Showing posts with label Middle East and Bible Prophecy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Middle East and Bible Prophecy. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 10, 2024

The Prophetic Significance of the Red Heifer and Israel

 

By Shofarsound/Endtimeshofar



The red heifer holds a significant place in Jewish religious tradition, particularly within the realm of ritual purity and the eschatological expectations surrounding the construction of the Third Temple. In Israel, the red heifer has garnered attention due to its association with prophecies and religious rituals outlined in the Hebrew Bible.

According to Jewish law, the ashes of a red heifer – a female cow of a specific reddish color, without blemish and never having borne a yoke – were used in purification rituals, particularly for individuals who had come into contact with a corpse. The ashes were mixed with water and sprinkled on those who needed purification, allowing them to participate in religious activities and enter sacred spaces.

In Jewish tradition, the red heifer is also associated with the purification necessary for the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem, particularly in preparation for the Messianic era. The appearance of a suitable red heifer has thus been a matter of great significance for those anticipating the coming of the Messiah and the restoration of Temple worship.

In recent years, reports of red heifers being born in Israel have sparked speculation and excitement among certain religious groups, as they see it as a potential sign of the fulfillment of biblical prophecy. However, the meticulous requirements outlined in Jewish law for a red heifer to be considered ritually pure and suitable for use in purification rituals mean that finding a candidate that meets all the criteria is exceedingly rare.

While there have been instances of red heifers being born in Israel, none have met all the requirements stipulated in Jewish law, leading to continued anticipation and speculation within religious circles. The search for a suitable red heifer remains ongoing, with organizations and individuals dedicated to monitoring and examining potential candidates in the hope of fulfilling this significant aspect of Jewish tradition.

Despite the challenges and uncertainties surrounding the red heifer, its symbolism and significance endure as a reminder of the deep spiritual connections between the Jewish people, their traditions, and the land of Israel. Whether viewed through the lens of ritual purity, eschatological expectations, or the longing for the restoration of Temple worship, the red heifer continues to occupy a central place in the religious consciousness of many within the Jewish faith.

Friday, June 19, 2015

End-Time Prophecy Report: Saudis may purchase Pakistani atomic bombs

Article Source: Times of Israel






Saudi Arabia has reached out to its ally Pakistan to acquire “off-the-shelf” atomic weapons as a nuclear arms race begins to shape up with Shiite rival Iran, US sources said.

“For the Saudis the moment has come,” a former US defense official told the UK’s Sunday Times. “There has been a longstanding agreement in place with the Pakistanis and the House of Saud has now made the strategic decision to move forward.”


Tensions between Tehran and the kingdom have grown in the past few months as Saudi Arabia stepped up its air campaign against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. King Salman of Saudi Arabia refused an invitation to attend a landmark summit hosted by US President Barack Obama last week, amid ongoing angst over US-led nuclear talks with Iran.

Former Saudi intelligence head Prince Turki bin Faisal expressed the kingdom’s desire for a nuclear weapon last month at the Asan Plenum, a conference held by the South Korean-based Asan Institute for Policy Studies. “Whatever the Iranians have, we will have, too,” he said, according to The New York Times.

Faisal also warned that the Iranian nuclear deal “opens the door to nuclear proliferation, not closes it, as was the initial intention.”

According to the Sunday Times report, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have enjoyed a mutually beneficial relationship for decades. Saudi Arabia has given Pakistan billions of dollars in subsidized oil, while the latter has unofficially agreed to supply the Gulf state with nuclear warheads.

“Nuclear weapons programs are extremely expensive and there’s no question that a lot of the funding of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons program was provided by Saudi Arabia,” Lord David Owen, who served as England’s foreign secretary from 1977-1979, told the weekly publication.

“Given their close relations and close military links, it’s long been assumed that if the Saudis wanted, they would call in a commitment, moral or otherwise, for Pakistan to supply them immediately with nuclear warheads,” he added.

However, the report added, Lt.Gen. Khalid Kidwai, who helped pioneer Pakistan’s nuclear program, denied that Pakistan had ever granted Saudi Arabia access to its nuclear technology.

The main concern shared by US and European officials was that if Saudi Arabia were to acquire an atomic weapon, it could spur other Sunni nations to follow suit.

An anonymous British military official also told The Sunday Times that Western military leaders “all assume the Saudis have made the decision to go nuclear.”

The official added, “The fear is that other Middle Eastern powers — Turkey and Egypt — may feel compelled to do the same and we will see a new, even more dangerous, arms race.”


This position was also mirrored by other, non-Saudi Gulf states at a summit last week between the US and several Arab countries. One unnamed Gulf state leader attending the Camp David summit told The New York Times, “We can’t sit back and be nowhere as Iran is allowed to retain much of its capability and amass its research.”





Friday, January 30, 2015

Death Of Saudi King - Is this the End Time Event Islamists Have Been Waiting For?

Article Source Prophecy News Watch





Update - Saudi King Abdullah Died, Friday January 23

A Lebanese reporter for the Al-Monitor Middle East news service explains that Iran and Hezbollah view the Syrian civil war not only in a strategic context, but in a prophetic one. In their belief, the radical Sunnis will conquer Syria for a short period of time and then Iranian forces will intervene on their way to destroying Israel.

The unnamed reporter points out that Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah is, like Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, “known for being a strong believer” in the Shiite prophecy that Iran will lead an End Times war against Islam’s enemies. At that time, the Mahdi will “reappear” and defeat the infidel.

According to the author, Iran and Hezbollah rely upon a book of prophecies called Al-Jafr to guide them. It was passed down to Jafar al-Sadiq, for whom the Jafari school of Shiite jurisprudence is named after. Teachers of this book say that the Syrian leader will be killed in a civil war during the End Times.

A Sunni leader will take over Syria and persecute Shiites, Allawites and Christians. The persecution will continue until an Iranian army invades Syria via Iraq, killing this Sunni leader on the way to capturing Jerusalem. Once Jerusalem is taken, the Mahdi will appear. Interestingly, in a modern context, this means that Hezbollah is fighting to preserve the regime of a man (Bashar Assad) that they believe will be killed.

Keep in mind, the Jafari school of jurisprudence is mainstream Shiite doctrine. There’s bound to be disagreement over the interpretation of prophecy, but these are not the beliefs of an isolated cult. In July 2010, a senior Iranian cleric said that Khamenei told his inner circle that he had met with the Mahdi, who promised to “reappear” during his lifetime.

A very similar eschatological viewpoint is articulated in a 2011 documentary produced by the office of then-President Ahmadinejad. The film, titled The Coming is Upon Us, does not predict a Syrian civil war but shares many of the same details articulated by the Al-Monitor reporter in Lebanon.

A critical point of convergence between the two sources is about Saudi Arabia’s role in prophecy. Both agree that the death of Saudi King Abdullah will be a major trigger. In fact, this event is so central to the Iranian film that it opens up with the statement, “Whoever guarantees the death of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, I will guarantee the imminent reappearance of Mahdi.”

What’s amazing about this film is the high level of detail of the discussed prophecies. It is easy to see why, if you were a devout Muslim (especially a Shiite), you would believe that the Mahdi’s return is near.

The arrival of Jews in Palestine from the West and the birth of the state of Israel, the conquering of Arabia by the Al-Sauds and the global dominance of the U.S. and the West are all clearly foretold, it claims.

An Allah-blessed revolution will take place in Iran led by a man based out of Qom. The narrators point to the 1979 Islamic Revolution as a clear fulfillment. After this happens, a series of vague and specific “signs” are to follow.

The most specific “signs” are related to Iraq. The Iranian video claims that prophecy requires the invasion of Iraq by infidels from the south with heavy use of aircraft, as happened in 2003. The infidel will cause tribal divisions and the evil dictator of Iraq (Saddam), will be killed.

Other signs include the Westernization of Muslim youth (with the 2009 Green Revolution offered as evidence), the Iran-backed Houthi rebellion in Yemen and the overthrow of Egyptian President Mubarak.

“The preparer,” named Seyed Khorasani, will rule Iran at this decisive point in history. He will come from Khorasan Province, his strong army will have black flags and there will be a “sign” in his right hand. The filmmakers point out that Khamenei fills these requirements and has a disabled right hand.

Yamani will coordinate the offensive against the infidel with Khorasani that trigger the Mahdi’s reappearance. The film argues that Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah is his incarnation. Yamani will have a Yemeni background and it says that Nasrallah’s ancestors came to Lebanon from Yemen.

Khorasani/Khamenei’s military leader is given the name of Shoeib-Ebne Saleh. The film allegedly produced by Ahmadinejad’s office predictably says he is the incarnation of this figure. However, any military commander under Khamenei can arguably be him.

Analysis of these prophecies helps us see the future through the eyes of Hezbollah and the Iranian regime.

Iran and Hezbollah are first focused on assembling an anti-Western Arab coalition. The Coming is Upon Us film specifically cites the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood as a step towards this, even if Iran and the Brotherhood are on opposite sides in Syria.

This stage includes fomenting internal strife in Bahrain, a Shiite-majority country governed by a pro-American Sunni monarchy. A representative of Khamenei said in 2011 that Bahrain presents “the best opportunity to begin setting the stage for the emergence of the 12th imam, our Mahdi.”

The development that Iran is eagerly awaiting is the death of the Saudi King Abdullah, which will trigger internal strife throughout Saudi Arabia. It is probable that this is when Iran hopes to begin a rebellion in the Shiite-majority Eastern Province where 90% of the country’s oil is.

After Assad is killed and replaced by a vicious Sunni leader, Iranian forces are to invade Syria from Iraq. The withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq and the Iraqi government’s slide into the Iranian orbit are undoubtedly seen as dramatic “signs.”

Once an Arab coalition is formed and Syria is invaded, Jerusalem is to be captured by the Iranian-led forces. At this point, the Mahdi is to reappear and final victory will come that includes a Nasrallah-led march to Mecca.

The Al-Monitor report appears fanciful until all of these pieces are put together. Once they are, it is easier to understand why the Iran-Hezbollah bloc is confident of victory.

“According to Shiites who believe in this [Al-Jafr] book, mainly Khamenei and Nasrallah, there is one possible explanation. The signs of reappearance of Mahdi are being successfully unveiled, and the Great War with Israel and the disbelievers is just around the corner,” writes the Lebanese reporter.

The Shiite Islamists’ End Times worldview does not necessarily result in recklessness. They do consider military strength and geopolitical realities, but the objectives of those calculations are to fulfill prophecy. Any policy debate that takes place among them is not about whether to pursue the war that summons the Mahdi, but how.

Note: Is this the End-Time Event that Muslims have been awaiting for? Give your thoughts on the author's  article and perspective.

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Mystery of Antisemitism: Why is the Nation of Israel Hated So Much?


The  latest chapter of the ongoing battle between Israel and Hamas in Gaza has caused anti-Israel protests across the world.  Antisemitism has risen globally in Germany, France, and Canada  . In Antwerp, Belgium, one the speakers during a protest chanted on a loudspeaker in Arabic to, "...slaughter the Jews(here)."  This is just one of the examples of the battle between Israel and Hamas in Palestinian territory in Gaza has been ongoing. Is there really a growing trend of antisemitism that is taking place worldwide?







In 2013, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) did a worldwide survey on antisemitism. They found the following results:

Some 70 percent of those considered anti-Semitic said they have never met a Jew. Overall, 74 percent of respondents said they had never met a Jew.
• Thirty-five percent of those surveyed had never heard of the Holocaust. Of those who had, roughly one-third said it is either a myth or greatly exaggerated.
• The most anti-Semitic region in the world is the Middle East and North Africa, with 74 percent harboring anti-Semitic views. Eastern Europe was second at 34 percent. The least anti-Semitic region was Oceania (Australia and New Zealand) at 14 percent.
• The three countries outside the Middle East with the highest rates of anti-Semitic attitudes were Greece, at 69 percent, Malaysia at 61 percent and Armenia at 58 percent.
• About 49 percent of Muslims worldwide harbor anti-Semitic views, compared to 24 percent of Christians.
The West Bank and Gaza were the most anti-Semitic places surveyed, with 93 percent of respondents expressing anti-Semitic views. The Arab country with the lowest level of anti-Semitic views was Morocco, at 80 percent. Iran ranked as the least anti-Semitic country in the Middle East, at 56 percent.
• The least anti-Semitic country overall was Laos, where 0.2 percent of the population holds anti-Semitic views. The Philippines, Sweden, the Netherlands and Vietnam all came in at 6 percent or lower.
• Approximately 9 percent of Americans and 14 percent of Canadians harbor anti-Semitic attitudes.
• Thirty-four percent of respondents older than 65 were deemed anti-Semitic, compared to 25 percent     of those younger than 65. Men polled were slightly more anti-Semitic than women.(source)

The ADL Survey found that at least 26% or 1.09 billion people worldwide held Anti-Semitic attitudes(source).  It looks as if antisemitism is alive and well in the 21st century! It's been less than 100 years since the Nazi Germany Holocaust when a satanic driven Adolf Hitler had over 6 million European Jews killed during World War 2 (source). Ever since ancient times, there have been attempts to totally annihilate the children of Israel off the face of the Earth. Why is that?


Ancient Biblical Times and Past History: Attempts to Annihilate The Nation of Israel 

Queen Esther, King Ashasuerus, and Haman Agagite


We can see this attempt at annihilation as early as ancient Egypt.  The Pharaoh that arose didn't know Joseph and put out a decree to have all the male newborn Hebrews killed (source). Another Biblical example is when the children of Israel/Judah were down in Persia.  Haman the Agagite plotted to have all the Jews massacred.  Had it not been for Queen Esther intervening for her people, the children of Israel would have been destroyed (source).

During the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes, who was a foreshadow of the Anti-Christ, many Jews were slaughtered.  Also, the temple was desecrated, fulfilling the first part of Daniel's prophecy in Daniel 11. In the New Testament we see Herod the Great making a decree to have all males infants two years old and under slaughtered in Bethlehem in order to prevent the Messiah from coming forth (here). Throughout history there are there are examples of antisemitism , such as in the Middle Ages (ie German Crusades, First Crusade , Shepherds' Crusade), and during the Spanish Inquisition.

What is the great mystery of antisemitism around the world? Why is the nation of Israel hated so much? Is there a Satanic agenda behind this madness?


The Spiritual Truth Behind the Mystery of Antisemitism 



The Apostle Paul in Ephesians 6:12 speaks about satanic spiritual Principalities.  These spiritual powers have oversight over nations, cities, and regions in the satanic infrastructure. We can also see that in Daniel 10 it speaks about the Prince of Persia and the Prince Greece.  These spiritual princes are diametrically oppose to seeing the will of G-d fulfilled in the Earth as well as the covenant people of G-d. We see this example in the answer to the Prophet Daniel's prayers.  They were delayed due to a spiritual battle between the archangel Michael and these princes.  The archangel Michael is actually assigned to be the Prince of Israel and the protector of the nation of Israel (source/source). Michael battled against the Prince of Persia and Greece (here). Daniel states in Daniel 12:1, how in the latter days the Great Prince Michael will come to the aid of the children of Israel when they're in great trouble. Who are the princes? What are their functions against the nation of Israel?
           Deuteronomy 32:8-9(Septuagint) gives us a glimpse of the setup of these principalities:

"When the Most High divided the nations, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set bounds of the nations according to the number of the angels of God. And his people Jacob became the portion of the Lord, Israel was the line of his inheritance."

Nimrod brought the people together in rebellion against G-d and His Kingdom in order to build the Tower of Babel.  In response,  G-d confounded their language and scattered them throughout the Earth  (Genesis 11).  He also gave them over to spiritual princes who rule behind the governmental power structure of these nations. Only Israel was given the Lord as an inheritance.  It was He who would rule over the nation of Israel.  All of the other nations that worshiped idol gods were, in essence, worshiping and being ruled by demon spirits (Psalm 96:5; Deuteronomy 32:17 ; Psalms 106:37-38; 1 Corinthians 10:20 ). The primary function for these principalities is to lead the nations that they rule astray from the will of G-d and to oppose His Word.  The Pseudepigrapha writings of the Book of Jubilees 15:31-32 says:

"But he chose Israel that they might be a people for himself. And he sanctified  and gathered them from all of the sons of man because(there are) many nations and many people, and they all belong to him, but over all them he caused spirits to rule so that they might lead them astray from following him. But over Israel he did not cause any angel or spirit to rule because he alone is their ruler and he will protect them and he will seek for them at the hand of his angels and at the hand of his spirits and at the hand of all of his authorities so that he might guard them and bless them and they might be his and he might be theirs henceforth forever."

It is these very principalities that are at work, along with their commander and chief Satan.  They are the ones behind antisemitism!  They really believe that if they can destroy Israel (God's covenant people), the prophesies concerning them, including the ones made all the way back with Abraham, would be null and void.    The main objectives of these "High Ones" is to prevent the full restoration of Israel spiritually, as well as Yeshua's(Jesus')  reign on the Earth as "The Messiah to Israel" and the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

In Genesis Rabbah 56:5 it says the following:

"Here God immediately rewards Israel when Abraham binds Isaac to the altar by binding the princes of the heathens—the angels who served as guardians to the heathen nations—thus making them subservient to Israel. But this fettering only lasts while Israel upholds its part of the covenant with God. When Israel fails to do so, God unfetters the princes, and the heathen nations take their revenge on Israel. (source H. Freedman and Maurice Simon, trans., Midrash Rabbah: Genesis, Vols. 1–2 (London: Soncino Press, 1939).




G-d initially made his covenant with Abraham to make him a great nation and the father of many nations.  He also promised that Abraham's descendants would be given the entire land of Canaan (Genesis 12, 15, 17). Through Abraham]s obedience to offer his only son (a.k.a the son of promise) as an sacrifice to the Lord, the Lord promised Abraham in Genesis 22:18 that in his seed all the nations of the earth would be blessed. Israel was to be representative of G-d to all the nations of the earth, and through Israel,  salvation would come to the nations of the earth.   As we see in Genesis Rabbah 56:5, these demonic princes are restrained against coming to harm Israel because of Abraham's obedience to the Lord as long the nation of Israel upheld the covenant they had with G-d. When Israel failed to keep their side of the covenant. The princes became unrestrained, and the heathen nations took out  their revenge on Israel. We can see the manifestation of the spirit of antisemitism being carried out by the nations against Israel.  Principalities (Princes) are behind the spirit of antisemitism to exact its revenge against Israel.

It is said that Israel was the only nation that accepted the Torah of G-d, thereby accepting the dominion of G-d, and His kingdom on Earth.  However, the heathen nations rejected the dominion of G-d and His Torah.  The end result is that the heathen nations hate G-d and hate Israel as being a representative of G-d (here).


The End of Spiritual Conspiracy of Satan and Principalities Against Israel 

 

Satan and his principalities strive to destroy the nation of Israel.  They really believe by destroying the nation of Israel, it will prevent the second coming of Jesus Christ, overturn their satanic governmental structure that has been in place for centuries, and bring an end to Satan dictatorship of this present world system. They conspire to making mankind believe in lies, and not the Truth of The Gospel of Jesus Christ.  This satanic spiritual government is the master of deception and rebellion. Satan and these Princes stir up antisemitism as an end-game to cause the nations of the earth to be driven by extreme hatred of the nation of Israel.   It is by this hatred that they will attempt to utterly annihilate Israel in the Great Tribulation that is soon to come.

However, Satan and his Princes conspiracy will come to nothing! The Book of Revelation reveals to us that the final outcome is that Satan and his army are defeated by Jesus Christ. Scriptures tell us the end result of Satan and his Princes is the final judgment, and that the final sentencing is the Lake of Fire (Eternal Damnation).


Isaiah 24:21King James Version (KJV)

21 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.

 

Matthew 25:41King James Version (KJV)

41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.

Revelation 20:10King James Version (KJV)

10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
        
       
             

       

   

Monday, June 16, 2014

Turkey Dries Up the Euphrates

Article Source: thetrumpet.com

(This article was emailed over to me by T.W.. Thank you T.W.!)





The Syrian civil war has once more taken a dire turn for the worse. Turkey has altered its strategy against its opponents, the forces of Syrian President Bashar Assad. Instead of simply aiding the Syrian rebels, Turkey is now also killing them with dehydration. The problem is, this brutal act threatens the lives of millions of Syrian and Iraqi citizens.
The crisis revolves around the Euphrates River, which quickly became the Euphrates Creek when Turkey completely cut off the water flow upstream of Syria, reported Al Akhbar on May 30. The Euphrates originates in Turkey and passes through the Atatürk Dam before flowing into Syria and Iraq. By cutting off the flow and directing it into the reservoir, Turkey has lowered water levels downstream.
Water levels in Lake Assad, Syria’s largest body of water, have dropped by 20 feet since Turkey shut off the water supply. The Euphrates hydrates large parts of Syria.
Middle East expert Daniel Pipes explained the looming disaster as genocide by way of “terminal dehydration.” Cutting off a nation’s water supply is potentially fatal in its severity and indiscriminate in its victims. The dry and arid regions of northeastern Syria will quickly empty if one of the most basic necessities of human life dries up.
The problem extends beyond Syria. Much of Iraq’s freshwater supply originates in Turkey and flows through Syria before it is collected in dams in Iraq. If these dams experience a sharp drop in water and pressure, they could collapse. Daniel Pipes said that if one of these dams, the Mosul Dam, collapsed parts of Baghdad itself would be under water within a few hours. Within two hours, the city of Mosul, home to 1.7 million Iraqis, would be a Mideast Atlantis.
Shutting down the Euphrates and endangering the lives of millions testifies to the brutality of the Syrian civil war. Both sides continue to outdo one another in barbarity. The current death toll stands at well over 150,000, but that number could multiply if the two sides continue to invent new, indiscriminate, extreme ways of killing each other.
The Syrian civil war is engulfing more and more of the Middle East as time goes on. Turkey is supporting the rebels, as are the Sunni Arab nations; Lebanon is heavily involved through HezbollahIran is funding Assad’s regime; and now Iraq may take greater action as its cities are threatened by more than just terrorists.

Can this be a preview to Revelation 16:12?

Revelation 16:12

English Standard Version (ESV)
12 The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east.