What an eventful month it has been prophetically!  I think we have seen some major events which are setting up the political landscape that will bring about the rise of Antichrist, the Great Tribulation, and ultimately the Kingdom of God.  Back on 9/30/04 I explained why I believed this year's US presidential election could move the world closer to the end of the age [Link: Election Connections].  About a month after I wrote this, other signs appeared in the heavens which, in retrospect, appear to have been a marker for the events which have occurred in the month immediately following them.  I did not notice these signs earlier in the year when I wrote about the amazing signs of Shavuot [Pentecost] [Link: Pentecost Signs], but these signs are what kick off the unbelievable events of the past month and election cycle.

As you all know, we had a blood moon eclipse on 10/27/04.  Totality occurred from 10:23 to 11:45 PM Eastern time USA [4:23 to 5:45 AM on 10/28 in Jerusalem].  As they say, timing is everything, and the timing of this eclipse as seen from Jerusalem is very interesting indeed.  Basically, the eclipse reached totality resulting in a bright blood moon, then the fully eclipsed blood moon set in the west around 5 AM as seen from Jerusalem.  The moon was also in Aries.  At the same time the moon was setting on the western horizon in Aries, Saturn could be seen directly overhead in Gemini.  Moreover, there was a conjunction of Venus, Jupiter and Mars in Virgo rising on the eastern horizon.  This took place just before sunrise in Jerusalem.

Following is the Hebrew/Biblical meaning of these objects:

• A blood moon is related to the end times and will be part of a major sign heralding the Day of the Lord.
• Aries [Teleh] means the Lamb sent forth.
• Saturn [Shabbtai] generally represents Satan.
• Gemini [Teomaim] represents the twins united, working together; His rule on the Earth.
• Venus [Nogah] is the Morning Star, and can represent Satan as well.
• Jupiter [Tzedek] is the King star, the Lord our righteousness.
• Mars [Madim/Maa'dim] signifies Michael the warrior angel, the personification of war, or war itself.
• Virgo [Bethulah] the virgin represents the woman Israel.

With these definitions in mind, we see the following represented in the heavens as seen from Jerusalem on:

• A sign that the Day of the Lord must be near in the eclipsed blood moon in Aries setting towards the earth.  We know from the Word that it is the Lamb of God who will execute the Day of the Lord on the earth, so this is a very strong representation of this event.
• We also see Saturn in Gemini directly overhead at the same time.  This shows us that Satan is against the twins which could represent both Israel and the Church.  This sign was directly overhead only in the Middle East.  In North America this sign occurred on the eastern horizon.  I believe this to be a very important detail in light of the events which followed this sign.  We know that it is Satan through the Antichrist who will persecute both Israel and the Church during the Great Tribulation.
• Finally, rising in the east was Venus, Jupiter and Mars in Virgo.  This shows us that God and Satan are at war over Israel.  Venus clearly should represent Satan in this sign because of the context of the two points we just observed.  Mars is also very interesting here because while it represents war, it also represents the archangel Michael.  We know from Daniel that Michael is "The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people" [Dan 12:1 NKJV].  We'll look at this point in more detail shortly.

So now lets look at what happened around these signs and the month following them.  On Tuesday 10/26/04 the Israeli government, the Knesset, for the first time in their history officially committed to giving up the land of the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank, forcing the removal of Jewish settlements.  Prior to this, land for peace was only part of now defunct agreements.  Israel had never actually executed on giving up land permanently.  It only moved out of some areas temporarily, but has subsequently moved back since the Intifada.  Within one day of this historic event, the eclipse signs in the heavens that point to the Great Tribulation occurred.  Also, on the very same day as the signs, we got the first news from the newswires that Arafat had become very ill and was slipping in and out of consciousness.  A few weeks later, on 11/11/04, Arafat dies.  As a side note, 11 11 is that interesting number people have been seeing and dreaming about for years.

If we look at the history of Arafat, we clearly see that it was he specifically who was the impediment to any possible peace deal between the Israelis and Palestinians.  He is the one who turned down every offer and concession the Israelis put forward.  It is he who orchestrated much of the terror of the past several decades.  Now he is gone and we see the world's movement and pressure towards peace once again.  We should also consider the prophecies about how the removal of Arafat will facilitate the end times.  These have been posted at the doves and elsewhere over the past several years.

Going back to Daniel, we see that 12:1 states "At that time Michael shall stand up, The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation, Even to that time..." [NKJV].  I believe it is likely that the death of Arafat will allow the political changes that may ultimately result in, or be associated with, the rise of Antichrist and the start of the Great Tribulation.  Is God angry with the decision the Israel government just made regarding His land?  Did Michael just stand up and effect the removal of Arafat?  Perhaps.  We have to watch the peace effort very carefully over the next few months and 2005.  Remember, it is at a time when they are saying "Peace and Safety" that the sudden destruction of the tribulation will come.  And the signs in the heavens appear to be pointing directly at this.

Exactly one week after the signs of 10/27/04 we get the US election results on 11/3/04: Bush wins by 3 1/2 million votes.  This is the result I had been expecting if the hypothesis I presented in my first election connections letter was correct.  In the weeks following the election, we have seen a marked increase in rhetoric about Iran's nuclear program and what needs to be done about it, again as expected.  We have also seen the president consolidate his power with cabinet appointments which could support a harder line against Iran, Syria and others who support terror.  Especially when compared to the departing cabinet members.  This is simply amazing in my opinion.

Now lets look at an additional detail about the Antichrist's empire from Daniel.  In Daniel chapter 2 we have Nebuchadnezzar's dream of the great statue and Daniel's interpretation of it.  The statue is divided into 5 segments representing 5 kingdoms.  But what many people miss is the fact that each of the 5 segments are also made out of separate substances.  The 5 substances are 1) gold 2) silver 3) brass 4) iron, and 5) iron & clay.  Each substance represents some characteristic of the kingdom that the statue segment represents, starting first with the Babylonians.  The gold represents the "superiority" of the Babylonians, just as verses 38-39 state of Nebuchadnezzar's Babylonian kingdom "...Thou art this head of gold. And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee..." [KJV].  Just as silver is inferior to gold, the kingdom of Medo-Persia was inferior in some respects to the Babylonians.  Likewise, the kingdom of Greece is brass, which is inferior to silver.  So, we know that the kingdom of Greece was inferior when compared to both to the Babylonians and the Medo-Persians.  The fourth kingdom, Rome, is represented by iron which Daniel 2:40 tells us represents the strength and brutality of that kingdom.  Lastly, there is the clay.  What exactly the clay represents is not stated, other than it does not mix well with the iron.  Is it possible that the phrase "potter's clay" [verse 41] may refer to the common people in some respect?  And, conversely, that the precious metals represent the royalty of the first three kingdoms, with Iron representing the absolute imperial strength of Rome through it's non-royal Caesars?

As I have presented in previous letters, it is my hypothesis that it's the eastern half of Rome [the Iron], which now encompasses the northern Middle East, where the Antichrist's kingdom will rise.  This area is now Islamic.  Islam identifies with the brutal strength by which it rose to prominence and now governs, just as Rome originally did [I.E. The iron characteristic of the feet and toes].  But something else is happening in parts of this area now.  Because of our overthrow of Saddam's regime, Iraq is instituting a new form of government in the Middle East; a democratic government of, and elected by, the common people!  The same thing may happen in Gaza and the West Bank regarding the Palestinians in the wake of Arafat's death.  Is this the clay that mingles into the iron but doesn't quite mix?  I am sure the rest of the regimes of the Middle East are not happy with these changes, and the ideals of democracy do not mix well with the laws of Islam.

If my hypothesis is correct, we should see things escalate in the Middle East.  Two more nations from this region will change, either through direct action by the US and it's coalition, or indirect actions such as a coup or revolution which cause destabilizing regime changes.  Perhaps they will be Iran and Syria.  Then, either concurrent to or following these events, a leader will arise who will take control of Iraq and the two others that have had regime change.  He will corral 7 other Arab nations of this region forming a coalition which could associate or federate itself with all other Islamic nations in the world into one political Islamic Caliphate.  Then all hell could break loose, literally.  The question of Israel and the Palestinians will also continue to dominate the world scene with Jerusalem becoming continually burdensome to all the nations.

The events of the past month appear to have set the stage for major movement towards the end of the age and fulfillment of prophecy.  I have stated in my letters for several years that I believed 2005 will be a pivotal year.  Then there are the heavenly signs of Shavout in May and Israel's decision to part Gods land in October.  Next year there will be the great signs in the heavens as I outlined in a letter back in May [Link: Incredible Heavenly Signs in 2005].  Again, this is my current working hypothesis based upon my scriptural research, current events, and the signs in the heavens.  I could be wrong.  I know many hold to other views regarding the rise of the Antichrist.  In any case, keep your faith in Him strong, and keep an objective eye on the events in the Middle East.

YBIC, Chris aka Prophbuff