Second in the "Hastening Armageddon" Series

Who Will Fail Israel? (4.26.12)

Revelation 16,14: "For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world to gather them to the battle of that great day of God almighty."

Revelation 17,11-14a: "The [political-secular] Beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth [king], and is one of the seven, and is going to perdition. 12 The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdon as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. 14 These will make war with the Lamb [ie Israel who will soon, amidst great tribulation, look upon their messiah in faith per Zechariah 12,10].

Revelation 13,14;"And he [the religious beast of all worldy religion] deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the [political] beast, telling those who dwell on earth to make an image [big, global corporate, primarily television media, that sells fear, war, scandal, wall street, scarcity and mimics the political beast] to the beast..."

Luke 21,20: "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near." (Note in Luke, unlike Matthew 24,15ff and Mark 13,19, there is no mention of a temple desecration that desolates Israel, which was fulfilled by the Romans in 70 AD until 1948. So, Luke is prophesying a final desolation of Israel by armies (plural) led by modern kings.)

The economy of Europe is in contraction, and the debts of the member states are mounting. Germany seems to be saying "No Mas."

Bailout universe?

Not likely.

The Euro, the currency that was going to rival the dollar, and make European unity easy, is on the brink of failure.

There's a depressing messiness soon to come from across the pond. And it could spread throughout the whole world.  

What could divert Europe's and the West's attention to its own worsening economic plight?

Well more war could, but after the Libya gambit- there doesn't seem to be much popular passion for more. It's too costly, requires too much bloodshed on all sides, and what precisely has any of it in the last sixty years solved?

How about an all out "peace offensive" in the Mideast in the name of checking repression in Syria, and inhibiting Iran's nuclear capabilities, and ensuring that the oil based world economy still flows.

At least this might ensure Europe's renewed Gallic sense on the world stage?

Luke 21,20 and Revelation 16,14 predict Israel will be militarily surrounded by armies, not necesssarily just enemies, but by armies, that is, perhaps by "allies" too (despite the fact that God clearly states at Zechariah 12,3ff that Israel's strength and defense is in Him only).

So Israel's allies and enemies surround her, all in the name of peace and righteousness, and thereafter, if and when Israel defends herself against say Iran, a supranational leader could emerge from one of those allies or enemies, a man already on the ground, to temper and chastise Israel (even to temper and chastise Islam), and to ration out the region's oil (while big media says "take the mark, or no gas for you"), a leader who takes charge of a beastly world government, as cheered by the UN, and the modern religious class, tired and dismissive of anything remotely supernatural, let alone the biblical claims of Israel. 

(Will the US government, representing a young nation born in protest and dissent from wordliness, still have enough kick and creativity left in it to resist such a crafty world leader?)

And then in the name of ensuring the free flow of oil, an empire run by this peace loving leader militarizes the whole region, and subdues all comers in and outside of Israel (Daniel 11,40-45). This transnational leader forges an empire that generously provides a world safe for transnational corporations who wouldn't want to see European markets, or any others, fail. 

It would be a brave new international world, peopled by good consumers, well skilled, slavish and underpaid, not a world of inefficient faithful folks who want to live in God fearing nations and seek and enjoy the freedoms and light of God.

What about China and Russia? 

Daniel 11,44-45 doesn't apparently leave them out of this hastening Armageddon drama. They will see the success of this eighth king out of Europe, and even though they got to the world domination dance a little late, they are going to want a cut of the economic pie administered by the beast: 

"but reports coming from the East and the north will worry him [the political antichrist world ruler], and in great fury he will set out to bring ruin and complete destruction to many. He will pitch the tents of his royal headquarters between the sea and the mountains of the Holy Splendour. Yet he will come to his end- there will be no help for him." (see the more elaborate Ezekiel 38-39, which adds Iran to this final mix of nations hurtling themselves to Armageddon)    

Amidst this real national and spiritual trial for Israel (thankfully only three and a half to seven years), some in Israel will have escaped to oil producing lands, east of the Jordan, lands conspicuously off limits to the violence, Daniel 11,41, see also Numbers 35,14).

Some will have been martyred, and some will have seen in faith Christ's coming to save Israel (Revelation 11-12), his precious lamb:

"At that time Michael will arise- the great Prince, defender of your people. That will be a time of great distress, unparalleled since nations first came into existence. When that time comes, your people [Israel] will be spared- all those whose names are written in the Book." (Daniel 12.1) 

Zechariah 9,14: 'Then the Lord will appear above them... the Lord will sound the trumpet." 

The Lord will sound the trumpet of judgment! I love this verse. In a world wherein so many men have blown the trumpets of war, the Lord gets the last such sound!

No violence in the end, but his judgment: "My eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord..." 

He himself blows this trump, not any old nation, or political alliance, or some mysterious transnational man looking to make a name for himself and run an empire. 

And well, dear friends, made in the image and likeness of God, from all the nations and people groups of this blessed world- when Jesus sounds the trumpet- it's judgment day.

And then we'll soon see who in the last days has come to Zion's hill for the right reasons.  

Br. Tobin

https://zionpentecostmission.com/iran,-israels-defense-and-hastening-armageddon.html (11.23.2011)

http://www.zionpentecostmission.com/gods-one-purpose-to-be-revealed.html (10-2-2014)

https://zionpentecostmission.com/asking-someone-before-going-to-war.html (9.11.2013)