Bible News: US Drone Strike Puts Middle East on High Alert
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The New Year burst onto the scene with fireworks in Iraq. The American Embassy was besieged by the soldiers of the Kataib-Hezbollah on New Year’s Eve and looked like it would be overrun. With memories invoked of the 1979 fall of the US embassy in Iran and the ensuing hostage crisis, also the fall of the US Embassy in Tripoli in 2012, which resulted in the death of Ambassador, America was not going to stand by.
President Trump responded decisively with a missile attack, which killed the leader of Iran’s Quds Force, Qasem Soleimani, along with Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy head of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Force.
President Trump stated the following:
The nations of the world are reeling, and their hearts are failing for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth (Luke 21:26). Governments around the world are shaken. Some world leaders are celebrating, while others are mourning and breathing out threatenings and slaughter.
Biblical Significance
While the political heavens are reverberating in shock, we search the scriptures for the significance of these events. Iran is the modern name for the biblical nation of Persia, the empire symbolized by the chest and arms of silver in Nebuchadnezzar’s nightmare image, which stood for the kingdoms of men. This mountain of flesh stands against the kingdom of God until the time of the end when we read:
Persia, or Iran, is “broken in pieces together” with the rest of the kingdoms of men. Iran is the latter-day representative of Persia, which will stand in the latter-day with Russia. This detail was emphasized by the prophet Ezekiel when he described the alliance that would invade Israel:
Persia is part of the Gogian confederacy, part of the great image empire that stands in the latter days, part of the company of nations that will align itself against Israel. The news we are seeing today is proof of that very fact.
Soleimani – the leader of Jerusalem’s Muslim Liberation
Many are asking who Soleimani was, and how this airstrike will affect Iran? Soleimani was head of the Quds forces, the elite unit of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The name Quds is very telling, named after al-Quds, the Muslim name for Jerusalem. Soleimani was head of the Jerusalem Corp, the elite unit charged with liberating Jerusalem and other cities in the name of Islam.
Many news services have been examining the bold move by Trump. A fascinating fact was the company Soleimani was keeping when at the time of his assassination. Republican Congressman Michael Waltz had the following to say to Fox News:
Soleimani was a leader, not just of Quds but of the Hezbollah, and regional terrorist leaders reported to him. He made himself an enemy of Israel by working through the various terror groups surrounding it. His influence was not limited to Iran and Iraq. Consider what former US Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North stated:
The strategy of Iran’s Quds Corps leader was to create a corridor between Iran, through Iraq and straight to Syria’s Bekaa Valley – giving it easy access to Israel. All of a sudden, this assassination takes on more considerable significance. We know at the time of the end, Iran (or Persia) will be with the king of the North (or Russia) when it makes its grand move against Israel.
This is the underlying theme that seems to come up with many of the commentators. Listen to Pete Hegseth, co-host of FOX News Channel’s FOX & Friends.
It isn’t lost on Israel’s leadership either. Netanyahu cut short his visit to Greece to rush home and handle the potential fallout from the strike in Iraq. Listen to what Netanyahu had to say:
As a side note here, the reason Netanyahu was in Greece was to strike a deal with Greece and Cyprus. AFP reported the following on January 2nd:
Turkey and Russia have both expressed concerns at this development which would enrich Israel, and potentially lead to competition in the European Gas Market, an issue Netanyahu tried to play down.
Russia’s Response
The Bible is clear about the relationship between Iran and Russia. Russia is to be a protector of Iran and other nations under its shield. We read in Ezekiel 38:7:
The phrase “be thou a guard unto them” implies they are under Russian hegemony. Some translations place the emphasis on Russia being their commander and taking charge of them. It is, therefore, no surprise, when we see the Russian reaction to the death of this terrorist, as posted on the website for The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian
Federation:
On January 3, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had a telephone conversation with United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
The parties discussed the situation in connection with the killing by the US military of Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Commander Major General Qasem Soleimani in an airstrike on Baghdad airport.
Sergey Lavrov stressed that targeted actions by a UN member state to eliminate officials of another UN member state, and on the territory of a third sovereign country without its knowledge grossly violate the principles of international law and deserve condemnation.
The Russian Minster pointed out that this act by the United States is fraught with grave consequences for the regional peace and stability, does not facilitate efforts to find solutions to the complicated issues that have built up in the Middle East but, on the contrary, leads to a new round of escalation. Moscow urges Washington to give up illegal military actions to achieve its goals on the international arena and to settle all problems at the negotiating table.
It is interesting that Russia appeals to international law in this case, but completely disregards it when it comes to invading Georgia, annexing the Crimea, or sending its troops to operate in Syria and Libya. Obviously, it is a power that has its own interests in mind, and not the peace and security of the region or the world – but then the Bible tells us of its devious plans:
Bringing the Arabs and Israel Together
As Bible students, what we have anticipated for years is an alliance to form between the Gulf States, Jordan, Egypt and Israel – under the shadow of Britain and America. The Bible requires it. Ezekiel speaks of a group of nations opposing the latter-day invasion:
Sheba and Dedan are ancient nations that lay within the territory of modern-day Saudi Arabia and Yemen.
Daniel speaks of nations that are spared from the King of the North’s invasion – meaning they are not allied with it:
Edom, Moab and Ammon are nations than inhabited the region of modern-day Jordan. They “escape” or are delivered out of the hand of the King of the North, meaning they are not with him. Egypt is a target of the attack, meaning it is not allied with the Russian confederacy either.
Yet the Middle East has been rife with Arab wars against Israel since its Israel’s founding. As Bible students, we have looked for a change in this regard.
This attack by America has been quietly hailed by the Arab nations in the region, who live in fear of Iran and its proxies. Listen to the words of Fox News’s Sean Hannity when interviewed by former Republican Congressman Jason Chaffetz about the events that have unfolded:
The Vision Tarries Not.
The events in Iraq, and through the Middle East this week have the world media reeling, politicians scrambling for contingency plans, and many people holding their breath wondering what happens next. As Bible students, we have confident anticipation of what is coming. It is not arrogance; it is faith – a firm belief that what God has promised he is able to perform, following the faith of Abraham:
We have waited for years to see the things that are currently going on take place. God encourages us through his prophets to have patience:
While it has taken years for these events to drop into place, true to God’s word, they have come to pass. Now we wait for the rest of the vision to speak, the return of the Lord Jesus Christ, which will surely come, it will not tarry. So reading these things, let us gird up our loins and run – preparing for the Lord’s return, living by faith and not by sight.
For the Bible in the News, this has been Jonathan Bowen joining you.
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