Habakkuk 1:5 Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told. -LORD God
America is stepping away from the world stage. And every place America has left, a vacuum is created. Something will fill the vacuum.
As America left Afghanistan, the Taliban took its place. As chaos rules, the Taliban is supported by players in end times Biblical prophecies, specifically Russia, Iran, and China.
In this edition, we go around the region and look at the void left by American departure and who has taken its place. The recent histories of Libya, Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Syria, Turkey, and Lebanon are covered.
Ezekiel 38-39 are in play, big time!
How close are we to these events unfolding and prophecy being fulfilled?
These questions and more are answered on This Week in Prophecy.
May 16, 2021: The fourth of seven God Appointments, Shavuot or Pentecost, is scheduled to begin Sunday, May 16th at sunset. For Shavuot, Jewish men have been commanded to come to Jerusalem and the Temple for over 3,500 years since the time of Moses.
For more details on the Appointment, click on the link below.
For additional information and analysis, click on the YouTube video below.
It would appear Israel’s military is not stopping their intervention to formally recognize the holiday.
“The party that bears the guilt for this confrontation is not us, it’s those attacking us,” Netanyahu said in a televised speech. We are still in the midst of this operation, it is still not over and this operation will continue as long as necessary.” -Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Over 2,300 missiles and rockets have been fired into Israel since Monday. Today is day 6 of the conflict. Watch the Iron Dome anti missile battery in action.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad continue to fire rockets from Gaza toward Israeli civilians.
Below is an interesting message and response from Twitter. The social media site blocked the IDF from sending messages regarding missile and rocket warnings to the citizens of Israel.
We tried to tweet about sirens sounding in Beersheba but Twitter wouldn’t let us.
We know it’s repetitive—but that’s the reality for Israelis all over the country. pic.twitter.com/nqyhfbxrWI
The press is now further upset with Israel. A building that housed Middle East Eye, Al Jazeera, the Associated Press, and other press outlets was destroyed with a precision munition. The building was destroyed with surgical precision. Accounts indicate the building was empty of human personnel.
The IDF gave a one hour notice and multiple warnings to evacuate the building. The IDF indicated the building was home to Hamas intelligence.
“…entities belonging to the military intelligence of the terrorist organization Hamas.”
Click on the video below from Middle East Eye.
#BREAKING Israeli forces bomb a tower block in Gaza City housing several international media offices including Middle East Eye and Al Jazeera pic.twitter.com/UhQwuMBrkX
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has recently issued a statement in English in regards to the events taking place over the last week. Listen for yourself the Prime Minister’s complete comments.
PM Benjamin Netanyahu: "It has been 5 days since Hamas brazenly fired rockets at Jerusalem and other Israeli cities in a totally unprovoked attack. This past week, millions of Israelis were forced into bomb shelters as missiles rained down on our cities."https://t.co/ToeJPuwMCBpic.twitter.com/qCuvnfYkIB
We continue to keep an eye on the northern border of Israel.
NBC News Analyst Evan Kohlmann tweeted out the following. Upwards of 5 rockets were fired towards Israel. Currently, the Quneitra Province in Syria is home to Russian, Syrian, Iranian, Hezbollah, UN Troops and other factions. This is different than the three rockets fired from Lebanon the day before.
Representatives of Iraqi Shiite insurgent faction Ashab al-Kahf are insisting that "your Iraqi brothers participated" in the rocket attack earlier today targeting the Yesud HaMaala/Kfar Blum area in northern Israel launched from Syria's Quneitra Province.
April 21, 2021: Rocket sirens have been sounded in the Negev or the southern portion of Israel near the Dimona Nuclear Facility. Explosions have been seen and heard near the nuclear site.
Google Earth
The Israeli military is claiming this is not an attack on their nuclear facility but a misfire. They claim the rocket from Syria was targeting an airplane in the northern part of the country in the Golan Heights.
IDF Spokesperson Hidai Zilberman made the following comment.
“There was no intention of hitting the nuclear reactor in Dimona.”
The IDF was very clear regarding the specs of the missile. It was Russian-made SA-5 surface-to-air missile weighing several thousand kilograms with a 200-kilogram warhead.
As of this post, the IDF was still gathering intel on the matter.
BREAKING: A surface-to-air missile was fired from Syria to Israel’s southern Negev.
In response, we struck the battery from which the missile was launched and additional surface-to-air batteries in Syria.
Earlier, the day before, a significant explosion occurred at the Tomer military facility in central Israel. The factory is home to secret weapons, missile technologies, and jet propulsion studies.
Israel states this was the result of routine tests. Injuries and causalities were not reported.
A Tomer spokesperson indicated, “This was a controlled test with no exceptional circumstances.”
The back drop of the story is escalating military action and tension between Israel and Iran.
Isaiah 54:17 No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD and their vindication from me, declares the LORD.”
Beirut, Lebanon; September 12, 2020: This is a breaking story out of the eastern Mediterranean Sea. As emotions are running high between Greece, Cyprus and Turkey, Russia is transferring significant naval forces to the region.
The following is from the Russian website Avia.pro. The feed was picked up by Al-Masdar News.
“experts are seriously concerned about the presence of at least 15 Russian warships and submarines off the coast of Syria. This is the first time such a large military formation has been seen here, which raises suspicions about whether Russia plans to engage in a military special operation against jihadists using the navy.”
“one of the last to appear off the coast of Syria was the tanker of the Northern Fleet of the Russian Navy ‘Akademik Pashin’; boats, and, obviously, this is far from the final number of ships of the Russian Navy located in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea.” -Telegram channel, Hunter Notes
Последние несколько дней танкер Северного Флота "Академик Пашин" существенно замедлил ход и сейчас находится по координатам 33.15044° / 31.51073° (возможно заправка группы кораблей ВМФ РФ) pic.twitter.com/53zdCEL1bX
Ezekiel 38:2 “Son of man, set your face toward Gog of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him…”
What does secular history say about the Magogians? Who are they? In the 7th century BC, Hesiod the Greek poet identified the Scythians as people of modern day southern Russia. Hesiod’s writings pre dated the Ezekiel the prophet.
The Father of History, Herodotus, labeled the descendants of Magog by their Greek name, Scythians. This occurred in the 5th century AD.
About 2,500 years ago, the prophet Ezekiel says Russia will be joined by several countries with their future invasion of Israel.
On August 15, 2016, Russia acquired its first permanent air base in Syria, the Khmeimim Air Base near Latakia, Syria. The Russians have been building and expanding their military presence in the region since.
Revelation 16:12 The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river, the Euphrates; and its water was dried up, so that the way would be prepared for the kings from the east.
First things first. The current events to be discussed below are not the fulfillment of the Revelation prophecy. Currently, the seven year tribulation has not begun. The seals have not been broken let alone the bowl judgments poured out. Bet yet another example, we are trending in this direction.
Basra, Iraq: Salt water from the Persian Gulf is pushing inland due to the lack of water flow from the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers north of town. Farmers are going north looking for fresh water.
“Salinity has gone up in recent years and it’s killing the farmlands. Before, we could sell our dates in the Gulf and as far as the United States. Now, you can see with your own eyes. This whole river died.” Abu Shaker, a 70-year-old date palm farmer.
With the filling of the Ilisu Dam, Turkey is slowly cutting off water to Iraq. Water levels behind Mosul Dam in northern Iraq have dropped by three billion cubic meters. Water flow from Turkey has been reduced by 50%.
The Ilisu Dam is one of 22 dams being constructed in southeast Turkey. The dams are impacting both the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers. Syria is feeling the brunt of the decreased water flow of the Euphrates.
Iran is cutting off water from the Sirwan and Little Zab Rivers which dump into the Tigris River southeast of Baghdad.
To make matters worse, the water hyacinth is taking over the two rivers. The “Nile Flower” was introduced about 20 years as a decorative plant. The purple flowered plant is native to South America’s Amazon basin.
A plant is estimated to drink up to 1.3 gallons of water per day. The water hyacinth also blocks sun and oxygen from life on the rivers. As a result, fish are dying and water levels are dropping further. This has been devastating to carp fisherman. Carp supplies have been cut in half. Carp is a delicacy in Iraq.
A 1,000 square foot area weighs up to five tons. The thick vegetation blocks water from reaching fields for farming.
“During this harvest, our vegetable sales in the local market were down by a third,” Ahmed Yasser, farmer.
And with COVID-19, the wild flower is spreading unchecked.
Isaiah 17:1 The oracle concerning Damascus. “Behold, Damascus is about to be removed from being a city and will become a fallen ruin.
November 18, 2019: Four missiles were launched from Syria into Israel. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) indicated that none of the missiles reached Israel. One day later…
November 19, 2019: Israel has responded with a large scale attack on Iranian and Syrian targets in and around Damascus, Syria.
According to a report from The Times of Israel and satellite photos from ImageSat International, Iranian targets at the Damascus International Airport and the al-Mazzeh Airport were identified and struck. Both of these sites were believed to be occupied by the Iranian Quds Force. Quds is the Arabic name for Jerusalem. It means “Holy One”.
Photo: ImageSat International Photo: ImageSat International
Other targets during the intervention included dozens of other Quds Force locations along with Syrian military hardware. Syrian air defenses were also destroyed in the counter attack.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (British monitored) stated Quds Force arms depots in the Damascus suburbs of Kisweh and Qudsaya were obliterated.
“Our message to the leaders of Iranian is simple: You are not immune anymore. Wherever you send your octopus arms, we will hack them off.” -Naftali Bennett, Israeli Defense Minister
“I have made clear that any who attack us, we will attack them. That is what we did tonight toward military targets of the Iranian Quds Force and Syrian military targets.” -Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
For more details and satellite imagery, see the link below.
November 20, 2019: Meanwhile back in the home country of Iran… The internet has been cut off to the population for going on the fourth day. There is no international access to the world for the people of Iran.
Go to Twitter and search #IranProtests. Warning! The pictures and video under this hashtag are not for the faint of heart.
The Iranian people have been cut off from the internet for the last 4 days…
Economic sanctions are taking their toll in Iran. The government is desperate for money. Gasoline is being rationed and as a result prices have spiked from 50-300%. People are struggling to buy basic goods. The citizens have taken to the streets of over 100 cities across Iran to protest.
The government has responded with live ammunition fire on the citizens. Over 1,000 people have been arrested. At least 106 have been killed along with hundreds of other injuries. Some estimates are doubled with over 200 dead. Numbers are difficult to assess due to a lack of communication inside the country. Journalists are not allowed entry into Iran at this time. See details below from Amnesty International.
Information gathered by us reveals a harrowing pattern of unlawful killings by Iranian security forces. The Iranian authorities must end this brutal & deadly crackdown immediately & show respect for human life. https://t.co/EXOIx1BNOh
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made the following observation. He indicated these protests were not from the citizens of Iran.
“Friends and enemies should know we have pushed the enemy back in the military, political and security war arena. This work of these days has been security work, not from the people.” -Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
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2,600 years ago, the prophet Ezekiel stated Russia, Iran, and Turkey would invade Israel for economic reasons. They want to steal their natural resources.
Ezekiel 38:12-13 to seize spoil and carry off plunder, to turn your hand against the waste places that are now inhabited, and the people who were gathered from the nations, who have acquired livestock and goods, who dwell at the center of the earth. Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish and all its leaders will say to you, ‘Have you come to seize spoil? Have you assembled your hosts to carry off plunder, to carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to seize great spoil?’
President Recep Erdogan is defending Turkey’s decision to move into Syria. Erdogan is threatening to open Turkey’s borders to Europe with 3.6 million refugees if the European Union is insistent on calling the operation an invasion and occupation.
The link below is from the Twitter feed of the Turkish media outlet Anadolu Agency.
The United States Government is divided in how to manage the situation. President Trump has authorized the removal of US troops. Trump has indicated he was elected to get the United States out of pointless wars.
I was elected on getting out of these ridiculous endless wars, where our great Military functions as a policing operation to the benefit of people who don’t even like the USA. The two most unhappy countries at this move are Russia & China, because they love seeing us bogged…..
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham from South Carolina and others indicate Trump has betrayed Kurdish allies in the Middle East by leaving them vulnerable without US military assets. There is bipartisan support for sanctions against Turkey.
I am pleased to have reached a bipartisan agreement with Senator @ChrisVanHollen on severe sanctions against Turkey for their invasion of Syria.
While the Administration refuses to act against Turkey, I expect strong bipartisan support. pic.twitter.com/Ph5fIVt7k3
International response is opposed to Turkey’s move into Syria.
The majority of the military intervention is currently taking place from the Euphrates River in the west to the Tigris River in the far east border of Syria.
Ezekiel 38:1-3 The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, set your face toward Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him and say, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.
Ezekiel 38:6 Gomer and all his hordes; Beth-Togarmah from the uttermost parts of the north with all his hordes—many peoples are with you.
The brothers of Magog (Meshech, Gomer, and Tubal) appear to point to modern day Turkey.
Russia will be joined by several countries in their future invasion of Israel (Ezekiel 38-39). One of those countries is modern day Turkey.
At some point in the future, Russia is prophesied to invade Israel. The Bible says Russia and Turkey are going to join forces (Ezekiel 38-39).
September 5, 2019: Turkey’s President Recep Erdogan discussed his need for nuclear weapons. His comments were in front of his ruling political AK Party.
Photo: Getty Images
“Some countries have missiles with nuclear warheads, not one or two. But (they tell us) we can’t have them. This, I cannot accept. There is no developed nation in the world that doesn’t have them” -President Erdogan
Erdogan’s primary complaint is the nation of Israel. For their part, Israel does not indicate their nuclear status in a positive or negative sense.
“We have Israel nearby, as almost neighbors. They scare (other nations) by possessing these. No one can touch them.” -President Erdogan.
Turkey previously signed the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty in 1980 and the 1996 Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. Time will tell if these treaties mean anything to a man seeking nuclear weapons.
Erdogan did not stop with nuclear ambitions. He added some leverage to the situation by discussing the refugee situation in Syria.
Erdogan is demanding a “safe zone” in Syria. If an agreement is not reached with the United States, Erdogan has indicated he will release millions of refugees through Turkey into western Europe. Turkey’s president wants a deal by the end of September 2019.
“We will be forced to open the gates. We cannot be forced to handle the burden alone.”
There are an estimated 3.65 million Syrian refugees living in Turkey.
Ezekiel 38:1-3 The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, set your face toward Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him and say, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.
Ezekiel 38:6 Gomer and all his hordes; Beth-Togarmah from the uttermost parts of the north with all his hordes—many peoples are with you.
The brothers of Magog (Meshech, Gomer, and Tubal) appear to point to modern day Turkey.
Russia will be joined by several countries in their future invasion of Israel (Ezekiel 38-39). One of those countries is modern day Turkey.
At some point in the future, Russia is prophesied to invade Israel. The Bible says Russia and Turkey are going to join forces (Ezekiel 38-39).
Turkish Controlled Northern Syria, August 8, 2019: President Donald Trump has indicated the United States will withdraw US troops from the area. Turkey indicates an operation will be taking place.
Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu made the following comments.
“In a telephone call with our president, the US president informed us that the US would be vacating the area. We will discuss the question of coordination after the withdrawal takes place. The agreement with the US on the creation of a safe zone is a very important first step.”
“Our decision is to create a safe zone so that there are no terrorists there from the Syrian Kurdish self-defense forces and the Kurdistan Workers Party. But we will not allow this agreement to be turned into the [US] Roadmap for Manbij.”
Historically, the Turkish government under the leadership of President Recep Erdogan considers Kurdish forces and the Kurdistan Workers Party as terrorists.
In response, Syria is not approving of the arrangement. Syria understands this will likely mean more Turkish troops in their country. Syria has concerns of their sovereignty being threatened. The Syrian government considers the situation “dangerous”.
Social media sources indicate Turkey has already begun sending armed forces to the Syrian border north of the town of Kobani, Syria. The location is east of the Euphrates River.
With recent history as a guide… When the United States leaves an area in the Middle East, a vacuum is created. And each time, Biblical prophecy comes into focus. In this case, Turkey continues it’s march south towards Israel and its date with destiny as prophesied by Ezekiel 38-39.
Ezekiel 38:1-3 The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, set your face toward Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him and say, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.
Ezekiel 38:6 Gomer and all his hordes; Beth-Togarmah from the uttermost parts of the north with all his hordes—many peoples are with you.
The brothers of Magog (Meshech, Gomer, and Tubal) appear to point to modern day Turkey.
Russia will be joined by several countries in their future invasion of Israel (Ezekiel 38-39). One of those countries is modern day Turkey.
At some point in the future, the Bible says Russia and Turkey are going to join forces and invade Israel…
Isaiah 2:13 And it will be against all the cedars of Lebanon that are lofty and lifted up, against all the oaks of Bashan…
Bashan is the modern day Golan Heights. This would be the area in the far north east corner of modern day Israel. This place is south of modern day Damascus, Syria. Geographical land marks would include a region east of the Jordan River and north of the Arnon River. This territory extended from Gilead in the south to Mount Hermon on the north.
Joshua 21:27 And to the Gershonites, one of the clans of the Levites, were given out of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Golan in Bashan with its pasturelands, the city of refuge for the manslayer…
Photo: CIA
President Trump has recognized the Golan Heights as part of Israel.
After 52 years it is time for the United States to fully recognize Israel’s Sovereignty over the Golan Heights, which is of critical strategic and security importance to the State of Israel and Regional Stability!
In an interview with Fox Business News, President Trump made the following statement.
“I’ve been thinking about doing that for a long time. Every president has said ‘do that’. I’m the one that gets it done.” -President Donald Trump
The United Nation recognizes the Golan Heights as part of Syria. Resolution 242 calls on Israel to leave the Golan. Israel captured the land in 1967. In 1981, Israel stated they annexed the Golan Heights as part of their land. The link below provides a Middle East Eye perspective on the Golan Heights.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lavished praise on Trump’s decision.
“He did it again. First, he recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and moved the US embassy here. Then, he pulled out of the disastrous Iran treaty and re-imposed sanctions. But now, he did something of equal historic importance.” -Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke this evening with @POTUS Donald Trump and thanked him for the decision to recognize the Golan Heights.
Prime Minister Netanyahu told US President Trump: "You made history."
