Archive for Strait of Bab al Mandeb

This Week in Prophecy: Global Energy Report

Posted in #PaulthePoke, China, Ezekiel 38-39, Prophecy, Revelation, Saudi Arabia/Sheba/Dedan, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 16, 2026 by paulthepoke

Revelation 6:6 And I heard what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living creatures, saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius, and do not harm the oil and wine!”

The Bible indicates there will be hyperinflation at the onset of the 7 year tribulation. Economically, these are the conditions described in Revelation.

Context: At the time John was writing Revelation from the island of Patmos, a denarius was roughly a day’s wage for the common laborer.

Take a look at the commodities in the verse: wheat, barley, oil and wine.

A quart of wheat and oil would make a loaf of bread for one person. Wheat was a more expensive grain as compared to barley. Three quarts of barley and oil would make bread for a family. In other words, it would take a day’s wage to feed a person or a family depending on the grain.

Some scholars think the oil alludes to believers in Christ who are sealed with the Holy Spirit. A symbol for the Holy Spirit is olive oil. So, initially do not harm Believers in Christ.

It is this author’s opinion that those who are believers on Earth at this time in Revelation 6 are those who changed their mind at the time of the Resurrection/Rapture. The church or the bride of Christ is in heaven because of the resurrection/rapture event. I have no doubt when this event occurs, there will be many on planet Earth who will realize they missed the event and turn to Jesus and believe in Him.

Bread and Wine are also the elements for communion. Initially, do not harm the Believers in Jesus. The antichrist will have his time and conquer Believers in Jesus in the back half of the tribulation.

Others think that oil and wine are products of the wealthy and they are unaffected initially at the cost of these items. The wealthy have resources to pay for their needs and luxuries. It would appear there is a gap between the “haves” and “have nots”.

Some might even describe these conditions as the K shaped economy which emerged after the Covid19 global pandemic.

A K-Shaped Economy is one where the rich and powerful get richer, certain high-tech/high-skill sectors soar, and everyone else continues to struggle—creating a stark, two-tier recovery. -Grok

Today in the 21st century, inflation is spreading across the globe. These are not regional circumstances. Energy prices are exacerbating the inflation. There are already parts of the world who are paying exorbitant prices to feed their families. We are all feeling it in the pocketbook when it comes to the cost of goods and food. Even the critic has to admit, we are trending toward hyperinflation and the scale is global.

Illustration labeled Russia, China, Ukraine, Japan, Australia, Yemen, hyperinflation, inflation, oil tanker, LNG natural gas, East West Pipeline, and Yanbu

For those new to the blog, we are of the opinion the tribulation has yet to begin. For example, there has been no red heifer sacrifice so there cannot be a 3rd Temple built. There is no 3rd Temple for the antichrist to defile. There is not a 10 member nation or ruling committee for the antichrist to subdue 3 members and take control. There are not 2 witnesses pronouncing judgment from Jerusalem.

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Ancient Sheba and Dedan or modern day Saudi Arabia

Houthi forces targeted multiple Saudi energy sites, including the 400,000-barrel-per-day YASREF refinery in Yanbu, Aramco’s Abha bulk plant, and areas near Dammam and Jazan, causing large fires, evacuations, and temporary shutdowns. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned that Houthi control near Bab al-Mandab is worsening energy markets and threatening Red Sea shipping, with effects felt in Germany. Saudi officials called the strikes a dangerous escalation that wounded dozens, while oil prices face upward pressure amid concerns over export disruptions. -Grok

A Yemeni military source told Germany’s DPA news agency that the Iran-backed Houthis laid mines in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a narrow chokepoint carrying 5.4 million barrels of oil daily before disruptions. The claim follows the group’s mid-September capture of Yemen’s Red Sea coast and strategic islands, heightening maritime security fears amid rerouted shipping and oil market jitters. Skeptics question the unverified report, noting normal commercial traffic, no incidents, and Houthi statements allowing passage for most vessels except Saudi-linked ones. -Grok

What happened to the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement? Attack one, attack all? Where is the response? What happened to the billions of dollars of military equipment from the United States?

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Keep an eye on natural gas inventories in Europe.

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Oil Reserves in the United States

Line graph depicting U.S. ending stocks of crude oil in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) from 1980 to 2023, showing fluctuations in thousands of barrels.
Line graph depicting regular gasoline prices in the U.S. from November 2025 to September 2026, showing prices per gallon for different regions including East Coast, Gulf Coast, and California.
Line graph showing on-highway diesel fuel prices in the U.S. from November 2025 to September 2026, highlighting prices per gallon across different regions including East Coast, Gulf Coast, California, and others.

https://www.eia.gov/petroleum

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Ezekiel 38 Magog, Rosh or modern day Russia…

US Senate majority leader John Thune has said he is “open to considering” an export ban on diesel, per Bloomberg.

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Isaiah 49:12 Surely these shall come from afar; Look! Those from the north and the west, and these from the land of Sinim. 

https://paulthepoke.com/?s=sons+of+sinim

Sinim, believed to be China.

Down Under in Australia

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https://www.amazon.com/Paul-Lehr/e/B09W8FB77N

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Tisha B`Av/9th of Av, 5786/2026/5951; Red Sea Blockade; Iraqi Pipeline Deal; Iran

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Iraq/Babylon/Shinar, Persia/Elam/Iran, Prophecy, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 21, 2026 by paulthepoke

Tisha b’Av:  to the Jew, this is a date, the 9th of the Hebrew month Av. It is the 11th month of the civil calendar or the 5th month of the religious calendar. The month is not named in the Bible. Av usually occurs during July or August on the Gregorian calendar.

Historically, the date has resulted in heartache and pain for the Jewish people. Bad things have happened to nation Israel.

On the traditional Hebrew lunar calendar, In 2026, Tisha b’Av begins at sunset on Wednesday, July 22 and ends at sunset on Thursday, July 23.

On the Dead Sea Scroll solar calendar or the Essene calendar, Tisha b’Av begins at sunset on Saturday, July 25 and ends at sunset on Sunday, July 26.

https://dsscalendar.org/DSS-Greg.php?Y=2026

For more information on Tisha b`Av, click on the link below.

https://paulthepoke.com/?s=9th+av

As usual, the Temple Institute chooses the somber occasion to look forward to a brighter day and the building of the 3rd Temple.

One G-d, acknowledged by all: that is the one plan in heaven and on earth that can bring lasting peace to mankind. And the one place on earth for all mankind to gather as one and witness the awesome presence of G-d is the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. For 2,000 years we have mourned the tragedies of the past on Tisha b’Av. While we must never forget the destruction of the past, on this Tisha b’Av the time has come to build for the future!

“And in this place I will grant peace!” Chaggai 2:9

Haggai 2:9 The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the LORD of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the LORD of hosts.

By the way, still looking for the red heifer…

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Exodus 15:4 Pharaoh’s chariots and army He has cast into the sea; the finest of his officers are drowned in the Red Sea.

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Jeremiah 51:7 Babylon was a gold cup in the hand of the LORD, making the whole earth drunk. The nations drank her wine; therefore the nations have gone mad.

Are we watching the end times economic re emergence of ancient Babylon???

During Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s visit to Washington in mid-July 2026, Iraq signed around 48 deals with U.S. companies, totaling roughly $60 billion in agreements and partnerships. These focus on energy, oil production, infrastructure, and alternative export routes. apnews.com

https://twitter.com/i/grok?conversation=2079698322780987469

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Ezekiel 38/39 and Jeremiah 49: Ancient Persia/Elam or modern day Iran

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https://www.amazon.com/Paul-Lehr/e/B09W8FB77N

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Netanyahu’s Government & Regional Energy Policy… Czekmate

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Czekmate, Ezekiel 38-39, Prophecy, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , , , , , on November 14, 2022 by paulthepoke

Ezekiel 38:10-12 Thus says the Lord God: “On that day it shall come to pass that thoughts will arise in your mind, and you will make an evil plan: You (Gog) will say, “I will go up against a land of unwalled villages; I will go to a peaceful people, who dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates to take plunder and to take booty, to stretch out your hand against the waste places that are again inhabited, and against a people gathered from the nations, who have acquired livestock and goods, who dwell in the midst of the land…”

With God’s help, Bibi can walk this tightrope. But now, at least the formation of the government hurdle is past the President’s office.

Many important strategic decisions will shake out of this. Regional allies (crazy age we live in that one can type that with respect to Israel) want to see a muscular, assertive Israel that acts with dignity. These would be the Abraham Accord partners. Rumor has it that if another weak Lapid like coalition government had come out of the elections that the Saudis would have continued fence sitting. The same set of speculation to Czekmate holds that with a reliably strong leader like Netanyahu, the Saudis are disposed to negotiating a more durable peace with Israel.

What is even more fascinating is that in partnership with Israel, the Arabs are prepared to go their own way on economic redundancies.

Much of the world’s energy must cross through three maritime choke points:
– the Strait of Hormuz, where the Persian Gulf empties to the Indian ocean;
– the Strait of Bab al Mandeb, where the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean meet;
– the Suez Canal, joining the Mediterranean and Red Seas.

In the cases of Hormuz and Bab Al Mandeb, there are Iranian direct or proxy military hazards to free navigation. In Egypt, which is the custodian of the Suez Canal, there is a stirring of the Muslim Brotherhood within the country.

Among western oriented Arab elite, there is growing doubt over the attenuated strength of the US Navy and it’s enduring strategy to keep maritime sea-lanes and choke points open.

The remedy, since the Briben administration came into office, has been to work bilaterally with a strong Israel. But alas, they’ve had a downright epicene (and corrupt) specimen of a government in Jerusalem under Lapid. There was not much upon which to predicate a reliable diplomatic/economic partnership. Netanyahu’s success renews a dynamic that again invites serious, durable changes to the national economic postures of all concerned.

The credible rumor of what is ahead went on, that Saudi Arabia would be more inclined to negotiate a permanent peace with attendant economic measures. This includes, major capital investments in partnership with the UAE to build pipeline infrastructure from the Persian Gulf to the Israeli coast for onward export. This would bypass all three maritime chokepoints, diminishing the growing Iranian influence in all three places and hedge against the absence of a robust and ubiquitous US Navy upholding it’s tacit obligation to enforce freedom of navigation in those places.

Solution wise, is this a panacea? No. It presents a whole new set of problems.

Having Israeli gas online in concert with overland energy flows, you are now talking a supra-national energy output to Europe that rivals Russia. Russia and Iran have become more symbiotic than ever, especially since the Ukrainian mis-adventure. More on that at another time perhaps.

In the meantime, keeping an eye on Israeli government formation is the mission of the day.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/deri-demands-finance-ministry-smotrich-insisting-on-defense-portfolio/

Ezekiel 38:13 Sheba, Dedan, the merchants of Tarshish, and all their young lions will say to you, “Have you come to take plunder? Have you gathered your army to take booty, to carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to take great plunder?”

https://valortube.com/profile/czekmate/

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