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Chuck Missler Koinonia House P.O. Box D Coeur d’Alene, ID 83816-0347 1-800-KHOUSE-1 www.khouse.org
Whether it is olive oil, pitch, coal, petroleum, nuclear, or alternative energy, energy has been the driving force in civilization. Energy has a direct impact on the economic well-being of a country. The total world consumption of energy will increase by 50% between now and 2030. The two countries leading that trend are China and India. Since 1990, these two countries accounted for about 10% of the world’s total energy consumption in 1990 and 20% in 2007. This demand is expected to rise to 30% in 2035. In contrast, the U.S. share of world energy consumption will fall from 21% in 2007 to about 16% during the same period. China will have the biggest impact on energy supplies of any country in the world. China contributes 36% to the projected growth in global energy use, its demand rising by 75% between 2008 and 2035. China has become the world’s largest energy user in the world. Global demand for each fuel source increases, with fossil fuels—coal, oil and gas—accounting for over 50% of the increase in total primary energy demand. Rising fossil-fuel prices for end users, resulting from upward price pressures in international markets and increasingly onerous carbon penalties in many countries, together with policies to encourage energy savings and switching to low carbon energy sources, help to restrain demand growth for all three fuels. Energy comes in a variety of forms, but the largest single source of energy today is oil. Oil While coal powered the industrial revolution and ushered the world into the Age of Steel, it was oil that brought about the modern age. Since oil was first successfully drilled in 1859, the world has struggled over oil. The U.S. embargo of oil supplies to Japan precipitated the United States entry into WWII with the attack on Pearl Harbor. Wars Over Oil • Iran – Iraq War (1980-1988): The U.S. gave logistical and intelligence support to Iraq to prevent Iran from becoming the regional hegemon and threaten Middle East oil supplies • “Tanker War” (1987-1988): The U.S. provided naval protection for Kuwaiti oil tankers in the Persian Gulf which led to multiple clashes with the Iranian military. • First Persian Gulf War: In response to Iraq’s seizing Kuwait’s oil fields. • Second Persian Gulf War: While WMDs were part of the reason for the war, protecting the oil reserves of Saudi Arabia was a contributing factor. • Third Gulf War? The 2nd Gulf War left Iraq weak and allowed Iran to be the regional hegemon and may cause the U.S. to maintain a presence in the region. The Oil Curse Besides wars, nations have also suffered from “The Oil Curse.” (Poor countries with rich oil resources have fallen prey to both inside and outside forces in their struggle over the reserves.) Countries suffering from the Oil Curse are: Nigeria, Sudan, and “Chaosstan” – No Real Governing Authority: Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan. Russia and China vie for their oil reserves. Page 4 Page 5 The Era of Cheap Oil is Over More oil is yet to be found, but it will be more expensive. Oil will be found in deep water, in Arctic regions, and in oil shale and tar sands. Much of the “cheap” oil is being kept off the market for environmental reasons. Bakken Discovery The U. S. has more oil inside their borders than all the other proven reserves on earth. Here are the official estimates: • 8 times as much oil as Saudi Arabia • 18 times as much oil as Iraq • 21 times as much oil as Kuwait • 22 times as much oil as Iran • 500 times as much oil as Yemen ...and it’s all within the Western United States. President Obama has stopped drilling, refused drilling permits, and stopped the U.S. from exploiting its known oil finds. OPEC Oil supplies are tightening, making alternative energy sources more competitive. OPEC kept the price of oil at a level that made alternative energy sources not competitive. The June 2011 OPEC Meeting changed all that. It resulted in a oil price spike and makes alternative energy more attractive. OPEC will lose influence and revenue as oil demand decreases. While the largest source of energy, oil is not the only energy source available in the world. Wood Advantages: Still an important part of the world’s energy mix. Still the main source of energy for over two billion people and provides 14% of the world’s energy supply. Disadvantages: Contributed to deforestation and desert creation in many areas. Coal Advantages: Still plentiful and relatively inexpensive. Coal can be easily transported to power stations and industrial plants with existing infrastructure. Demand for coal will rise through to 2020. Disadvantages: Coal is perceived as a “dirty fuel” and is a contributing factor in acid rain problem and CO2 emissions (environmentalists call for CO2 sequestration). Tar Sands / Oil Shale Advantages: It is easily accessible and can be transported and processed with existing infrastructure. There are large reserves worldwide. Disadvantages: It is considered the “dirtiest” of “dirty oil.” Much of the reserves are located in inhospitable places. Recovery requires HUGE amounts of water; large environmental considerations. Unconventional oil is set to play an increasingly important role in world oil supply through to 2035, regardless of what governments do to curb demand. It will meet about 10% of world oil demand by 2035 compared with less than 3% today. Natural Gas Advantages: It is clean and has a high energy content per volume of fuel. It is easily burned in existing equipment. Disadvantages: Difficult to transport long distances except by pipeline; can transport Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), but many ports will not allow ships entry. A large amount of energy needed to convert from gas to liquid. Natural gas is set to play a central role in meeting the world’s energy needs. Demand will increase by 44% between 2008 and 2035—an average rate of increase of 1.4% per year. China’s gas demand grows fastest, accounting for more than one-fifth of the increase in global demand to 2035. The Middle East leads the expansion of gas production, its output doubling by 2035. Page 6 Page 7 Nuclear Advantages: Seen for years as a “clean” energy fuel, there are 440 commercial reactors operating in 30 countries, providing 14% of the worlds energy. Disadvantages: High generating cost per KWH. Large environmental fears: Three Mile Island / Chernobyl / Fukushima. Problems with spent fuel processing or storage (ex: Yucca Mountain disposal site). Wind Advantages: It’s renewable; domestic as opposed to imported; one of the cheapest alternative energy sources. Disadvantages: Inconsistent source of supply; not suitable for all locations. Wind energy has high maintenance and noise pollution issues, and it can endanger wildlife. Water Advantages: It’s an inexhaustible fuel source with relatively useful levels of energy production, and it can be used throughout the world. Disadvantages: Fast flowing streams or rivers are usually needed. It can displace large numbers of people; hydroelectric plants can impact the mobility of fish and other river life. Geothermal Advantages: Theoretically an inexhaustible energy source; minimal environmental impact and an excellent supplement to other renewable sources. It does not require structures such as solar panels or windmills to collect the energy. Disadvantages: Not available in many locations; low amount of power available per thermal vent. Solar Advantages: It’s an inexhaustible fuel source; no pollution. It’s versatile—used for powering items as diverse as solar cars and satellites. Disadvantages: Low power generation per sq. ft., which means large surface areas are required to produce useful amounts of energy. It’s limited to areas of the world with large amounts of sunlight; high maintenance. The Future of Energy Energy from Space: Solar panels would be placed in orbit around the earth and energy would be beamed down to earth via microwaves. The U.S.-based Pacific Gas and Electric has contracted to draw solar power from space and deliver it to California customers beginning in 2016. Bottom Line The era of “cheap oil” is over. Oil will be the largest part of the energy mix for the next 30+ years. China will be driving energy markets for the foreseeable future. New Zealand Energy Picture • Exporting advanced wave power technology to the world. – Wave power generator exported to the United States. • Revolutionary electricity transmission. – New superconductor technology. • Building a hydrogen economy. – Converting coal to hydrogen. • Energy from the Sea. – Quest to commercialize frozen methane. • Geothermal energy could make up to 20% of electricity production. – Setting a new energy standard. New Zealand is well on its way towards its national goal of powering the country with 100% renewable energy. Page 8 Page 9 China: Preparing for a Global Power Shift And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. Revelation 16:12 China Update China has the world’s largest military, with 2.3 million active personnel and 1.2 million in reserve. By comparison America has under 3 million in total active and reserve personnel. China says it spent $98.8 billion on its military in 2010, but analysts say spending could be more than 3X that amount. China has now developed and tested its first stealth fighter jet, the J-20. The U.S. is the only other country in the world to have a stealth fighter. China bought the rights to license and reproduce the Sukhoi-27 fighter jet from the Soviet Union, after its collapse. Pentagon officials believe that China has secretly built a base, capable of housing up to 20 nuclear submarines, on Hainan Island. China’s Missile Arsenal The Dong Feng 21D is a land-based missile capable of striking an aircraft carrier as far as 2,000 miles offshore. China Caveats? Some analysts are suggesting caution: 1) Exaggerated forecasts; may peak this year. 2) Blind faith on “trophy projects”; overly aggressive targets. 3) Government funded investment boom. 4) Overreaching real estate (20-40x household income). 5) Surges in corruption, fraud. 6) Easy money, risky lending practices. 7) Fixed currency; credit-driven bubble…making the same mistakes that led to America’s bust. Little is known of its cyber-warfare programs that may give it unknown advantages. IPV6, the most advanced form of the Internet, was installed prior to the Olympics. Cyber Warfare ...and its unintended consequences! Stuxnet The recent cyber attack on Iran’s nuclear program has been called by analysts as the first use of a specially designed cyber weapon. Some fear that cyber warfare will replace nuclear war as the greatest threat to the world today. Cyber security analysts are increasingly viewing the Stuxnet virus, which sabotaged the Iranian nuclear centrifuges, as a watershed moment in cyber warfare. This attack is the first instance of a specially designed cyber weapon used to attack the industrial infrastructure of a sovereign nation. New Era in Warfare David Gerwitz, advisor to the International Association for Counterterrorism and Security Professionals, argues that the Stuxnet virus has ushered in an era in warfare and will spark a virtual arms race similar to how Hiroshima sparked the nuclear arms race. He calls the Stuxnet virus the “Little Boy and Fat Man of the digital age,” referring to the two atomic weapons used by the United States in World War II. Early Viruses Those people who started using IBM PCs in the mid-80s got their first taste of computer viruses with programs such as: “Brain,” “Vienna,” and “Cascade.” These viruses appeared in the 1987-1989 time frame Page 10 Page 11 and wreaked havoc on those machines. Letters were dropping from displays, hard disks seemed to be failing and computers started playing a hymn called “Yankee Doodle.” After being inundated with calls from customers, service representatives soon realized that they were dealing with a new kind of code that became known as a virus (the term came from the fact that connected computers seemed to come down with the identical symptoms such as one would with catching a cold form another person.) The 1990s saw the appearance of what is called a “polymorphic virus.” This is a virus that can change its behavior (called its binary pattern) every time it moves to a new computer. This makes it very hard for antivirus programs to detect them. This was also the appearance of a virus on a world-wide scale. The fact that the virus was able to change its behavior and protect itself from deactivation led some pundits to call it a “life-form.” What makes the cyber threat so threatening is its invisibility. “Not only are they [infrastructures] invisible, but it is hard to detect who has launched them.” A practical example of what could happen during a cyber attack occurred in May 2010. The U.S. stock market suffered what was called a “flash crash.” A single keystroke mistake caused the entire Stock Exchange to move 20% in just 15 minutes. In 2009, the entire Internet was compromised by Chinese hackers. For 18 minutes, China’s state-controlled telecommunications company hijacked 15 percent of the world’s Internet traffic, including data from U.S. military, civilian organizations and those of other U.S. allies. Who Uses The Tools to Fight Hackers? The threats from cyber attacks on businesses and infrastructures are real and can have a devastating effect on our lives. An equally serious threat is from the tools being developed to fight these attacks being used improperly. The technology being used to protect countries from an outside threat are increasingly being used against the citizens inside their own country. A new tool being developed is the Future Attribute Screening Technology (FAST) Project. FAST uses high-tech sensors to detect indicators of potential criminal activity. DHS has identified a need for new technical capabilities that can rapidly identify suspicious behavior indicators to provide real-time decision support to security and law enforcement personnel. Information Awareness Office Established in January 2002 by Adm. John Poindexter, President Ronald Reagan’s National Security Advisor, who went to prison for his role in the Reagan Administration’s “Iran-Contra Affair” (conviction reversed on appeal). He served a brief stint as the director of the Information Awareness Office for the George W. Bush administration. This office established a central database to store personal information on everyone in the United States including email, phone calls, medical records, credit Page 12 Page 13 card reports, and social networks. Information is analyzed for suspicious activities. Includes funding for biometric surveillance technologies to identify and track individuals. While the program was defunded, several facets of the program continue to be funded. U.S. Cyber Command There is a new U.S. Strategic Command led by former National Security Agency director Lt. Gen. Keith Alexander. “USCYBERCOM” conducts activities to “...direct the operations and defense of specified Department of Defense information networks...in order to enable actions in all domains…” Chinese Surveillance Meanwhile, China has been installing spying devices on cars in Hong Kong since July 2007—they are installed as “inspection and quarantine cards.” Over 20,000 cars have the devices installed. In addition, a Chinese software company placed security holes in its products sold to chemical defense and energy companies. U.S. Department of Homeland Security warned that the security holes can let hackers issue a attack or remotely run programs on computer systems. Unfortunately, the trend today is toward a greater loss of privacy and freedoms, Weapons Technologies: Smart Weapons For, lo, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon an assembly of great nations from the north country: and they shall set themselves in array against her; from thence she shall be taken: their arrows shall be as of a mighty expert man; none shall return in vain. Jeremiah 50:9 “...arrow”: #xe khayts, lit., shot from engine of war; or shot from a bow by hand; LXX: boli.j a missile; or anything thrown, such as an arrow or javelin; “...as of a mighty expert”: lk;f’ sakal: to be prudent, be circumspect, wisely understand, prosper. The Hiphil participle is masculine singular absolute: to have insight; to give attention to, consider, ponder, be prudent; have comprehension; LLX: suneto,j, intelligent, possessing understanding ISV: “Their arrows will be like a skilled warrior; they won’t miss their targets.” NAS: “Their arrows will be like an expert warrior who does not return empty-handed.” NIV: “Their arrows will be like skilled warriors who do not return empty-handed.” The intelligence is in the arrow; they can’t miss. i.e.,“smart weapons”: missiles, bombs, etc. XM-25 Coming to a war near you. The XM25 Counter Defilade Target Engagement System has a range of roughly 2,300 feet, and is to be deployed in Afghanistan soon,The rifle’s gun sight uses a laser range finder to determine the exact distance to the obstruction, after which the soldier can add or subtract up to 3 meters from that distance to enable the bullets to clear the barrier and explode above or beside the target. A “Game Changer” Soldiers will be able to use them to target snipers hidden in trenches rather than calling in air strikes. The 25-millimeter round contains a chip that receives a radio signal from the gun sight as to the precise distance to the target. The XM25 appears perfect for street-to-street fighting that troops in Afghanistan have to engage in, with enemy fighters hiding behind walls and only breaking cover to fire occasionally. The weapon’s laser finder would work out how far away the enemy was and then the U.S. soldier would Page 14 Page 15 add one meter using a button near the trigger. When fired, the explosive round would carry exactly one meter past the wall and explode with the force of a hand grenade above the Taliban fighter. Lt. Col. Christopher Lehner, project manager for the system, described the weapon as a “game-changer” that other nations will try to copy. He expects the Army to buy 12,500 of the XM25 rifles this year. Koinonia Institute: “For such a time as this…” Are you saved? Well, then, have you discovered your calling? Are you in a fellowship committed to help preparing you for that calling? What have you invested in that preparation? Your Time? Your Priorities? The Koinonia Institute is a volunteer “think tank” for Christians in a worldwide lifetime fellowship. It’s non-denominational, but very fundamental. It’s considered a supplement, not a replacement for your local church—a transnational fellowship committed to support your personal calling—whatever it turns out to be… “On your own clock” & schedule…Check it out! Strategic Trends 2011: Volume 2 Session 2: Jerusalem, The Magog Invasion/Psalm 83 Israel’s Defensive Requirements • Surrounded by countries 650 times as large. • Only 44 miles across (1949 borders: 9 miles across). • Attacked by 4 armies on 3 fronts: UN Resolution 242 calls for “new defensible borders.” • Jordan Valley: natural 4200 ft. barrier for Iraq and Iran Shelters 70% of population; 80% of industry. • Control of Air space; 10 mile strike zone. • Control of trans-Israel highways: essential arteries. • Demilitarized Palestinian State Two-State Solution? On the surface, a two-state solution is not only not Biblical, it is illogical: 1. There are currently two Palestinian entities which are hostile to each other: Gaza (Hamas) and the West Bank (Fatah) 2. The geography and economy of any Palestinian state is too reliant on Israel to be truly independent 3. No Palestinian government would have the power to guarantee that rogue elements would not launch rockets at Israel’s heartland—the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem corridor. 4. Neither Israelis or Palestinians have the domestic political coherence to allow any negotiation from a position of confidence—any agreement could be destroyed or revised by political rivals. I don’t worry about Israel: they are in good hands! God has even put His imprint on the land, their history, and their destiny. Beth-El The Land belongs to God and He gave it to Israel. One can even see the engraving of the name of God (YHWH), just above Bethel—where Jacob laid his head and saw that vision of a stairway to heaven in the region we now call the West Bank. Jerusalem Jerusalem where the city itself is laid out in the form of the HePage 16 Page 17 brew letter Shin X, with the Kidron, Tyropoeon, and Hinnom Valleys, with Mount Zion, Mount Moriah, and the Mount of Olives in the western, middle and the eastern side. I DO worry about America. Their policies are poking their finger at the eye of God…But there also may be a big surprise on the horizon! The Magog Invasion: Ezekiel 38 & 39 1) The occasion in which God Himself intervenes to quell the ill-fated invasion of Israel by Magog and its allies (Persia, Cush, Phut, Libya, Gomer, Togarmah, Meshech, Tubal). 2) The passage appears to anticipate the use of nuclear weapons. The Magog Identity • Hesiod, Greek Didactic Poet, 8th century b.c.: Magogians = Scythians. • Herodotus, “Father of History,” 5th century b.c.: Scythians (10th - 3rd century b.c.). • Philo, Josephus, et al.: The Great Wall of China: “Ramparts of Gog & Magog.” • Soviet archaeologists’ discoveries. • From the “Uttermost parts of the north.” The Scythians After being repulsed from Media, many of the later Scyths settled in the fertile area of the Ukraine north of the Black Sea. Other related tribes occupied the area to the east of the Caspian Sea. Herodotus describes them living in Scythia. Scythia was mapped out as a square, 20 days journey (360 miles) on a side. It encompassed the lower reaches of the Dniester, Bug, Dnieper, and Don Rivers, where they flow into the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. In the seventh century b.c., the Scythians swept across the area, displacing the Cimmerians from the steppes of the Ukraine east of Dnieper River, who fled from them across the Caucasus. [Herodotus 4.12.] Even the name “Caucasus” appears to have been derived from Gog-hasan, or “Gog’s Fort.” And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords: Ezekiel 38:4 Don’t be misled by a myopic vocabulary: sWs soos = leaper, (from a root, “to skip”); “bird” (Jer 8:7 ); “chariot rider” (Ex 14:9). Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet: Ezekiel 38:5 • Elam: or Iran • Cush: Ethiopia, Kassites, E of Assyria (Settled S of the 2nd cataract of the Nile) • Phut: Libya, N Africa (Settled W of Egypt) Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee. Ezekiel 38:6 • Gomer: Cimmerians settled along the Danube and Rhine: Poland, Czechoslovakia East Germany, et al. [Herodotus, Plutarch, Josephus, et al.] • Togarmah: Armenians, Turkey, Turkestan. Page 18 Page 19 • “The uttermost part of the north” (Ezek 38:6, 15; 39:2). In the Hebrew, the word for North has been modified to imply the extreme or uttermost parts of the North. Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them. Ezekiel 38:7 So who is currently supplying Persia, Cush, Phut, Gomer and Togarmah their arms? Russia. After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them. Ezekiel 38:8 The Land has been restored from its desolation and they are dwelling safely? Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee. Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought: And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates, Ezekiel 38:9-11 Major (Political) Walls? China, 200 b.c.; Berlin, 1961; Israel today: 25 ft high, 430 miles? To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land. Ezekiel 38:12 Notice the motivation. Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil? Ezekiel 38:13 Spectators, not participants: Sheba = Yemen; Dedan = Saudi Arabia. Tarshish: many conjectures, everything from Spain to Sardinia, to Britain… Tarshish? A source of tin (Ezek 27:12). Britannia is from a word meaning tin; the Phoenicians brought tin from Cornwall. Jonah bought a ticket to that area; but he never saw it—instead he saw the interior of a big fish! The “ships of Tarshish” were the larger merchant vessels that were made for distant ocean-going traffic (2 year voyages?); cf. 1 Kgs 22:48; Isa 2:16; Cf. Ezek 27:12, 25 Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it? Ezekiel 38:14 One of the reasons that many scholars believe this is a “post-Harpazo” event (cf. Hos 1:8-10). And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army: Ezekiel 38:15 Grammatically: “the uttermost parts of the north.” Page 20 Page 21 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. Thus saith the Lord GOD; Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them? Ezekiel 38:16,17 A reference to Amos 7:1(LXX)? 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; So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground. Ezekiel 38:18-20 25-megaton warheads could alter the orbit of the Earth. [Classified Research Report.] And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. Ezekiel 38:22 Also references a “3rd party” in Ezekiel 39:6 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. Ezekiel 39:6 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. Ezekiel 38:23 (As opposed to whom? Allah?) Nuclear Weapons? • Leftover weapons provide all the energy for the nation Israel for 7 years. • Professionals hired to clear the battlefield. They wait 7 months; then clear for 7 months. Bury the dead east of the Dead Sea (downwind). • If a traveler finds something the professionals have missed, he doesn’t touch it: he marks the location and lets the professionals deal with it. Current Preparatory Steps? • The Arab-Israeli conflict. • The Iranian nuclear emergence. • The oil discoveries in the region (Over $1 trillion of energy discoveries recently!) …all are but preparatory steps in advance of the big show. But why no mention of Israel’s immediate neighbors? The Missing Nations (from Ezekiel 38 & 39) Lebanese? Syrians? Iraqis? Jordanians? Egyptians? Saudi Arabians? Palestinians! Four Prerequisites 1) The Nation reestablished as a sovereign state… 2) A nation militarily secure? 3) A nation at apparent peace in the Middle East? 4) A nation of restored material fortunes? So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding[ly] great army. Ezekiel 37:10 Page 22 Page 23 Four Steps in the “Dry bones” Vision 1) They were scattered. 2) They came together, with flesh and skin (still represented as “dead” bodies). 3) They came to life. 4) They become an daom. me`od “exceedingly” (adverb!) great army. A Surprise Coming? Is there (an overlooked) event that precedes the illfated invasion attempt featured in Ezekiel 38 & 39? [Many thanks to Bill Salus and his book, Isralestine, from which much of the material in this section was taken.] Psalm 83: The Forthcoming Scenario? Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God. For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head. They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee: The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes; Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre; Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot. Selah. Psalm 83:1-8 Edomite History The Edomite’s ascent into the Land of Israel officially began in 586 b.c., with the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. Hebron, 19 mi S of Jerusalem, began their new frontier—unlike Jerusalem it was left intact as prime real estate. Migration into “Idumea” The nomadic Nabateans migrated out of Arabia into Edom and drove the Edomites westward. Directly west of Edom were established routes of passage. The land there was historically more prosperous and resourceful than the land of Edom: infertile deserts and jagged mountains. The land bore a family association: Esau with Jacob. The Land was vacated since the Jews were being exported into captivity. Gebal Hebrew: gebhal; a line or natural boundary, as a mountain range: two possibilities: 1) A tract in the land of Edom southeast of the Dead Sea; now called Djebal. Called Gobolitis by Josephus Ant., II, i, 2. 2) A Phoenician city, not far from the sea coast, to the north of Beirut called by the Greeks Byblos. Now Jibeil (Ezek 27:9). Also mentioned in the Amarna tablets. The position of Gebal between the “Hagarenes” and “Ammon” favors them being Idumeans. Do unto them as unto the Midianites; as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kison: Which perished at Endor: they became as dung for the earth. Psalm 83:9,10 In the Book of Judges we read how God judged those nations. There are those who say that God will not judge that way in the future. He won’t? He has judged that way in the past. God has not changed. What He has done in the past, He will do in the future. For that reason this is impressive. Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb: yea, all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna: Who said, Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession. O my God, make them like a wheel; Page 24 Page 25 as the stubble before the wind. As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire; So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm. Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O LORD. Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish: That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth. Psalm 83:11-18 Judgment Upon the Nations Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, Tyre, Sidon, and Egypt—all are Muslim! The Enemies At the present time Israel is surrounded by immediate neighbors committed to “wiping them off the map.” It is misleading to represent them as “Arabs”: they are Muslims. It would appear that a prerequisite victory for Israel will set the stage for the subsequent ill-fated attempt of the “outer ring” nations seeking spoils… Order of Events? 1) Israel regathered in the Land (Ezek 37:12; Isa 11:11,12; Deut 30:3-5). 2) Ancient cities rebuilt and inhabited (Ezek 36:1-5, 8-10). 3) They meet Muslim/“Arab” resistance (Jer 49:16; Zeph 2:8; Ezek 25:12; 32:5; 36:2; Obad 1:10). 4) Israel establishes an army for defence (Ezek 36:6,7; 38:8). 5) Adjacent Muslim nations Confederate (Ps 83:1-8). 6) Confederacy committed to the destruction of Israel (Ps 83:1-5, 12). 7) War starts between Confederacy & Israel (Jer 49:2, 8, 19). 8) Title regained: “My people Israel” (Hos 1:8-10; Rom 9:25,26; Ezek 36:8-12). 9) Israel decisively defeats the Confederacy (Obad 1:9, 18; Ezek 25:13,14; Jer 49:10,20,21, 23-26; Isa 11:12- 14; 17:1; 19:16,17). 10) Israel has become “an exceedingly great army.” (Ezek 37:10; Jer 49:21). 11) Israel takes prisoners of war (Jer 48:46,47; 49:3,6,11; Zeph 2:10,11). 12) The Region is reshaped (Isa 17:1; Jer 49:2, 10; Zeph 2:4). 13) Israel expands its borders (Obad 1:19; Jer 49:2; Isa 19:18,19). 14) Israel then “dwells securely” in the Land (Ezek 38:10-12). [Source: Isralestine, Bill Salus, High Way, a division of Anomalos Publishing House, Crane MO 65633.] Which would then set the stage for the attempted invasion by Magog and his bands (Ezekiel 38). Which attempt, however, is thwarted by the active intervention of God as (Ezekiel 39). From a variety of considerations, we believe that the Magog invasion is after the Harpazo… They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. Psalm 83:3 Who are [the, your, His] “hidden ones”? ^yn<)Wpc.-l[; “against His hidden treasured ones.” (Thus, a possible post-Harpazo reference?) The Everlasting Hatred: hb’yae ~l’A[ olam eybah The struggle began with Esau (Edom) and Jacob (Israel) in Genesis 25:19-26. The Herods of the NT were Edomites. One of them killed the Jewish babies in his attempt to destroy Christ (Mt 2:16-18). Another Herod murdered John the Baptist; another one killed James the brother of John (Acts 12). The struggle between the Israelis and the “Arabs” today is a continuation of this battle that started in Gen 25:19-26. Page 26 Page 27 Emergence of “Idumea” At the Babylonian captivity, Edomites seized on the Amalekite territory, so that Idumea came to mean the region between the Arabah and the Mediterranean. Hebron, 19 mi S of Jerusalem, began their new frontier and at 3400 ft. above sea level, unlike Jerusalem it was left intact as prime real estate. Forced Conversions to Judaism Hebron remained under Edomite control until Judas Maccabeus retook the city under Jewish control in 164 b.c. Thirty-eight years later, in 126 b.c., they had to be reconquered by the Jewish Army under prince and high priest John Hyrcanus. Idumeans were forced to die, flee or be proselytized into Judaism. [1 Macc 10:84–89; 11:60–62; Josephus Antiquities, 13.17; 12.11.] Rise of Idumeans In 47 b.c. Julius Caesar promoted Idumean Antipater as procurator over Judea, Samaria and Galilee. In 37 b.c., the Romans named Herod, son of Antipater, as King over Israel. His mother was Nabatean. The Idumeans had five centuries of prior history in Israel by the time of arrival of the Messiah Jesus (Mk 3:8). Fall of Jerusalem, 70 a.d. At the time of the fall of Jerusalem in 70 a.d, there was civil turmoil among the Zealots, the Idumeans, and the Orthodox Jews. 20,000 Idumean infantry slaughtered many of the Orthodox Jews. Many were killed, sold into slavery, or enjoined among the 40,000 set free by Caesar. The Renaming of the Land Bar Kokhba had about 200,000 men at his command, and had recaptured Jerusalem and many strongholds throughout the country. Emperor Hadrian called legion upon legion to crush the Jewish insurgents. Over 580,000 lost their lives. Hadrian purposed to stamp out Jewish nationalism entirely. Traditions such as circumcision, the Sabbath, and reading the Torah was forbidden under penalty of death. In their choice of the Jews’ worst enemy, the Romans had two choices: Idumea and Philistia. Idumeans were viewed as practitioners of Judaism, and not as great an enemy as were the Philistines. Edomites Today Maps until 135 a.d., after the Bar Kokhba revolt, still displayed Idumea. After the Romans chose to name the Land “Palestina,” Idumea disappeared from future maps and history. The Edomites, later known as Idumeans, became assimilated into the “Palestinians” of today (There are many who still appear today as “Jews” but are really not…Rev 2:9; 3:9.) The Judgment against Edom is mentioned in more Old Testament books than it is against any other foreign nation (Isa 11:14; 34:5-17; 63:1-6; Jer 9:25-26; 25:17-26; 49:7-22; Lam 4:21-22; Ezek 25:12-14; 35:15; Joel 3:19; Amos 1:11-12; 9:11-12; Obad 1:1-21; Mal 1:4). Your Challenge So what do we do? We are being plunged into a period of time about which the Bible says more than it does about any other period of time in history . . . Your Action Plan? What is God calling YOU to do? “Raise the bar” on your personal walk with Him. Commit to a systematic program to really learn your Bible. Join (or start) a weekly Small Study Group. Respond to His calling…NOW! |
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