Sound The Trumpet : Five Significant Events Looming on the Near Horizon

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10108

“Five Significant Events Looming on the Near Horizon”
by Art Sadlier
May 1st, 2010

We believe we are living in the last days of this age. As we compare today’s' headlines with scripture, we see the stage being set for the final drama of man's day. The unfolding events of this scenario are not always clearly recognizable. You can watch a master chess player as he moves the pieces on the board, his moves may make no sense to you, you have no idea what is going on. But the master is quietly setting up the board, suddenly he moves and checkmate! The game is over!
I believe our world is being setup for the coming Day of the Lord judgment. Let me suggest to you what I believe the not too distant future holds. These are possible (I think very probable) scenarios soon to unfold. I have come to these conclusions by placing today's unfolding events alongside the scriptures.
1 -- A coming war between Israel and Syria, Iran, Hezbollah, Lebanon and Hamas. This will be the greatest war the modern state of Israel has seen. Hezbollah is reported to have as many as 60,000 missiles of all kinds and ranges, some with an explosive payload of up to a ton. Syria is believed to have biological and chemical weapons. Iran is supplying weapons and is trying to provoke a war to distract attention from their nuclear program. This will be a regional war with possibility of the use of chemical, biological and nuclear weapons. It may be triggered by an attack of Israel on Iranian nuclear facilities, or it may be triggered by an attack by Iran, as a premptive strike to keep the IAF on the ground. This war will have wide reaching consequences on the whole geopolitical scene, great turmoil will result. This will be especially so if chemical or nuclear weapons are used.

This is not the war of Ezekiel 38-39. There is a contrast between these two wars. The war of Ezekiel will take place when Israel is dwelling safely, that is not today, that will not happen until after the peace treaty is signed, and will take place early in the tribulation period. Another contrast is found in the nations involved, the nations in Ezekiel's war are named by Ezekiel. That list does not include Syria, Hamas, Hezbollah and Lebanon, the only one common to both wars is Iran.

This war, I believe will be the war of Psalm 83, and Isaiah 17:1 In Isaiah 17:1, the implication is that Damascus will be utterly destroyed. Israel has a program called the Samson option, the idea is, that if Israel knows that they are about to be nuked, they will strike first.
This is another war Israel should lose, but won`t, God will again intervene. Think tanks and those prognosticators in the know are predicting this war will take place as early as this summer.

2 -- The Coming Takeover of the PA and the West Bank by Hamas. For some time there has been a quiet war going on between Hamas and Fatah (the PA). Just as they did in the Gaza Strip, Hamas will, in a sudden and quick move take over the West Bank (Judea and Samaria). Even now they are infiltrating the PA, and some of the PA militia have deserted to Hamas. The fact is that Hamas are far more popular with the Palestinians than Abbas and his Fatah.

Such a takeover would bring a tremendous change in the whole scenario. The peace process would be dead until another drastic change comes about. Don`t get too excited about Obama signing a peace treaty, that will be brought about by a European, not an American.

3 -- America`s further betrayal of Israel. General David Petraeus is apparently considering requesting that the Palestinian territories be placed under his command. Debkafile explains that this would be tantamount to providing the Palestinians with an American umbrella. American guns may yet be turned on Israel. America has already trained and armed, at a base in Jordan, a militia of 20,000 Palestinians. No doubt their guns will someday be turned on Israel. This is another event that turns the whole Mideast scenario upside down.

4 -- Israel has discovered a Tremendous Reserve of Oil and Gas. The big oil and gas exploring companies are rushing to get in on the action. The big companies only go where the action is guaranteed.

These reserves will make Israel a wealthy have-nation, like some of her Arab neighbours. Israel has received 3 billion dollars a year in aid from America. Israel has come to trust in America, God has warned Israel many times over the centuries, not to do that, not to make alliances with the nations around her. Israel is to trust in God alone.

Now that America is threatening to cut Israel off, I believe God is speaking to Israel through this new found wealth, "Israel you can trust me to meet your needs." God has been working with Israel for the last 60 years, demonstrating times without number that He is their God who will protect and provide for them. In this whole process God is at work, ultimately, to bring Israel to the place of faith and trust in Him. That process will not come to fruition until the end of the tribulation period (see Zechariah 13:8-9).
5 -- The Fall of America. Like the handwriting on the wall at Belshazzar`s feast, America is weighed in the balances and found wanting. The signs of America's fall are everywhere! It is the secularists that are sounding the warning the loudest. The warning of economic collapse, moral collapse, political collapse, civil war, natural disasters, terror attacks, nuclear terror that could cause the nation to collapse. An economic collapse would neutralize the military, causing America to withdraw into a shell.

America has no part to play in the end-time scenario; they are not even mentioned in scripture. The problem is that America is so incredibly powerful, politically, militarily and economically, that they stand in the way of the end-time scenario unfolding. We know that the God of prophecy can change that very suddenly. I think it is fair to say that God is against America because America has turned against God.

Nowhere is this more disastrous than in America`s betrayal of Israel. God has blessed America with more light of truth than any other nation in all of history, especially in the area of gospel truth which Israel is yet to embrace. A principle of scripture is that judgment is according to light received and turned away from. Woe to America and Canada. This collapse of America will bring tremendous chaos to the world!

All of these things could happen in rapid fire succession. The final drama will, I believe be set up by these events. They will prepare the way for two major events.

1 -- The Rise of Antichrist - He is awaiting the right major crisis. The world will be in turmoil and chaos and desperate for someone to look to for answers. This miracle working, charismatic, clever, deceiver will explode on the scene. The whole world will throw open their arms to receive him.

2 -- The Peace Treaty - The world will be plunged into incredible turmoil by these chaotic events. The war of Psalm 83 will be raging out of control. The gap between Israel and Islam will be wider than ever. The world will be caught in the vortex of an ever expanding war. The prospect for peace will be all but hopeless. The world will be facing a dark hour. The need and desire for peace will peak.

This man of sin, Antichrist will temporarily appease Islam, (See Daniel 11:38). He will deceive Israel, (John 5:43), they will be deceived into believing him to be their Messiah. The whole world will be deceived. (2 Thess. 2:9-11).
What should our attitude be in such an hour as this? Just prior to the Old Testament Day of the Lord, God said to Jeremiah. "...seekest thou great things for thyself? Seek them not: for behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh, saith the Lord:" We stand on the threshold of the catastrophic tribulation period. If ever there was an hour to lose ourselves in the will of God, it is now! An hour to draw closer to the Lord, an hour to seek the lost!

Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13