Hello Pastor Riley:

I knew I could count on you for a reply. One final thought about your 2^nd paragraph. You said “But even if there is a Palestinian State (or cause) among the nations mentioned in Zechariah 14, why would they stop with only half the city?” That’s my whole point Brother Riley, when the invasion started, the ARABS already had control of “the other half “probably thru the existence of a Palestinian State. Therefore they would have no reason to take “the other half” of the city into captivity because at that point in time they already had possession of that half (most likely East Jerusalem).

As you know the Arabs lost East Jerusalem in the Six day war, and currently don’t have control over it. Therefore sometime between today Feb. 12, 2005 and the time Jesus gathers those nations to battle against Jerusalem in Zec.14:2, it appears they might peacefully regain control of that “half”, most likely thru the mechanism of a future Palestinian State having EAST Jerusalem (the other half) as their capital.

The 2^nd paragraph of Jim Bramlett’s 02/10/05 post “EDOM SPEAKS OUT ON TV” stated: In the official Friday sermon broadcast last week, senior Muslim figure Ibrahim Mudyris explained that the diplomatic process (1^st stage) can only achieve a return to the borders Israel had before the 1967 war. The final stage (2^nd stage), he said will be the destruction of Israel "the way Muhammad returned there as a conqueror."

I wanted to clear that up what I meant, because your 100% right “why would they stop with only half the city” unless they already had control of “that other half”?

In His Service,

David Burnette