Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13

The Hook is Now Being Set
Jan 1st, 2011
Main StoriesArt Sadlier
Categories: Printed Newsletter;The Nation Of Israel;Prophecy

In Ezekiel 38-39 we have a prophetic scenario in which Russia leads an alliance of Mideast nations (Which are now Islamic) against Israel. Though we have dealt with this topic before, we want to revisit it in the light of recent events.

The Timing of the War

This war takes place very early in the tribulation period. Verse 8 says, “In the latter years,” that is today, verse 16 says, “In the latter days,” that is also today. Verse 8 says, “The land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people,” that is today.  Today Israel has been gathered out of the nations of the world.

Verse 8 says, “They dwell safely all of them,” that is not today. Today Israel is not at peace. The fact is, that the only time Israel will experience peace prior to the establishment of the millennial kingdom will be a very brief period after the peace treaty is signed by the Antichrist. This will be at the beginning of the tribulation period. Verse 11 refers to this same time period, “The land of unwalled villages,” that is not today. Much of the world has been clamouring for Israel to take down the security wall that surrounds the present borders of Israel proper. This will very likely be done as the peace treaty is signed, and could be done rather quickly. Verse 14 says, “When my people of Israel dwelleth safely,” that is not now, but will be the case when the false peace treaty is signed at the beginning of the tribulation period.

In chapter 39 verse 9, we have another indication that this war will be very early in the tribulation period, “They shall burn them (the weapons) with fire seven years.” The rifle butts of 25-50 million rifles would keep Israel warm for seven winters and the burning, or smelting, of 25-50 million rifle barrels would make good industry for the industrious Jews. The significance is that they will not be burning them during the millennium; therefore the war must take place early in the tribulation period.

While it seems we are close to the war of Ezekiel 38-39, the time has not yet fully arrived. It will not therefore, take place until after the rapture of the church which must occur prior to the peace treaty. If we see the preparations for this war now underway, we know that the trumpet is soon to sound.

The Alliance and the Leader

The leader of this alliance is Russia as described in Ezekiel 38:2. We do not have the time nor space to deal this verse here. Many others have shown clearly that Gog and Magog refer to Russia.

The nations that are a part of this alliance are named in verses 5 and 6. On an old map of Turkey the names Gomer and Togarmah are inscribed, according to Jimmy DeYoung.

This will be a very large army which could number as high as perhaps 25-50 million men. Verse 4, says “A great company.” Verse 9, says, “And many people with thee.” It also describes this army, “Like a cloud to cover the land.” Verse 15 adds to the size of this army, “Many people with thee....a great company, and a mighty army.” Remember the significance of this when we come to assess the consequences of this war.

The Hook

Why will Russia come against Israel? God will draw Russia down into Israel to bring judgment upon her. Verse 4, “I...will put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth.” Verse 10, “Thou shalt think an evil thought.” Verse 12, “To take a spoil.”  Verse 13, “To take a great spoil.”

For years Bible students wondered about this verse, what would be the hook that God would use to draw Russia down into Israel? I believe, at this very moment in time, we are seeing the hook being set in the jaw of Russia. At the set time Russia will come down into the land to come against Israel and seek to take a spoil.

The Russian gas company, Gazprom, said last month that it wants to invest in the Israeli gas fields. They have expressed a desire to purchase a 50% stake as a partner in exploration off Israel’s Mediterranean coast. Russian energy experts calculate that Israel's offshore gas reserves, currently  estimated at about 25 trillion cubic feet, are in fact much bigger and maintain they could be better explored with Russian professional assistance. With this in view, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is planning to visit Israel in mid January. Even as I write this article, a news release has reported that Israel has just discovered the largest gas find in the last ten years.

In the light of this situation, Russia has apparently changed its approach to Israel and now professes it wants to be Israel’s friend. Moscow sources report that the Kremlin has watched the Obama administration Israel-Palestinian peace diplomacy run out of steam and sees its chance for a more active role on this diplomatic track. The reality is that America has lost face in the Mideast and is being forced to withdraw from the area. All of the Mideast Arab nations have lost confidence in the US. Russia is seeking to fill the gap that is being left.

Debkafile reports that ahead of Medvedev’s visit, Moscow sent five messages to Jerusalem.

1.     For the purchase of military UAVs for the Russian army – for which an agreement will be signed – Moscow will guarantee to withhold advanced weapons, such as the sophisticated S-300 interceptor missile systems, from Iran and Syria. By this move, the Medvedev-Putin administration is drawing a line limiting Russia's vital contribution to their military buildup and upgrade.

2.     Moscow shares Israel's view that any hi-tech Russian military hardware sold to Damascus or Tehran would eventually reach Hezbollah. The Russians have no wish to upgrade Hezbollah's arsenal and therefore they have a further incentive for keeping this weaponry out of Iranian and Syrian hands.

3.     The Kremlin has recently shifted ground on the Palestinian issue and is no longer willing to automatically endorse Palestinian demands of Israel. Unlike Palestinian negotiators headed by Mahmoud Abbas, Moscow is prepared to look at interim solutions for the Palestinian-Israel dispute. The Russians say the Palestinians are aware of the new winds blowing in Moscow. That is why they did not lobby Russia to support their unilateral declaration of Palestinian statehood within pre-1967 were borders, and turned to more amenable governments in Europe, the Far East and South America.

4.     The Russians ask Israel to take note of another change in its favour: Hamas's Damascus-based leader, Khaled Meshaal is no longer welcome in Moscow.

5.     Moscow is seeking to exploit the deepening strategic ties between Israel and Greece to jump aboard their plans to build an underwater gas pipeline linking Greece to the Israeli Mediterranean port of Ashkelon. This would link up with the existing Ashkelon oil and gas pipeline to Eilat, Israel's Red Sea port.

Russian energy strategists are eyeing the planned and existing segments of this route with great interest, having calculated that the quickest and cheapest outlet for marketing Russian gas to the Far East is through Eilat.

Surprisingly; Israeli leaders, President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu have high hopes of the Medvedev visit. Is God allowing Israel’s leaders to be deceived by Russia? The hook is being set.

The Purpose of God concerning Russia and Islam

In verse 3, we read, “I am against thee, O Gog, (Russia).” God is against Russia because Russia is against God. Russia is officially an atheistic nation and Russia has persecuted the Jews. God is going to judge Russia for the whole world to see. Russia is going to be an object lesson for the world at the begining of the tribulation.

God is against Islam because Islam is against Israel and has severely persecuted her. Ezekiel 36:2, “Thus saith the Lord GOD; because the enemy hath said against you, Aha, even the ancient high places are ours in possession.” This is a perfect description of what the Palestinians are doing at this very moment. They have claimed the Temple Mount and are keeping Israel from even moving their lips in prayer when on the Temple Mount. Ezekiel 36:5, “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Surely in the fire of my jealousy have I spoken against the residue of the heathen, and against all Idumea, which have appointed my land into their possession with the joy of all their heart, with despiteful minds, to cast it out for a prey.” It has been demonstrated that the Idumeans are the Palestinians of the present hour. Today Islam is defying the living God by trying to take away Israel’s land and the temple Mount.

Notice what the response of God will be to this situation, “And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, that my fury shall come up in my face. For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel.” (Ezekiel 38:18-19)

As the tribulation period begins Russia and Islam will be removed from the end time equation, leaving only a remnant. In Ezekiel 39:1-2 we read about that event, “Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel,” five of every six will die on the battle field.

Not only will Russia and Islam be destroyed on the battle field. But also in their homelands they will suffer the same consequence, “And I will send a fire on Magog, and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the LORD.” Today Islam is totally dominating the Mideast situation but that will come to an end. Today Islam is standing in the way of the unfolding of the scriptural last day’s events.

As the tribulation begins the Antichrist and Satan will be given a free hand to do as they will. The Holy Spirits restraining ministry will be terminated. Satan, will be for the first time, totally unrestrained. Destruction, evil, violence, turmoil and unimaginable wickedness will permeate the whole earth.

Even as that terrible scenario unfolds, God will be at work carrying out His program. God will not leave Himself without a witness at that time. “And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.” (Ezekiel 38:16) The Lord says that He will be sanctified in the situation that prevails at that time. He will glorify His name in the destruction He brings on Russia and Islam. Verse 18-19, “And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, that my fury shall come up in my face. For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel.”

In verse 23, we see God`s plan and purpose in His response to Russia and Islam, “Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD.”

Let me set the scene; the rapture has taken place. As the tribulation begins there is not living believer on the earth, God is without a witness. God proceeds to give His own witness. He utterly destroys five of every six of this huge and mighty army of Russia and Islam. He destroys them with fire from heaven; the whole world sees the hand of almighty God giving a powerful witness to the whole world. “And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.” (Ezekiel 38:16) When this miraculous destruction takes place the whole world will see it and for a moment will be arrested by God.

As the awesome judgment of God is about come upon the whole world, God, in Judgment, remembers mercy. He seeks to call sinners to Himself. This is the defining moment of the tribulation period. I believe that from this point multiplied millions will harden their hearts and perish. I also believe as result of this event, multiplied millions will ultimately repent and turn to Christ.

Understand the scenario after this war; Russia and Islam are neutralized, eliminated as a factor in the rest of the tribulation period. America will also have been neutralized. America’s fate will remove from China her economic life blood, it will possibly take her seven years to recover and play her part at the close of the tribulation period.

The only one left standing after this war will be the European dictator, the Antichrist. He will control all the oil of the Mideast, there will be none to resist him as he deceives the whole into following him.

Everywhere we look today we see the pieces of the puzzle falling into place. The trumpet will surely sound soon. In the light of that, what kind of men and women should we be? What ought we to be doing?

The Handwriting on the Wall for America
Jan 1st, 2011
Main StoriesArt Sadlier
Categories: Printed Newsletter;Commentary;Warning

Over the past few years we have seen a steady stream of warnings concerning a coming collapse of the American economy. Today, we see those warnings greatly increasing. Not without significance, is the fact that America’s rebellion against God is also reaching a crescendo at the same time.

We know that all the nations are in rebellion and that rebellion will climax in the soon coming tribulation period. Our world is facing the judgment of God for rebellion against Him. “Because they regard not the works of the LORD, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up.” (Psalm28:5)

I am thinking particularly about America because America is the most significant nation in our world today. America has known more of the blessing of God than any other gentile nation in all of history. Even Israel did not have the full orbed gospel message as America has had. America has rejected God and His Word. The rejection has been a long process.

An entire generation has been indoctrinated by an anti-God school system. They have been taught that there is no God and that the world was not created by God, but rather, the world just came into being by an evolutionary process.

A generation has been taught to reject God and His Word and that it is okay and convenient to murder 60 million babies in their mother’s womb. But God will not be mocked, “And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.” (Genesis 4:10)

A generation has been taught to accept homosexuality. Political correctness means that we accept what men and women think instead of what the Word God says. The president of the U.S. has recently signed a bill that legitimizes homosexuality in the American military. The bill will require intensive indoctrination of entire military leading to the acceptance of homosexuality.

The bill means that America officially sees homosexuality as acceptable. The scriptures indicate that the limits of God’s patience are crossed when a nation gives itself over to homosexuality, as in the case of Sodom.

God’s Word says that His plan for mankind is marriage and the family. A whole generation has worked at destroying marriage and the family, God says it, and we don’t want it.

Violence is now permeating our society; Hollywood and the entertainment industry have fed off violence and promoted it. Violence now fills the land, from the TV set to the internet and the theatres and in our schools and streets.

We have now entered into a new phase in our decline, one in which Christ and Christianity is under increasing attack.

Materialism seems to have been the most significant vehicle used to turn the hearts and minds of men and women away from God. Money, things and pleasure have overwhelmed our generation. Our Lord said, “The love of money is the root of all evil.” It seems significant to me that the judgment of God on America seems about to begin with an economic collapse.

The capstone of the reasons for the judgment of God on America; is the fact that America has betrayed Israel. God has promised to bless those who bless Israel and he has promised to curse those who curse Israel. America’s recent betrayal of Israel has placed Israel in a situation where they could potentially be destroyed, though we know God’s purposes for Israel will not be hindered.

I want to share with you, not my own thoughts at this point, but the facts and opinions of men who do not make any profession of faith in Christ.

There has been for the last few years a steady stream of warnings of a coming economic collapse in America. The following are some quotes from Porter Stanbury, of Stanbury Associates Investment Research. “A specific event will take place in America’s very near future, an event which could actually bring our country and our way of life to a grinding halt.” He continues, “The looming crisis is related to the financial crisis of 2008, but is infinitely more dangerous. As the problem comes to a head, I expect there to be riots in the streets, and arrests on unprecedented scale and martial law, enforced by the military.” He continues, “The next phase in this crisis will threaten our way of very life.” He concludes, “In short, I believe that Americans are about to see a major, major collapse in our national monetary system, and in our normal way of life,” He goes on to state that this collapse will happen in 2011, and he proceeds to gives facts and reasons why he believes this will be the case.

The American government has borrowed so much money in recent years; that it soon will be unable to pay the interest on these loans. We are told that if every American were taxed at 100% of his or her income, it would not be enough to balance the federal budget! The government would still have to borrow money.

The fact is that the American Government, in order to stave off this financial collapse, has been, since March 2009, printing trillions of dollars to pay the interest on the debt. It is called quantative easing. The impact of this is just beginning to be felt. Today those countries that are holding billions of US dollars as a reserve; are now beginning to realize that the printing of trillions of US dollars is deflating the value of their reserve dollars. In response to this situation, those countries are turning to other currencies to place their reserves in. The further consequence, is that the US dollar is about to lose it status as the world’s reserve currency. Porter Stanbury has stated, “When the US dollar loses its’ status as the world’s reserve currency, it will cause a brutal down turn in the economy, which will be 10 times worse than the mortgage crisis of 2008.” He also states that this will be accompanied by massive inflation, the likes of which we have never seen before.

There are signs that this process is even now underway.

Bill Gross, who runs the biggest bond fund in the world, has been quoted by Bloomberg as saying, “We’ve told all of our clients that if you had one idea, one investment, it would be to an investment in non-dollar currency.”

Jim Rodgers, one of the world’s most successful multi-millionaire investors writes, “The dollar is not just in decline it’s a mess. If something isn’t done soon, I believe the dollar could lose its status as the world’s reserve currency and medium of exchange, something that would lead to a huge decline in the standard of living for US citizens like nothing we’ve seen in nearly a century.” He goes on to state, “History teaches that such imprudent monetary and fiscal behaviour has always led to economic disaster.”

The World Bank has already stated that it is searching for an alternative world reserve currency.

Brazilian economist; Ricardo C. Amaral recently wrote, “The US dollar has served its purpose since the end of WW11... but the US dollar has reached the end of the line, today it is very sick and is dying a slow death.” He went on to say, “It is not a matter of ‘if’, it is simply a matter of ‘when.’”

Other warning signs are as follows:

* Nearly 43 million Americans are on food stamps.

* In a dozen or more cities across the nation, there are shanty towns growing up where hundreds of people are living in modern day depression.

* 43% of American families are essentially broke, families that spend more than they make each year.

* Jobs are disappearing. In Long Island City, an estimated 2,000 people waited in line for as long as four days for 100 elevator mechanic jobs. In Massillon, Ohio, 700 people recently applied for a single janitorial job....paying $16 an hour.

* The Wall Street Journal reported: “Over the last year the stock market has followed a path eerily similar to 1937.

America has no place in end-time prophecy and is notable because of its absence. Today America is standing in the way of the fulfilment of the end-time scenario. America has been the world’s policeman, preventing nations from carrying out their part in prophetic events. The Arab nations have been restrained by America and the Russians have been restrained as well. The EU has a part to play in the peace process and appears to be waiting America’s removal from the scenario.

It seems that, prior to the whole end-time scenario’s moving forward that America must be neutralized. America, to me, seems to be like a finger in the dike, delaying the flood to come.

I believe, this is the reason the judgment of God on America will precede His judgment on the other nations. It seems to me, that judgment of God will fall on America prior to, or at the start of the tribulation period. I believe It may occur prior to the rapture or perhaps shortly thereafter.

What will 2011 bring? We do not know for certain, however it appears that the pace of end time events are quickening. The stage continues to be set. Our Lord’s soon coming is looming nearer and nearer, it has moved from the far horizon to the near horizon. Maranatha!

Plan B
Jan 1st, 2011
Main StoriesArt Sadlier
Categories: Printed Newsletter;Commentary;The Nation Of Israel

It seems to me that after decades of negotiations which have failed to return the land to the Palestinians, we are now about to see the endgame of the Palestinians and the scenario of the prophetic scriptures play out. The climate is ready for the world’s leaders to rise up and arbitrarily give the Arabs what they want. It increasingly seems that they fully intend to do just that, though the timing of this move may be delayed.

The only remaining piece to be brought into play is the surfacing of a European leader to bring it all together with the false peace treaty. If my analysis is correct, we are indeed close to the coming Day of the Lord.

A news headline sums up a drastic change in the whole Mid-east regarding Israel’s situation. The headline said, “Peace Talks are Officially Dead: It’s Time for Plan B.” The new proposal calls for the US to join with Brazil, Argentina and Venezuela who last week granted recognition to the Palestinians as an independent state, a state based on the 1967 borders. This would return East Jerusalem and the Temple Mount to the Palestinians.

Arab media is reporting that Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas has told his aides to ask the United Nations Security Council to recognize the PA as a new Arab country, to be called “Palestine.” According to a report published Thursday, in the London-based Arabic-language daily A-Sharq al-Awsat, the Palestinians are now prepared to ask the U.N. to recognize a unilaterally-declared, new PA state.

The fact is, that all of the Arab nations and their allies represent about 60 nations that vote as a block in the UN, and they are adamant that Israel must surrender to the demands of the Palestinians. The EU is also demanding Israel surrender to Arab the demands. Russia, China and much of the rest of the world are also on side with the Arab world. Today, a news report from Haaretz News, under the heading, “Showdown at the UN,” states that Israel has mounted a diplomatic offensive to deal with an imminent move at the UN to have a Palestinian State declared.

One news report said, “Before things spiral out of control, now is the time for Obama to embrace this failure and move on to the only step that can save the two-state solution, playing the Wild Card, by endorsing Palestinian unilateralism.” It seems that this is highly likely to be the way Obama will eventually go. His move may be sudden and unexpected; all he will have to do is fail to veto the UN resolution.

The plans are already being laid as to how to proceed; the suggestion is that a new route will be taken that will set into play a new dynamic – and a new set of international laws that will begin to be applied to an independent Palestine. The world will impose upon Israel a solution that is in harmony with what the Arab States want. We see this attitude demonstrated by the EU leaders in the following news item, “A group of 26 ex-EU leaders has urged the Union to impose sanctions on Israel for continuing to build settlements on occupied Palestinian territory.” In a letter sent on Monday, they said Israel "like any other state" should be made to feel "the consequences" and pay a price for breaking international law.

The goal is the withdrawal of Israel from Judea and Samaria, East Jerusalem and the Temple Mount as well as the Golan Heights. That would leave Israel a defenceless strip of land that could easily be overrun by Hezbollah, Hamas and the Palestinians. The scenario grows darker when we realize that also included in this ultimatum, will be the allowing of millions of Palestinian refugees to return to Israel proper. PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad is now claiming that the number of Palestinians refugees eligible to return to Israel is seven million. They are also adamant that this is a non-negotiable. In such a situation, the only question remaining, would be, whether Israel’s end would come by a civil war or at the ballot box. It would certainly be the end of the modern State of Israel.

If this seems unlikely, there is now a draft resolution before the UN general Assembly which will discuss a resolution submitted by Libya. This resolution calls for the establishing of an independent Palestinian State. A state which will guarantee, what the Arabs call, “the right of return,” which is the demand by Arabs who fled Israel during the War of Independence, to come back to the country along with their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren born since that time.

We see the extent of the demands being made by the Palestinians reflected in the following news report, “The faction that is led by Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, and which leads the PA, has officially declared its formal refusal to recognize Israel as a Jewish State.” The goal of the Arabs always has been, and will continue to be, the elimination of Israel.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has threatened to dissolve the Palestinian Authority if Israel does not yield to his demands. Such a move would dump the whole issue into the lap of the UN and the nations of the world. This would no doubt be a catalyst to cause the world to force Israel to comply.

We read in Joel that all the nations of the world will join together in seeking to separate Israel from her land. We are now seeing that attempt beginning to unfold. All that has gone before seems to be but a run up to prophetic scenario foretold in Joel 3:2. “I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.”

The following news items also indicate a movement to force on Israel a surrender of her land.

Fatah, which leads the PA, officially declared during its three-day conference, its formal refusal to recognize Israel as a Jewish State. It’s central Fatah Revolutionary Council also voted to oppose the concept of swapping land for peace, and refused to support recent efforts by the U.S. to bring Israel and the PA back to the negotiating table, because, they said, “it could harm Palestinian rights and prolong the occupation.”

PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad has said in past speeches that he will move to unilaterally declare an independent PA country by August 2011 if final status talks have not reached a successful conclusion by that time.

Changes Underway
Jan 1st, 2011
Main StoriesArt Sadlier
Categories: Printed Newsletter;Commentary;Contemporary Issues

There is one thing that is certain, as we follow Bible end time prophecy, that one thing is change. Just when a scenario seems to be running counter to the prophetic scriptures, change suddenly breaks on the scene.

This last week has seen some signs of great changes.

The first change is the change in Russia's attitude toward Israel. Israel has discovered very significant gas and oil reserves, the largest reserve of gas found in the past ten years. The Russian Prime Minister is to visit Israel in mid January, on the agenda is Russia's participation in the development of Israel's gas and oil reserves. Apparently Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu is ecstatic at the possibly of Russian investment.

It is suspiciously coincidental that Russia has now rejected Arab demands for a state on the 1967 borders. Russia has moved in Israel's direction in a number of areas.

It is also interesting to see how Obama has apparently backed away from many of the Arab demands. The EU, also, has suddenly indicated a softening in support on some Arab demands and is telling the PA to negotiate for an interim agreement with Israel, rather than demanding a state right now. It seems as if both Obama and the EU are worried that Russia may move into the Mideast by helping Israel. So they also are backtracking on Israel. Stay tuned, who knows where the next changes or reversals will come from?

The world is against Israel, but apparently God is not. As well as the major oil find, it has just been reported that Israel's economy is leading the western world in growth.

In yet another amazing development, it is reported that Saudi Arabia has purchased from Pakistan two nuclear weapons along with missiles to launch them. This, supposedly, to counter Iran and to boost their standing in the Arab world, and to counter Iran's growing position in the Arab world.

The world is in a state of flux, perhaps as never seen before. The end time pieces could quickly be moved into place.