Iran, Syria, Hezbollah threaten military attack

If Syria is attacked by outside forces as it cracks down on its own people, Iran, Syria and the terrorist group Hezbollah in Lebanon will attack Israeli and American targets with missiles, sources within all three reveal.

According to Mashregh News, an Iranian media outlet run by the Revolutionary Guards, sources in Syria report that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad last Thursday issued a secret directive that should the country be attacked by America, its military will counterattack.

Peace and Safety

Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you,  for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. (1 Thess. 5:1-3)

The one time when people are sure to talk about peace and safety is just after they've experienced the horrible effects of war.  For example, I remember as a kid seeing movies of people dancing in the streets of New York when they learned that World War 2 had finally ended. Soon the military was all but dismantled and people everywhere expressed a joyous expectation of peace.  

Of course this turned out to be only an illusion.  A scant five years after the end of WW2 the US was at war again in Korea. But people have an amazing sense of optimism, even if it's only based on illusion, something I think we're about to have confirmed again in 2012.  I think circumstances are ripe for a brief but intense war in the Middle East. 

50 Reasons Why we are living in the end times – Part 2

4) The Signs of World Politics

"You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars... for nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom..." (Matthew 24:6-7)

I taught international politics for 20 years before I entered the ministry full time, so this is an area that is particularly fascinating to me.

The Bible prophesies a very specific end time configuration of world politics. Israel is pictured as being re-established (Ezekiel 37:21-22) and surrounded by hostile Arab neighbors intent on its destruction (Ezekiel 35:1 - 36:7). This, of course has been the situation in the Middle East since the Israeli Declaration of Independence in May of 1948.

Fulfilled: Rumours of War Rising

In recent publications we reviewed the Bible prophecies relating to earthquakes. We concluded that a rise in the frequency of earthquakes yet lies ahead for the world; moreover, that there are two distinct groups of earthquakes that are yet to occur. Firstly, there is the heightened earthquake activity that unfolds in the first half of the Tribulation period. These quakes are the ones mentioned by Christ in the Olivet Discourse. (“Earthquakes in divers places,” Matthew 24:7, KJV). Secondly, there are five earthquake occurrences mentioned in the Book of Revelation, all of which follow the 5^th seal, therefore falling into the Great Tribulation period (namely, the latter 42 months of the 7-year Tribulation).

The Olivet prophecies mention other end time phenomena occurring besides earthquakes. When the disciples asked Christ, “When shall these things be?” He said the following:

50 Reasons Why we are living in the end times - Part 1

The Bible says we cannot know the time of the Lord's return (Matthew 25:13). But the Scriptures make it equally clear that we can know the season of the Lord's return (1 Thessalonians 5:2-6):

"You yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night... But you brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night or darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober."