This issue of the Daily WATCH differs from the norm in that I feel compelled to give a basic summary of where we stand in regards to end-times events. This is just a general synopsis since spoon feeding every detail would not be in the best interest of an already overly complacent Christianity. Don't depend on the preponderance of armchair prophets that are all too willing to tickle your ears with want you want to hear. You and you alone are responsible for seeking the face of God in every word that emanates from his Holy Bible. Christianity doesn't issue fatwas, as does Islam. Ruling decrees by self-proclaimed church leaders should not be your primary guide. You either believe or you don't, either way your deeds will show your faith for what it is.
To the vast majority
of us it may not seem possible, but Islam is engulfed in the early
stages of a civil war that will escalate into World War III. This
civil war is biblical and can be seen in Daniel as the end-time
conflict between the king of the North and the king of the South.
Islam is divided into two major factions, the Shiites and the
Sunnis. In Daniel we see the main thrust of the end-times war
played out in the central arena of the Middle East. Like World
War II, where the central arena was Europe, this war will also
have other major regions of conflict, but the one that should
have the attention of believers is that of the Middle East. Indeed,
it will have the attention of not only believers, but of the whole
world. It is there that the antichrist will play his most crucial
hand in order to gain the seat of power that will have him rule
over the earth for a short time. He is referred in Daniel as the
king of the North. The kingdom of the North encompasses the former
lands of the Babylonian, Assyrian, Medo-Persian and Seleucid empires.
These lands today are comprised of Iran, Iraq, Syria, Turkey and
parts of surrounding nations. Iran and most of Iraq are dominated
by the Shiite faction of Islam. It is the Shiite faction that
is more centrally focused on the long awaited Islamic world conqueror,
the Mahdi. It is to be noted that all of Islam awaits the Mahdi,
though the Shiites and Sunnis find disagreement on exactly where
and how he will first arise. The Mahdi is the antichrist to Christians,
but he is eagerly awaited by Islam as a world savior who will
bring all the world under Islam and his control. Even now the
Shiite stronghold of Iran is busying itself in eager anticipation
of his soon expected arrival. The President of Iran believes that
his purpose is to bring the Mahdi to power and to these ends he
is intensely focused.
The kingdom of the South encompasses the former Egyptian and Ptolemy
empires and today is comprised of such modern nations as Egypt,
Libya and Sudan. These nations are solidly Sunni in their make-up.
What will Islam fight
over? There are three main issues that will be fought over:
1. The Sunni led governments of the southern kingdom will not
submit to the rule of the Mahdi over them. The Mahdi will gain
control over the northern kingdoms via war and intrigue. This
facet of the end-times is already advancing as we see the Shiite
religious parties begin to dominate the new Iraqi government.
As the Shiites gain power and influence over Iraq, as they have
in Iran, the Iraqi Sunni population may appeal to Sunni Syria
for help. Since Syria will be temporarily at peace with Israel
(thanks to Israel's covenant with death made with the Palestinians)
she would be free to militarily intervene in Iraq.
Islam believes the rise of the Mahdi will coincide with an invasion
from Syria. Islam believes that the Syrian leader will hear of
the Mahdi and send an army against him. The Sunnis believe that
the army will be swallowed up by the earth, while Shiites believe
that they will engage the Mahdi in a battle at Kufa near the Islamic
holy city of Najaf in Iraq. Once he consolidates the northern
kingdom under his control the antichrist will begin his advances
of conquest against the South.
This may start out as a sectarian conflict, but will also be a
war within Islam between those who favor alignment with the West
and those who support the Mahdi.
2. The entire region is straining under the lack of water resources.
The have-nots will be easily persuaded by the spoils of new water
resources to make war. The antichrist is shown in the Bible to
give spoils to those who support him and his equivalent, the Mahdi,
in the Quran is said to do likewise.
3. OIL! The Bible depicts a prostitute riding the beast. The prostitute
depicted as a rider signifies dominance over the beast she rides.
We see in the book of Revelation that the antichrist (beast) will
hate the prostitute that rules over him. The prostitute is the
US/Western dominated United Nations and the US/Western dominated
world economy. The headquarters of both of these arms of the prostitute
are in New York City, biblically known as Mystery Babylon or Babylon
the Great. Scripture shows that Mystery Babylon's fate will be
one of complete and utter destruction that will be immediate and
final. It doesn't take an economics major to figure out that the
world economy will literally grind to a complete standstill and
that all hell will break loose unless someone steps forward quickly
as a savior. Upon this stage will leap the antichrist, offering
the money and oil of his confederation of nations to the service
of mankind. All he will ask is a little sacrifice of the people
everywhere in giving up some of their sovereignty and pledge their
loyalty to him so that he can bring peace and order swiftly to
our wicked world. You can probably see the role of the mark of
the beast in all of this and you are right!
Just how will the antichrist manage to overcome the technologically superior armed forces of the West? Where will the forces of the United States be? They will be there, keeping their word and protecting their allies, the oil producing nations of the South and what is left of Israel. The Mahdi will be turned back, but when he tries again he will no longer have an overwhelming army confronting him because they will be swept away. No doubt this will happen with Russia helping in the shadows, perhaps a tactical nuclear weapon or two. It matters little how it will happen, the Bible (Daniel) says it will happen! And the collective will of the Western nations? When America is silenced as the preeminent world power so also the will to be free will be vanquished for the majority of mankind.
What interest does
Russia have in supporting Islam? Russia understands the real wealth
of the world isn't based on a yellow metal, but on oil. Russia
sits on vast quantities and has seen the West's weakness, her
thirst for more and more of the black gold. Russia seeks to align
herself with the West-hating Islamic oil producers in the effort
to form a monopoly over the world's oil. Russia wants to establish
a new world order without the United States at its head. Whether
Socialist or Islamic or a hybrid of both matters little to Russia
as long as the dominance of the West comes to an end. The always
appeasing governments of the European nations are already under
the spell of oil. They are walking willingly into Russian President
Putin's "Greater Europe," a Europe that Russia intends
on dominating.
Europe will do nothing to force the hand of a pre-nuclear Iran
any more than they did to force the hand of Iraq. They are beholden
to oil and thus to those who produce it! Someday we may see the
leaders of a neutered America submitting to the Mahdi, the feared
antichrist, in exchange for the salvation of his oil!
America is not oblivious to what is happening regarding the aligning
of powers based on oil. That is why she, right or not, is acting
to secure fields within nations supportive of her who rely on
her deep pockets and military protection. What is left of the
freedom loving world (this does not include all western democracies)
are hitching their wagons to the United States as she moves to
support the king of the South. Little do they know what awaits
the world.
The question that screams
out is, "When?" The answer is coming sooner than anyone
dreams possible.
Wars and rumors of wars are happening and will continue to take
place. We are firmly in the time Jesus referred to as the "birth
pains" and as most can sense the contractions are growing
closer together and stronger!
Islam is already fighting among itself. The powder keg that launches
the antichrist's debut is the rebellion of Israel! Since the inception
of the Daily WATCH I have warned that the Road Map to Peace is
the "covenant with death" prophesied by the prophet
Isaiah. Israel will make a great covenant in which she gains peace
and security with her enemies.
Most people know that giving thieves and murderers whatever they
want will just embolden them to seek more, and yet Godless people
offer no resistance, because they fear evil. Israel is no different.
God has long protected Israel by the hand of Michael the Archangel.
Her enemies have been impotent against Israel even though they
have always been numerically superior and have held the element
of surprise more often than not.
Israel's shepherds, her leaders, have already journeyed far in
their appeasement of their enemies. They are breaking the covenant
God made with Abraham in the most grievous way. They are giving
their inheritance, their land, to their enemies in exchange for
peace, they are making a covenant with death! God has prophesied
through Isaiah that when Israel engages in this greatest of follies
he will punish her in the most extreme fashion she has ever known.
He will call Michael into heaven and hold back his protection
of Israel. He will leave her in the hands of her enemies who will
strip her, beat her and leave her for dead. Israel will be desolate
and cursed, but she will not be alone. When those who have ravished
her are finished then Israel's curses will come upon their heads
as well until the curses have spread throughout the world! The
entire earth will taste Israel's desolation before the end!
Many have declared the Road Map to Peace dead. And yet it has
not only survived, but flourishes as it is being carried out by
Israel. She is so desperate that she isn't even waiting for the
Palestinians to negotiate, she is just handing herself over to
them piece by piece, Gaza and then Judea and then Samaria and
then . . .
What to look for: When the Palestinians declare an independent state on covenant land with Israel's acknowledgement then begin watching for the revealing of the antichrist. His identity will be hidden from all, but the true believers. They will see with eyes opened by the Holy Spirit! No one knows when the final nation status of the Palestinians will be established, but sporadic violence and threats aside, start looking for the rebellion to occur as early as this summer.
Remember that the world will celebrate the so-called peace in the Middle East. They will believe that this lie will bring world peace and prosperity. To the man who brings this about will belong the loyalty of the masses destined for the lake of fire! The Israeli peace, or more appropriately the ceasefire, will only last a short 3.5 years, but during that time the faithful will begin to feel threatened worldwide.
Live as if it were autumn and prepare for winter. The season of death will soon be upon us! But at the end of this darkest of tunnels is the light and salvation of the coming of Jesus Christ for those who stand firm to the end.
Note: I have been writing
frequently for believers to watch Russia very closely. In fact,
I have several Russian news links on my web site that offer titillating
prophetic details on almost a daily basis. I strongly encourage
you to break away from regular mainstream news agencies and begin
to examine the countries spelled out in prophecy, such as Russia
and Israel, via their news agencies and an open Bible. You will
be surprised at what the mainstream isn't telling you.