going by the media, one would assume that the Golan was part of Syria for hundreds of years instead of nineteen. Following the death of Moses but before the Tribes of Israel entered the Land, the tribes of Menashe, Gad and Reuven had already liberated a land known as Bashan from the Amorites. Bashan is the Golan Heights of today. The Golan Heights was part of biblical Israel, with the Book of Deuteronomy referring to the City of Bashan as a place of refuge. Judah Maccabee is said to have defended Jewish homes in Bashan. There have been ancient Jewish coins from the Bar Kochba era found in the Golan Heights as well. "And every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world" (1 John 4:3). Recent discoveries by archeologists have unearthed 34 synagogues in the Golan Heights dating from the Roman era through the Byzantine era and even Arab conquests of Jerusalem. Over time, with the Jewish people exiled, the once flourishing Jewish communities in the Golan were abandoned and forgotten. It wasn't until the 15th and 16th centuries that the Druze started to settle the Golan Heights area. Jews began to return to the area as well in 1886 and would remain until 1947. It was Jewish people that were forced out by the Syrians, not the other way around. What's more, the Golan Heights was supposed to be included as part of the Palestine Mandate, which created a national home for the Jewish people. There is nothing but lies and deceit from the UN when it comes to Israel. It is the spirit of Antichrist that has a dark cloud over the organization. They have introduced resolution after resolution against Israel, but not one against terrorist organizations. They believe the lie and attempt to pass the lie off as fact. "And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness" (2 Thess 2:11). Israel keeping control of the Golan Heights is absolutely necessary to her security, so what does that tell you? The Globalist, Luciferian powers in this world that Jesus warned us of don't want Israel to be safe or secure. In fact, if Israel were to be destroyed tomorrow, nobody in the UN would bat an eye. "Mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord. This is what the Sovereign Lord says: The enemy said of you, 'Aha! The ancient heights have become our possession.'... I am concerned for you and will look on you with favor; ... I will cause many people to live on you - yes, all of Israel. The towns will be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt'" (Ezekiel 36:1-2, 9-10). Recently PM Netanyahu spoke to his cabinet by saying "It is time that the international community recognized reality... Whatever happens on the other side of the border, the border itself will not move. Secondly, after 50 years it is time that the international community realized that the Golan will remain under Israeli sovereignty." He went on to say that The Golan was an "integral part of the Land of Israel in ancient times... and the Golan is an integral part of the State of Israel in the present time." "Thus saith Hashem to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him, and to loose the loins of kings; to open the doors before him, and that the gates may not be shut" (Isaiah 45:1). On January 21, 2019, the Americas, parts of Western Europe and Western Africa will witness a super-wolf blood moon with an eclipse. This eclipse is only going to be fully visible to WESTERN nations. That also marks the date for the halfway point of President Trump's presidency. What's interesting about the night Trump was born? He was born June 14, 1946, within fifteen minutes of a total lunar eclipse and 700 days before the state of Israel was born. He was sworn in as President on January 20, 2017, when he was 70 years old, seven months and seven days. He was also sworn in during Israel's double Jubilee year, marking seventy years since their founding, and fifty years since recapturing Jerusalem. God has always used the sun, moon and stars along with numbers to speak to His people. So what's He telling us with Trump? For one, the name TRUMP is biblical, according to Rabbi and Bible Codes expert, Rabbi Matityahu Glazerson. Gematria, or Hebrew numerology, is an esoteric device used by rabbis for revealing hidden meaning in the Bible. According to Rabbi Glazerson, "Anybody who helps Israel, to build themselves, to settle properly in their land," is referred to as a kind of Moshiach. Wouldn't something as enormous as tiny Israel defeating an invading Russian alliance cause the Palestinians to take notice? Peace deal anyone? Acknowledge Israel has ties to Jerusalem? Sure thing. FOR NOW. The Temple will be rebuilt next to the mosque as an international symbol of "peace." Revelation 11:2 "But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles." For three and a half years, the surrounding Islamic nations regroup. They devise a plan to make all of Israel their own. The sudden invasion comes so quickly that even Jesus warned the Jews living in Judea and Samaria to run for their lives and don't look back. The obvious place to run will be towards Jordan. The Bible tells us that Jordan will act wickedly against the covenant, though, leaving Jordan to escape the Antichrist's wrath. The covenant is the Abrahamic covenant in which God gave Israel to the Jewish people. The Jews will worship God in the temple, right next to abominations against Him, like the Al-Aqua mosque. God Himself stood on the mountain of the Temple Mount; it's His. "And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city and stood on the mountain, which is on the east side of the city." Daniel 11:41 "He shall also enter the Glorious Land, and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall escape from his hand: Edom, Moab, and the prominent people of Ammon." Jordan is to Ammon and Edom what Israel is to Jacob. The Jordanian/Palestinian people have no closer relation in the Middle East than Israel. They are ancient brothers dating back to Esau and Jacob. When the Antichrist floods Jerusalem and the people are running away in desperation and fear, Jordan will block them. Jordan will turn his own brother over to the Antichrist. God warns them that His judgment is coming because of what they did. "For violence against your brother Jacob, Shame shall cover you, And you shall be cut off forever. In the day that you stood on the other side-In the day that strangers carried captive his forces, When foreigners entered his gates And cast lots for Jerusalem-Even you were as one of them" (Obadiah 1:10-11). Judea and Samaria are located in modern-day East Jerusalem, where the Temple Mount is located. When the Jewish people are invaded in Jerusalem, it will be sudden. There will be tens of thousands of Jews living in and worshipping in this area. The temple will have been rebuilt; the Muslims and Jews will have worshipped alongside one another for three and a half years before the sudden change towards the Jewish people. "In the day of their calamity. You should not have stood at the crossroads To cut off those among them who escaped; Nor should you have delivered up those among them who remained In the day of distress" (Obadiah 1:14). The Jordanian people escape because they "do wickedly against the covenant." "So he shall return and show regard for those who forsake the holy covenant" (Daniel 11:30b). "Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery..." (Daniel 11:32). With Russia warning against any further attacks on Syrian defense systems, and Syria becoming the meeting ground for anti-Israeli military forces, it won't be long before The IDF and IAF launch more strikes into Syria. "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..." (Isaiah 17:1-3)). Ephraim, one of the twelve tribes, originally settled in Samaria, which was ancient Ephraim. Aroer is believed to be in Jordan. The Bible says these cities are "forsaken." The Hebrew word used for forsaken is azab, and means abandoned, withdrawn, left behind, released, or neglected. The people fleeing would leave these cities abandoned. The destruction of Damascus will probably spill over into northern Jordan, with a prophetic connection to Jeremiah 49:1-2. This seems to suggest it is Israel that is responsible for the destruction of Damascus. Read Jeremiah 49:1-2 below. "Against the Ammonites. Thus says the Lord: 'Has Israel no sons? Has he no heir? Why then does Milcom inherit Gad, And his people dwell in its cities? Therefore behold, the days are coming,' says the Lord, 'That I will cause to be heard an alarm of war In Rabbah of the Ammonites; It shall be a desolate mound, And her villages shall be burned with fire. Then Israel shall take possession of his inheritance,' says the Lord." God is basically saying Jordan took land from Israel that they had no right to take, and Israel is taking it back. The Gog coalition in Ezekiel never reaches Jerusalem. The Bible tells us these forces will fall on the mountains of Israel, while the Antichrist spoken of in Daniel DOES reach Jerusalem. God will not forsake Israel, but He is angry. "I have raised him up in righteousness, And I will direct all his ways; He shall build My city And let My exiles go free, Not for price nor reward,' Says the Lord of hosts" (Isaiah 45:13). "The man who executes My counsel, from a far country. Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it'" (Isaiah 46:11b). I have felt that God's hand has been placed over President Trump. Trump was who this country needed, a tough New York businessman who doesn't bow to the Globalists and establishment. If God's hand wasn't on Him, I don't believe He would have made it this far. There's always a chance I can be wrong, but I strongly feel Donald Trump will serve out his full term and win re-election. He has derailed the globalism of the US that Obama signed us up for. He's trying to secure our border, without help from the Democrats. A lesser man would have thrown in the towel by now. He was rich, well-liked and respected in many circles, by many people, before he ran against Hillary Clinton. The Clinton's have a history of destroying people's lives. "When you are in distress, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, when you turn to the Lord your God and obey His voice (for the Lord your God is a merciful God), He will not forsake you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them" (Deut 4:30-31). The Bible warns us of a ten-nation alliance that forms in Europe. There was a ten-nation alliance officially formed in the last month. Finland has joined Germany, Belgium, Britain, Denmark, Estonia, the Netherlands, Spain and Portugal in the French-led initiative. But, is this THE ten-nation alliance foretold? God has told us to watch the sky for signs from him. The new year of 2019 will be one heck of an astronomical year; 2018 was as well. There are eclipses, a huge meteor shower, and then a rare planet transition coming this year - oh, and a super wolf blood moon. In 2018, the US experienced a solar eclipse that only America could see. Seems God is telling the West something. Which nation is the largest Christian nation? The UNITED STATES. Where are people praying in the name of Christ the most? Western nations. What's interesting is that just seven years later, in 2024, this same event happens again. "Then God said, 'Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth'; and it was so. Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also" (Gen 1:14-16). Joel also warns us of coming blood moons and solar eclipses. These events have been happening on a much bigger scale than ever before. "And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: Blood and fire and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved..." (Joel 2:30-32). Jesus prophesied these amazing signs in the heavens too. "And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near" (Luke 21:25-28). So Jesus is warning us of His coming return and gave us signs that will appear when we are near. The Bible foretold the Russian alliance; and right now Russia, Turkey, Syria and Iran are on Israel's border. What's the real reason President Trump withdrew our troops from Syria? Are we planning a massive attack on Iran? The Bible foretold of Iran's (formerly Persia) coming destruction too. He also warned us of the sea and waves, which represent Hurricanes and Tsunamis. He said the nations of the Earth will be perplexed. The KJV definition of perplexed is "To make intricate; to involve; to entangle; to make complicated and difficult to be understood or unraveled." The eclipse date of the 21st has a biblical meaning. Twenty-one symbolizes wickedness lawlessness, and sin in Hebrew numerology. A New Moon Celebration in Hebrew is "Rosh Chodesh," and it means "beginning, head, or renewal." The number eight in Hebrew numerology represents a new beginning; adding 13 to it means wickedness or sin; together 21 (or January 21) represents a new beginning of sin and wickedness. Last year, in the Middle East, they experienced a super blue-moon eclipse on the Jewish holiday of Tu B'shevat. This ended up being a blessing on Israel, as Jerusalem was officially recognized by the world's leading superpower, giving the Jews credibility with Jerusalem belonging to the Jewish people. The blood moon eclipse coming to the West also falls on Tu B'shevat. Coincidence? I think not. The celebration of Tu B'shevat is known as the "celebration of trees." It's a time of new beginning. Leading Rabbis described prophecies from Jewish sources indicating an end to the dominance Ishmael-Muslims have over the Temple Mount. That dominance will wane with a sharing arrangement. The super blood moon on January 21, 2019, was described by Rabbi Genut as a time of judgment. "There will be a marked increase in earthquakes and volcanoes, even more than we have seen in the past year," Rabbi Genuth said. "Just as the eclipse is a conflict between the sun and the moon to rule over the heavens, there will be a similar conflict on earth. This will begin a time when governments are in balance. Some governments that seem powerful right now will fall and others will rise in their place." The complete solar eclipse that crossed the United States in August 2018 brought us the most devastating hurricane season in US history. The Talmud teaches that lunar eclipses are a bad omen for Israel because they are spiritually represented by the moon and the Hebrew calendar; they also follow lunar cycles as we follow the solar cycle. If a lunar eclipse appears red, then the Talmud says it is an omen that wars are on the horizon. Rabbi Yosef Berger said this lunar eclipse will not affect Israel, but will affect her enemies. A full moon is not a bad omen, though. The super moon eclipse over the West will not be visible from Jerusalem. At least five (if not more) major events in the Bible occurred on, or near, full moons including the crucifixion of Jesus. The earth has been experiencing an enormous jump in the number of earthquakes and tsunamis around the world. We were warned of all these signs. Is the US going to be blessed as Israel was, or are we going to be cursed? Only time will tell. Leading Rabbis have referred to Trump as a modern-day Cyrus the Great, who let the Jews rebuild their temple. "Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, 'The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all his people, may the LORD his God be with him. Let him go up"' (2 Chronicles 36:23). In the coming peace deal, I have a very good feeling that the construction of a newly built Temple will be included. This has never been proposed before, but Trump is the man to do it. The man is doing God's will, though he may not even know it. The prayer surrounding our president is enormous. Leading pastors have placed hands on him and prayed, and Pastor Brunson placed hands on him and prayed. We as Christians pray for him and our country daily. President Trump isn't a perfect man, but he's not what the Democrats have tried to make him out to be. With his imperfections and all, God chose him to officially recognize Jerusalem before the world and to build his temple, just as Cyrus did. King Cyrus helped the Jews to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem under Zerubbabel and Joshua the high priest. He restored all of the temple treasures and even paid for the rebuilding out of the royal treasury. Cyrus's decree helped the temple worship to be restored after 70 years of the Jews' captivity. Israel has never had a greater friend than President Trump and the US, and we will continue to be friends. "The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases" (Proverbs 21:1). The Jewish people and Christians across the world have a bond together through God. He said He will join us together as one in the last days. "Thus says the Lord God: 'Surely I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel, his companions; and I will join them with it, with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they will be one in My hand'" (Ezekiel 37:19). Ephraim represents the West, and Judah represents the Jews. We will worship together, as one people, united as brothers and sisters in Christ. The hooks have been placed into Russia's jaw, but the US will never sit back and allow an attack on Israel. Not with Donald Trump in office. The question is, are the nations in the Gog alliance going to be lead out by those hooks before the peace deal is revealed? These nations view the US withdrawal as giving in, but there's no way our president would ever leave Israel alone. The US has nourished Israel for seventy years, just as the Bible prophesied. "But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent" (Rev 12:14). The US is undoubtedly known internationally by the eagle, and we will protect and fight with Israel. Of that I have no doubt. For the next two years, the Democrats will do everything in their power to impeach our president, but it will not happen. He needs your prayers; Israel needs your prayers. There is another Great War on the horizon, and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is returning soon. It's time for God's people to be spiritually ready. Are you ready to meet your maker? Because we are not guaranteed tomorrow! Ezekiel 37:15-17 "Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 'As for you, son of man, take a stick for yourself and write on it: 'For Judah and for the children of Israel, his companions.' Then take another stick and write on it, 'For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel, his companions.' Then join them one to another for yourself into one stick, and they will become one in your hand." Genesis 48:13-16 "And Joseph took them both, Ephraim with his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh with his left hand toward Israel's right hand, and brought them near him. Then Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh's head, guiding his hands knowingly, for Manasseh was the firstborn. And he blessed Joseph, and said: 'God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, The God who has fed me all my life long to this day, The Angel who has redeemed me from all evil, Bless the lads; Let my name be named upon them, And the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; And let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.'" Vanessa P [email protected] A New Mideast Order Is Taking Shape - By Yaakov Lappin - http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=2876 The era of chaos in the Middle East is drawing to a close, and a new phase, which contains its own set of dangers, is taking shape, a senior former intelligence official has told JNS. Brig. Gen. (res.) Eli Ben Meir, former head of the Assessment Department at the Israel Defense Force's Military Intelligence Directorate, said the period of the "Arab Spring," marked by tectonic instability and dramatic changes, is drawing to a close. The Arab Spring period featured large-scale civil wars, uprisings and the involvement of external elements in failed states, as old orders fell apart. "In recent years ... one would get up in the morning and didn't know who controlled Syria, or what was happening in Iraq and Yemen," said Ben Meir, who headed the strategically vital Assessment Department in 2015 and at the start of 2016. "This was a period in which frameworks broke apart, and the old order underwent change. But from 2018 onwards, those states that were a mess have begun stabilizing. The assessment is that this will continue in the coming year." This trend has proven true for Syria, Iraq and even Yemen, where the Saudis and Shi'ite Houthi rebels--warring enemies--are discussing ceasefires and seeking new understandings. States that were worried about "being next" to suffer instability due to a regional domino effect, like Jordan and Saudi Arabia, have remained stable, and now understand that they are not about to crumble, according to Ben Meir. The time of popular uprisings, mass protests and social networks fueling regime change has vanished, he said. "Even in Syria, which experienced the biggest mess, [Syrian President Bashar] Assad has remained." This does not mean that rebel assassins can't try to target Arab leaders in any country in the region--a threat that has always existed--but regime change won't happen through "the streets or Facebook, like the events of Tahrir Square [in Egypt]," affirmed Ben Meir. A new period of explosiveness The newfound stability in the Middle East is not, unfortunately, a guarantee for calm; rather, it most likely increases the potential for unpredictable conflict. In Syria, according to foreign reports, Israel conducted a large number of airstrikes against developing Iranian threats, taking advantage of the lack of a capable regime and military in that country. "Now, however, the state and military are slowly coming back to Syria. A sovereign state has military capabilities. It can retaliate or go to war. It didn't do those things when it was busy defending itself," said Ben Meir. Israel took advantage of the lack of a centralized Syrian regime to take preventative action, but it remains unclear how much longer it can do this without sparking an inter-state conflict. In addition, the new order taking shape in the region includes the Shi'ite Iranian-Hezbollah axis. This axis remains highly active in Syria, and is attempting to gain dangerous accomplishments, like the deployment of precision missiles and the building weapons factories, Ben Meir assessed. The new order taking shape is prone to "disruption and influence," he said, "whether it is [Israel's], the U.S., Russia or because of the influence of events." In the Gaza Strip, he noted, fundamental problems that could lead to conflict have not been solved. The Strip remains locked in an economic crisis, and Hamas could end up going to war if its cash flow runs out. Referring to the arrival of Qatari suitcases filled with assistance money, Ben Meir noted that "when those $15 million run out, either another suitcase with 15 million arrives, or we will face rockets. In principle, we gained time, but we have not solved the problem." Disrupting the enemy's build-up of force On Dec. 11, the recently appointed Military Intelligence Directorate chief, Maj. Gen. Tamir Hyman, offered his assessment to the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. While many of his comments were classified, the Knesset publicized some of them, including his view that the current period is one of "disruption, influence and [a new order] taking shape." It is an opportunity "to act in all sectors," as part of Israel's campaign to interfere with enemy force build-up processes. Hyman noted that in Lebanon, Hezbollah possesses an arsenal of unguided projectiles, and that as of now, it "lacks an industrial ability to convert [unguided rockets into accurate ones] and manufacture precision weaponry." In Syria, the Assad regime is stabilizing, Hyman said, and the Shi'ite axis is entrenching itself. Israel, he warned, is committed to the goal of pushing Iran and Hezbollah away from the Golan Heights region. Within Iran itself, a dispute has broken out within the leadership over the price of the Islamic Republic's attempt to entrench itself in Syria. "As a result, we recognize a trend in which [the Iranian entrenchment] has stopped, and it has been reduced on the ground by tens of percentages," said Hyman. Yet the Dec. 25 airstrike in Syria, reportedly targeting a depot containing Iranian rockets, appears to be a sign that the Israeli-Iranian shadow war in Syria is far from over. As the Middle East enters a new order, decision-makers across the region will likely be aware that the margin for miscalculation has become smaller. News from Hal Lindsey Media Ministries - Hal Lindsey - www.hallindsey.com At the beginning of each year, it is my practice on "The Hal Lindsey Report" to review the previous year and highlight both major and minor events or developments that I believe have prophetic significance. This week, I'll present Part One of "2018: The Prophetic Year in Review." At the beginning of his masterpiece, A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens wrote: "It was the best of times. It was the worst of times." Wow! He could have been writing about the United States of America in 2018. All we ever hear is that it is the worst of times. Reality says that, in many ways, it has been the best of times. Off-the-charts employment -- for all racial groups -- and increasing wages. A booming economy as manufacturing returns to the US. "Merry Christmas!" is back. We regularly hear God's name invoked in public by our top leaders. There has been a resurgence of respect for America's strength and leadership around the world. In many ways, it seems like America is becoming America again. Yet 2018 was also a year of constant rage. Especially in the media. There was an uptick in the number of mass killings. Protests turned violent. Political rhetoric burned red-hot. Accusations of harassment, rape, racism, even murder, were flung willy-nilly, often without a hint of real proof. Lives were turned upside down, or ruined, for political gain. America's moral foundation continued to crumble. Censorship and persecution emerged from the shadows. But these things were not just limited to the United States. It is happening all over the world. There were record levels of drug use and record numbers of suicides. Political turmoil has become the norm, not the exception, in nations across the world. In some ways, these developments could describe past years, but there seems to be an increased sense of urgency and anxiety across the world as 2019 dawns. But then, we know to expect that. Jesus warned us that it would be this way as the time of His return to earth approached. On this week's program, I will discuss some of those things -- many of them downplayed in the media -- that contribute to this sense that the world is spinning out of control. I will look at the sinister collusion of the world's most famous and powerful technology firms as they lay the groundwork for the coming Antichrist. Two of them, Facebook and Apple, were exposed by the media for their deceptive practices and their collusion with foreign communist and repressive dictatorships. As a result, both of these firms lost massive amounts of value -- mind-boggling sums -- and have brought the world to the brink of financial catastrophe. Yet the upper leadership of neither firm has been held accountable for those actions. (Probably because they are closely allied with the Left in America and the globalist forces worldwide.) Jesus warned of increased "pestilence" near the end of this Age of Grace. Throughout the year, I reported on the rise of antibiotic-resistant "superbugs," but 2018 also saw an increase in another form of pestilence: computer viruses and cyber warfare malware. And just like a physical virus, they spread exponentially and with increasing speed until stopped. And with the world's increased -- and in some case near total -- dependence on computers, these viruses literally put billions of lives at stake. In 2018, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a new generation of nuclear-powered, nuclear-armed missiles. With almost unlimited range and frightening speed, these new missiles ratcheted up the existential threat that Russia poses to the world. Though the initial tests were unsuccessful, near the end of the year, it appears the Russians may have figured out their problems. Many analysts and military experts are predicting that this may ignite a new Cold War. Undeniably, a new global arms race. That includes the European Union where its two most powerful leaders are calling for the creation of an Army of Europe. French President Emmanuel Macron is promoting the idea so that Europe can protect itself from Russia, China, and... the United States. Apparently, we've moved from friend to foe in Macron's globalist imagination. But we shouldn't be surprised. Bible prophecy indicates that the Antichrist will emerge from Europe and, of course, he'll need his own powerful military machine. As we say each week at the top of the Report: "Yesterday's prophecies. Today's headlines." In 2018, President Donald Trump made good on his campaign promise to withdrew the United States from the insidious Iran nuclear deal. Of course, the mainstream media (along with former Secretary of State John Kerry and President Barack Obama) howled that Trump's action would ignite a global catastrophe. Further, he had cast aspersions on the integrity of our trusted co-signer to the deal, Iran. A few months later, Israel validated the wisdom of President Trump's decision. Israeli agents had discovered the existence of Iran's "Atomic Archive" in a nondescript warehouse in Tehran. It was a hidden cache of information and documentation of Iran's attempts to create nuclear weapons. So they stole it. And hauled it back to Jerusalem. And Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed it to the United Nations and the world. The archive confirmed what we all knew, but the Obama administration ignored. Iran's leaders have been lying all the time. And by agreeing to the deal, we cleared Iran's path to nuclear weapons and, in a bizarre twist, provided substantial funding. Iran has been exposed to the world and their intentions cannot be denied. 2018 saw the continued coalescing of the three powers that the Bible predicts will someday launch an attack on Israel: Iran, Turkey, and Russia. All three now have a military presence in Syria, on Israel's northern doorstep. China has the second largest military budget in the world. Five times greater than the United Kingdom. They are feverishly working to perfect a "railgun." Using electromagnetism rather than gunpowder or cordite to propel its projectiles, a railgun's range is significantly greater than conventional artillery. Its projectile travels at five times the speed of sound. China is also on the cusp of having a working HD1 supersonic, anti-ship missile. It is often described as the "aircraft carrier killer." Since the beginning of 2019, China has landed a probe on the dark side of the moon. This indicates that China is deadly serious about its space program. I say "deadly" because China's paramount purpose for its space program is to destroy US satellites. And the most powerful military machine in the world -- the US armed forces -- is dangerously dependent on its satellites. But, as I often observe, Bible prophecy does not appear to indicate a role for the United States in the cataclysmic events leading up to Jesus Christ's return to this earth. That's why every threat to America, be it economic, moral, political, or military, must be viewed as prophetically significant. I'll discuss all of these developments and more on this week's broadcast. Folks, I know I say this often, but things really are heating up! If you've not been serious about getting ready to leave this world when Jesus comes back for us, don't waste another moment! No prophecies remain to be fulfilled before that day happens. He could come at any moment. Get ready! I'll continue "2018: The Prophetic Year in Review" next week with Part Two. Don't miss this week's Report on TBN, Daystar, CPM Network, various local stations, www.hallindsey.com or www.hischannel.com . Check your local listings. Borders, Walls & Leadership - Bill Perkins - www.compass.org It's hard to believe this is actually a debate! When spending $5 billion saves $180 billion per year in illegal alien expenditures, what nut-case can't see the common sense of building a border wall to stop the monetary bleeding? Not to mention heavily reducing the problems with incoming drugs, murders, gangs, etc. We ARE a compassionate nation that welcomes all LEGAL immigrants. But to remain a nation, we have to have order. We have to control who is and who is not allowed to come live here. Our current border problem began when our public schools were high-jacked by the liberals in the '70s. Since then our colleges have been graduating some real indoctrinated doozies. And now these same doozies are voting some highly unqualified people into public office ... e.g., Rashida Tlaib, the Muslim who called President Trump a mother-xxxx in public, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the newly elected congresswoman who inexplicably named the three branches of government as the House, Senate and Presidency. Therefore, teaching what God thinks about borders and walls will probably fall on deaf ears with the liberals. But for those of us who both fear and trust God's infallible Word, God has lots to say about borders and walls. BORDERS Defined borders are big in the Bible. "Do not move the ancient boundary which your fathers have set." Prov. 22:28 After God allowed Assyria to punish Jerusalem, she became prideful and He later broke down her borders as punishment. "So it will be that when the Lord has completed all His work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, He will say 'I will punish the fruit of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and the pomp of his haughtiness'" Is. 10:12 It is God Who determines a nation's borders ... "...and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation," Acts 17:26 And do realize, when you start messing with borders, you're actually messing with God. Good luck with that. Even though Great Britain was the undisputed leader of the world in WWI and God used her to raise up the State of Israel in her ancient homeland, the Brit's world dominance quickly diminished after she carved up Israel's boundaries giving 70% of her designated land to the Palestinians (today called Jordan). WALLS There are over 250 references to walls in the Bible, mostly referring to protection. Israel apparently noticed this because in the 1990s there was a problem with people entering neighborhoods with intent to harm. But once Israel built a wall to protect her citizens, the problem literally went away overnight. Jericho was famous for being a walled city. The wall was so strong it seemed impenetrable. But in the Book of Joshua, we see the Lord break down the walls to allow Israel to defeat the inhabitants of Jericho. When Nebuchadnezzar defeated Jerusalem in 586 BC by building a siege wall around Jerusalem and for two years starving the city into extinction, the crowning blow of embarrassment was to tear down the city's walls of defense. "He burned the house of the LORD, the king's house, and all the houses of Jerusalem; even every great house he burned with fire. So all the army of the Chaldeans who were with the captain of the guard broke down the walls around Jerusalem." 2Kings 25:9-10. Seventy years later, in the Book of Nehemiah we find Israel in Babylonian captivity due to disobedience of not adhering to God's commands. Then they were allowed to return to Jerusalem but her WALLS and GATES had been destroyed, leaving the newly returning inhabitants defenseless. So what was the first thing Nehemiah did? He didn't start by holding a spiritual revival. He began by doing the most practical thing possible, rebuilding Jerusalem's walls and gates to make the city safe. Nehemiah knew that a city without solid border walls and gates made spiritual revival senseless. Walls had to be built first. Only after the walls and gates were rebuilt for safety was Israel able to rebuild the rest of the country. Even in the Book of Revelation, in the New Heaven and Earth where there is no death, mourning, crying or pain, we see God still uses walls and gates for the New Jerusalem. "It had a great and high wall, with twelve gates," Rev. 21:12 LEADERSHIP God says He is the One who determines a nation's leadership! "It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings;" Dan. 2:21 "...there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God." Rom. 13:1b All of our presidents, from George Washington to Donald Trump, have been ordained by God and He is in control. If you don't like who your leader is, take it up with God-as many of us did with some of our past presidents! At a time like this, it's also important to remember to pray for our leaders. That WILL make a huge difference. "First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity." 1Tim. 2:1-2 I know many, many people who pray daily for our nation's leadership. If you don't have them on your prayer list, add them!! This has never been as important as it is now! So, to recap, God is pro-wall. He's in control of all world leaders, whether they realize it or not. And our current leaders need all the prayer he can get to know how to defend this nation's freedoms so graciously given to us. Use us, Lord! Daily Jot: Of immorality and bondage - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com The fight over not securing the borders must be really important to the Democratic Party leadership. When considering that the Federal government is the nation's largest employer (over 22 million according to Time-dot-com), and Democrats are all about jobs, their stubbornness over border security is quite curious. The entire resistance movement encouraged by the likes of Hillary Clinton, the immediate past-"president," the Democratic National Committee, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Maxine Waters (D-CA) and others takes on a new meaning when they are willing to put so many people who are living from paycheck to paycheck in financial jeopardy over just ensuring that people come to this country legally. President Donald Trump made his case to the American people this week about why border security measures, among them the "wall," is in the best interest of national security. It's a pretty hard sell among those 22 million people when they start looking at a stack of bills that need paid and they haven't received a paycheck for a few weeks. Sure, when this mess gets worked out, they will get paid, but the pressure is still there. The Democratic leadership knows this and that is the biggest lever to pressure the President in a different direction. Fewer and fewer people will care about something they think doesn't affect them when their own financial well-being is on the line. So the pressure mounts. The "wall" is immoral, they say. But by what standard? How can anyone claim the moral high ground when they consistently fight and vote for spending your tax money for the questionable moral things they believe are most important? Tim Elliott of Grabie News researched some of the Democrat-supported funding that goes into the budget. Let's take a look-see. Some $10 billion to the United Nations, $5 million of which goes to abortions in foreign countries; some $750 million to Planned Parenthood; $613,634 to boost "intimacy and trust" of transgender women and their male partners; more than $50 billion per year for "foreign development" in Egypt, Sudan, Uganda, South Africa, Russia, Congo, and Zambia. Spending $5 billion on national security, however, is so immoral that it's worth shutting the government down. This is the problem when we elect people who mock God, not only in word, but in deed. Not funding and enforcing effective border security has and is causing an increase in murders, sex trafficking, drug trafficking, communicable disease, and other crime. It also stresses taxpayers because we are being taxed billions for social services used by illegals. And come election time, there is massive voter fraud contributing to the election of certain members of a certain political party. Whether in salvation, abiding by God's laws, or honoring the blessings bestowed upon us by the Lord, what are we told in Galatians 5:1? "Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." When immorality becomes systemic in a large enough people group, bondage will follow. Daily Devotion: Storm Weary - By Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear. -Matthew 14:26 Lifeguards know there is danger in saving someone who is drowning, because people panic. More than one lifeguard has lost his or her life from being drowned by the person they were trying to save. It's one of the reasons lifeguards use flotation devices. They're for drowning people to hold on to. I think sometimes the Lord waits until we've exhausted our resources before He comes through. As the disciples battled a violent storm on the Sea of Galilee, Jesus came to them at the last moment, but when the time was just right, walking on the sea. Perhaps Jesus walked to them on the water to show His disciples that the very things they feared-the wind and the waves-were only a staircase for Him to reach them. The disciples, however, didn't know it was Jesus, and they cried out in terror. Why didn't they recognize Him? I believe it's because they weren't looking for Him. God is there, but often we don't see Him because we aren't looking for Him. And we never will know Jesus as deeply as we can until He comes to us in the midst of a storm in our lives. Someone once asked me what the most spiritual moment of my life was, the moment when I sensed God's presence more tangibly than any other time. That moment was right after my son Christopher died. I wouldn't wish that on anyone, but that is when God manifested His presence to me in such a tangible way. My wife and my son Jonathan have told me it was the same for them. God came to us in a way that was unique, carrying us through. He gave us what we needed when we needed it. And He will do the same for you. 
FROM THE HEART
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