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Palestinians and Israelis work toward a truce

by Michael G. Mickey

(1-24-05)

1st Thessalonians 5:3: For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

Why am I using this Scripture to begin a commentary on the topic of the Palestinians and Israelis working toward a truce which could end four years of bloody violence in the Middle East, as documented in a Yahoo News article? Because of what I believe a truce between these two Middle East rivals could lead to - the advent of the Antichrist and the onset of the seven-year Tribulation Period.

What we're witnessing today taking place concerning Middle East peace, in the big picture, is precisely what we've been told to watch for in Bible prophecy. In 1st Thessalonians 5:3, we're explicitly told there is going to come a time when the discussion of peace and safety, as odd as it may seem, will result in sudden destruction rather than peace!

The prophet Daniel tells us a prince/leader of Roman descent is going to confirm a seven-year covenant of peace in the Middle East between Israel and her enemies. When he does, we're told, he will confirm the covenant "with many" - a possible reference to the Quartet of Russia, the United States, the European Union, and the United Nations, although I'm by no means dogmatic in stating that. (Daniel 9:26-27)

Why do I believe the Quartet could be the "many" Daniel prophesied? Because the final empire which will rule the world, the revived Roman empire - the European Union, is a member of the Quartet. The leader of Roman descent who will ultimately lead the European Union to become a global power unlike any previously known in mankind's history - the prophesied Antichrist - will, ironically, begin his rapid ascent to the top of the world as a peacemaker - a man who will confirm peace in the Middle East!

One of the stumbling blocks to peace negotiations taking place between the Palestinians and Israelis has been the Palestinians' inability (or lack of willingness) to control radical groups which strive to keep tensions high between the two rivals. Because this has been the case, Israel has told world leaders, particularly European Union leaders, the Jewish nation won't be making any serious effort to discuss peace in the region until it sees action on the ground indicating the Palestinian Authority is serious about ending the cycle of violence in the region, as documented in a recent Jersualem Post article. At the moment, the Palestinians seem interested in being responsive to Israel's demands, potentially creating an environment favorable to peace negotiations beginning in the aftermath of a truce being reached between the two - negotiations which could lead to the advent of the Antichrist.

Could the prophesied Antichrist really be alive in our world today? I believe, with all my heart, he is, especially as I watch the European Union's global influence growing daily.

As I continue to document to the best of my ability, the future kingdom of the Antichrist - the European Union - is rapidly moving into position to become the global empire Bible prophecy seems to indicate it will be at the time of Christ's visible, physical, bodily return to the earth. Just this morning, for example, I read an EU Observer article which states the newly-inaugurated president of Ukraine, Victor Yushchenko, is already saying his country’s future lies with the ever-expanding European Union. Yuschenko is quoted in the article as saying, "Our way to the future is the way of a united Europe. We, along with the people of Europe, belong to one civilisation. Our place is in the European Union."

While the world's population slumbers spiritually, a Beast kingdom is growing in Europe, spreading across the globe like an out of control cancer. Eventually, we're told, this Beast kingdom will devour the whole earth, tread it down, and break it in pieces. (Daniel 7:23)

What the burgeoning European Union currently lacks - a visible, strong, powerful, globally-respected leader - may well be on the way to guide the EU toward its unspoken goal of conquering the world, particularly if a truce is negotiated between the Israelis and Palestinians, opening diplomatic doors the prophesied prince/leader of Daniel 9:26-27 will be able to walk through in the not-too-distant future.

Keep looking up! Our redemption draweth nigh!
 
 

Revisiting Oslo

by Michael G. Mickey

(1-25-05)

In yesterday's commentary, I made reference to the fact a truce in the Middle East, which may be in the process of forming between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, could open diplomatic doors the prophesied Antichrist - a leader of Roman descent who will eventually become the leader of a globalized European Union - could walk through in the not-too-distant future. Do I feel any differently on the topic today? Absolutely not, particularly after one of my site's readers picked up on something in a Yahoo News article I've suggested, on a number of occasions in the past, could form the basis for a seven-year peace covenant to be confirmed in the Middle East in fulfillment of Daniel 9:26-27. What did she see? The potential that the seven-year Oslo Accords may be about to be revisited!

The Yahoo News article, entitled 'Barak: 2000 Plan Basis for Peace Talks', states the following, in its opening paragraph (emphasis added mine):

The Mideast peace plan from which Yasser Arafat walked away in 2000 remains the most practical basis for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Israel's chief architect of the proposal said Monday. Which peace plan did Yasser Arafat walk away from in 2000? The Oslo Accords! Who was, as the Yahoo News article states, Israel's "chief architecht" of a proposal based on the principles of Oslo when Arafat walked away in 2000? Ehud Barak!

In the Yahoo News article, Ehud Barak makes a comment I hope everyone will commit to memory, as it could indicate Oslo, or a peace plan so similar you'd barely be able to detect a difference between the two, could form the basis for the peace plan Bible prophecy tells us will be confirmed in the Middle East in the future, in fulfillment of Daniel 9:26-27. Barak states, concerning the quest for Middle East peace:

"The Israeli silent majority is ripe for it, but they don't want to be manipulated. There will be a peace agreement, and you would need a magnifying glass to identify the difference between the agreement that will be achieved and the work of Camp David." The Quartet of the United States, the European Union, Russia, and the United Nations is determined to bring peace to the Middle East. If Ehud Barak is right, it's conceivable the Quartet will soon revisit the Oslo Accords with an eye toward insuring the things that happened in the past, which derailed the Oslo Accords, don't happen again.

The Oslo Accords, signed September 13, 1993, were to result in the creation of an independent Palestinian state by September 13, 2000, but it never came to pass. Why? For two reasons:

Because Yasser Arafat didn't want it to happen!

No one in the international community did anything to prevent the enemies of peace, which included Arafat, from derailing Oslo.

That, my friends, is demonstrative of why someone may be forced to step in and confirm a seven-year peace plan in the Middle East, perhaps through the use of peacekeeping forces, with the support of many in the international community in the not-too-distant future. I'm not stating that is precisely how it will happen, but asserting we may be witnessing the laying of a foundation which will ultimately lead to the advent of the Antichrist - an event which will be preceded by the Rapture of the Church!

If so, the time of the Church's departure from a world that has forgotten its God may be close - even at the door! Keep looking up and tell someone - ANYONE - Jesus Christ is coming soon!