Why Do the Nations Rage? – Part 3

Wednesday, Oct. 11 – 4 days since the terror attacks were launched attacks from Gaza

Updates:

Israeli casualties from the initial attacks, now top 1,200 killed, and 2,500 wounded; these numbers have increased due to more victims being found.

IDF forces have imposed a tight siege on Gaza, are bombing and shelling terrorist targets inside Gaza, and are amassing troops and tanks as they prepare to invade. Palestinian causalities are hard to verify, but Al Jazeera is reporting 510 dead and 2,700 wounded.

Light missile attacks have been launched from Hezbollah the north, but nothing that indicates a full- scale attack as of yet.

Outside news agencies have been allowed to document the atrocities committed by the gunmen who attacked overnight Saturday, confirming the reports of wholesale rape, kidnapping, mass murder and multiple beheadings.

I have been reluctant to comment on the atrocities, because I don’t want to elevate the level of fear, anxiety, anger and terror that these acts were intended to generate. Also, I wanted to make sure that these reports were accurate and verified by several sources before I shared them. It goes without saying that these indescribable horrors are pure evil and demonic. But beyond that, there is an important specific detail here that needs added context in light of what we have already laid down regarding the true motivations behind these attacks. These victims were not just shot, they weren’t just stabbed, they were beheaded. Many. Including children and, according to reports, at least 40 infants. It is stomach-turning for me to even type those words. The terrorists were sending a message. Yes, it was a message intended to strike fear, dread and terror into the hearts of their enemies. But it was something else too. This wasn’t just a terrorist attack. By this evidence, we can know without a doubt that this was a by-the-book Islamic Jihad terrorist attack. Those who perpetrated the attack believed themselves to be holy warriors on a divine mission to kill Jews and hasten the coming of the Mahdi, and if they happened to by killed in the process, they would become martyrs in a holy cause granted special favor in the afterlife - the same beliefs held by the hijackers on 9-11. In this case, they were attempting to fulfill a specific Islamic end-times prophecy – a “Hadith” or saying of Muhammed - often quoted by radical Islamic clerics to whip-up violent mobs unto a murderous frenzy: “ “I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) saying: ‘You (i.e. Muslims) will fight against the Jews and you will gain victory over them. The stones will (betray them) saying: ‘O ‘Abdullah (i.e. slave of Allah)! There is a Jew hiding behind me; so kill him.’ 1 and

“Then, Allah will afflict him with Muslims who kill him and his followers and the Jews will hide behind a tree or a rock and the rock or the tree will say to the Muslim: There is a Jew behind me, come and kill him!” 3 “

I relate these things to show what is behind this war is much more than one people group fighting another over discontent with deplorable conditions imposed upon them, or rebellion against oppression, whether real or perceived. People who engage in those kinds of battles may in fact believe that fighting and killing is necessary and right and that they have no other choice but to take up arms. But even then, such combatants do not believe, as these jihadists did, that murdering the elderly and beheading defenseless children is a morally righteous, good and commendable act in the sight of God simply because their victims are of a different race or hold different beliefs. These attacks are not, in any sense of the word, the actions of so-called “freedom-fighters.” There is not now, nor has there ever been, nor will there ever be, any justification for such atrocities no matter who commits them.

What we see here is that no concession, no compromise, no treaty or allowance can be made to stop the violence when its base motivation is spiritual – when mass murder is deemed holy and the world is seen as better in the eyes of God when a race of people is exterminated. It cannot be stopped by changing circumstances. It can only be contained with force for a time or removed by a profound change of heart. In the haunting words of former Prime Minister Golda Maier, “When peace comes, we will perhaps, in time, be able to forgive the Arabs for killing our sons, but it will be harder for us to forgive them for having forced us to kill their sons. Peace will come when the Arabs will love their children more than they hate us.”

As I return to analysis of the current events again, Lets focus our attention once more to Iran, who may have unleashed this war at this time in response to the Saudis indicating late last month that they were ready to sign a pact with Israel and the US which included a formal recognition of Israel as a legitimate nation state in exchange for a mutual defense treaty and help to establish its own nuclear program. Why would the Saudi’s make this agreement? Fear of a nuclear Iran, plain and simple.

So let me wrap up with a swing around the globe and look at some scenarios:

(not predicting anything but just point out things)

*Hezbollah, Iran’s pit bull in Lebanon on Israel’s northern border is ready to strike as soon as the Ayatollah says “sic-em".

*Syria which lies just across the no-mans land of the Golan Heights just North of Israel and east of Lebanon is still a broken, factionalized country riddled with militant groups armed to the teeth and a couple of real armies, including the Russians who are there to prop up Bashir Assad, the embattled President who has managed with Russian help to stay in power since the riot and rebellion days of the “arab spring” 13 years ago. Operating in Syria are the same Hezbollah terrorists, the Syrian army, the Russian army, the Iranian army, Anti-Assad forces, and other terrorist groups such as Shabihah. Its easy to see how events there could easily pull Russia into the war, and some suspect they already are involved in a covert way.

*Jordan seems stable for now.

*Iraq, not long ago an enemy of Iran due to Sadam Hussien and his Suni bath party’s control, is now a virtual puppet of Iran after the majority population who are Shia came to power through the “free democratic elections” handed them by America’s victory and overthrow of Hussein. Iraq doesn’t have much of a organized military, they do have lots of veteran Islamic Jihadist mercenary fighters who act as militia and would no doubt join in given an opportunity to attack Israel or America. Iran has already shown a propensity to use them during the days when U.S. soldiers were still stationed there in Iraq.

*Iran and Saudi Arabia, we've already discussed, but one thing I haven’t said yet is that, in addition to a long-standing alliance between Iran and Russia, just a few months ago, in March of 2023, Iran signed a pact with China that included new economic, military and security, and diplomatic ties. Here’s the bullet points:

· Economic: China’s crude oil imports from Iran reportedly set a new record in December 2022. Iran was also on track to formally join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, an economic and security bloc led by China and Russia, by April 2023.

· Security: President Raisi hosted Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe in April 2022 to improve strategic defense cooperation. The two countries reportedly agreed to collaborate on military strategy and engage in joint military drills and training. In March 2023, Iran, China, and Russia conducted a five-day naval drill in the Gulf of Oman. Despite growing defense ties, however, Iran did not purchase Chinese arms between 2020 and 2022.

· Diplomatic: President Raisi traveled to Beijing in February 2023, the first state visit by an Iranian president in more than two decades. The two countries signed 20 agreements—including on trade, transportation, information technology, tourism, agriculture, and crisis response—that could be worth billions of dollars.·

Source: Iran's Increasing Reliance on China | The Iran Primer (usip.org)

Widening out the scope now…

Russia is bogged down in a war in Ukraine and almost daily issues bellicose warnings aimed towards the US, boasting that it possesses the power to destroy any and all enemies. America has given much support to Ukraine during this war, both financial and in providing sophisticated weapons and more than few leaders in Russia see that as grave provocation already. Past world history shows that regional wars in one part of the world often trigger more wars in other places. Sometimes the provocations are real, and sometimes the players (including the US) just “don’t let a good crisis go to waste” - they use the circumstances that are in play to do what they have been looking for an excuse to do anyway. Russia would love to end the war in Ukraine with a tactical nuke. China would love to invade Taiwan, and they have been working on that for a long time. North Korea is just plain crazy. There are lots of ways this cross-border terrorist strike into Israel on Sat. night could turn out. Time will tell. God already knows.

I’ll post again I a few days when things get clearer and we can think together a bit about Biblical prophecy and what might be happening.

We do know Israel will survive this war. We know that because she has (at least) one last great war ahead of her, the “Ezekiel 38” war that won’t come until mid-way through the final seven years, and that cannot happen until the Anti-Christ is revealed. That war will end with Jesus’ return! (Rev. 19). I will go over that in another post in couple of weeks, but what is happening now is definitely moving the clock towards mid-night. It is setting into motion things that will eventually line up with everything predicted in scripture.

Lastly, I want to close with powerful words of hope:

I Thes. Chapter 5

The Day of the Lord

Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, 2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

4 But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. 5 You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. 9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

12 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. 13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. 14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt 21 but test them all; hold on to what is good, 22 reject every kind of evil.

23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.

25 Brothers and sisters, pray for us. 26 Greet all God’s people with a holy kiss. 27 I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers and sisters.

28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you!