World News Through the Third Lens: Israel Dominates the News

Israel dominates the headlines, but not in the United States. I found none of the following stories in the local paper, either yesterday or today. Life goes on in the West, with precious little concern for the land of God's promise, or the people to whom He promised it. Meanwhile things are heating up on all sides surrounding the little strip of land called Israel. US Veto of PA Bid for UN State Recognition Not the End of the Matter (Jerusalem Post). Palestine could still gain recognition as a non-member state, with observer status. This would require only a simple majority vote of the General Assembly. 120 countries have already recognized Palestine. A decision is expected before the end of September.

UN Secretary General: Palestinian Statehood is Long Overdue. (Ha'aretz) Ban-Ki-Moon went on to say, "The two state vision where Israel and Palestinians can live side by side in peace and security -- that is still a valid vision and I support it." As illogical as was the original Road map to Peace, it at least contained certain conditions that Palestine must keep for the process to move forward: 1) recognition of Israel as a legal state in the region, 2) renounce terror against the Jewish nation, 3) dismantle all terrorist groups within its territory, 4) end all forms of anti-Israel incitement within its systems. Not one of these conditions has been met, and yet the UN is about to recognize Palestine as a legal state. To Islamists, the two state solution is neither a reality nor a vision.

Israel Faces Worst Crisis With Egypt for 30 Years as Diplomats Flee (INN). Hundreds of protesters tore down the protective barrier in front of the building housing the Israeli embassy, stormed the building and entered the floors of the embassy, destroying hundreds of documents in the process, while 86 embassy members were air-lifted to safety. Egyptian security forces did not intervene, even as the Israeli flag was torn down and burned. This is the new face of "democracy" in Egypt which was supported by President Obama. The peace between Israel and Egypt has now been strained to the breaking point.

Jordanians Planning March on Israeli Embassy (INN). A group in Amman has called for one million people to gather at the large mosque near the Israeli Embassy, and to then march on it and do what protesters did in Cairo just last Friday.

Turkish Warships to Challenge Israel (DEBKA). Turkish PM, Tayyip Erdogan announced that Turkish warship would henceforth accompany any aid ships on route to the Gaza Strip. This is in spite of the fact that this piece of land was given over to the Palestinians by Israel, and included in the cost was the displacement of over 9,000 Israeli citizens. The Palestinians destroyed most of the infrastructure left behind, killed many of their own during the infighting between Hamas and Fatah, and then continued to bombard the south of Israel with rockets and missiles. This lead to Operation Lead Cast in which Israel defended herself as any sovereign nation would, only to incur false defamation on the part of UN inspectors. Even now, rockets and missiles are fired into Israeli settlements, with no regard for targets.

Through the Third Lens of Scripture: "The burden of the word of the Lord against Israel. Thus says the Lord, who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him: 'Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall happen in that day that i will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it'" (Zechariah 12:1-3). It's beginning to take shape, just as the Lord declared it. The problem in the Middle east, with Jerusalem the epi-center, will get so intense that peace will be sought at all cost; and to the relief of the un-believing world, it will be gained. Even the majority of Israel, gathered in the land in unbelief, will accept this 7 year peace agreement.

This will be the time for the saints of God to be watching and waiting for the return of their Lord and King. It will mark the beginning of Daniel's 70th week and the opening of the first seal in Revelation 6. It will be a time when faith must be strengthened, and trust renewed, for this will mark the beginning of sorrows. Follow the drama in Matthew 24. This will be a time when deception runs rampant, man-made and natural disasters increase, persecution of the true church intensifies, false prophets abound and apostasy runs rampant. This will lead right up to the "abomination of desolation" spoken of in Daniel 9:27, followed by the worst persecution the church has ever faced. Those days will be cut short by the return of Christ, who will raise the faithful dead, and in an instant transform those living in Him, gathering them all together to meet Him in the air (Matthew 24:22, 31; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

This is just a brief summary of events to expect in the future, and in no way is meant to predict the timing of Christ's return. However, it is important to say to anyone reading this, "Let no man deceive you..." There is much deception out there concerning the return of Christ, ranging from exact date predictions (like last May 21st) to an "any-time rapture." While we do not, and will not know the day or the hour of Christ's return, He has gone to great lengths to give us the signs. That is why Paul said, "...concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write you" (1 Thessalonians 5:1). He goes on to say that "the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night" (1 Thessalonians 5:2). Don't be deceived into thinking that the day of the Lord is the entire seven years of Daniel's 70th week. It is not! The day of the Lord is not unbelieving man's wrath against the church, neither is it the wrath of Satan through the Antichrist against the church. The church must go through all of this, by which she will be purified and made spotless. The day of the Lord comes and He pours out His wrath upon the world, sometime well into the second half of the 7 year period, and only after He has gathered His saints unto himself - thereby cutting short the Great Tribulation. This happens between the 6th and 7th seals of Revelation. The signs are all there. Today's headlines are just harbingers of the signs that are yet to come..........shortly, it seems.

"And when you see these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift your heads; for your redemption draws near" (Luke 21:28).