Thats another factor that should convince anyone of the accuracy and literal nature of biblical prophecy. Just take a quick look at the major signs, and ask yourself if ANY of these signs have shown any reversal or anything that would suggest they are diminishing in any way. The answer is a firm "no":
- Wars and rumors of war
- Earthquakes
- Famine
- Pestilences
- Growth of the EU (now, more accurately stated "EU/Med Union", aka "revived Roman Empire")
- Jerusalem as a burdensome stone
- Israel surrounded by enemies
- The "Gog-MaGog" coalition
- Russia's rise in power and influence in the region
- The ongoing increases in travel and knowledge
- Biblical prophecy's "scrolls" being revealed or "opened"
- Rise of China as a world power
- Tensions in the Middle East
- The "nations" all turning against Israel
Are ANY of these signs showing ANY signs of regressing or reversing course?
In this context, just today, we see the following news items which support this view:
Categories: * Jerusalem as a burdensome stone and * The world aligning itself against Israel
"Middle East Quartet condemns Israeli settlement plan"
The first quotes say it all:
"The Middle East diplomatic Quartet on Friday issued a rare condemnation of Israel for its plans to build new settler homes, warning that unilateral actions would not be recognized by the world community."
The group -- the European Union, the United States, Russia and the United Nations -- "condemns Israel's decision to advance planning for new housing units in East Jerusalem."
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Categories: * Jerusalem as a burdensome stone, * Wars and rumors of war:
"Deputy FM tells U.S.: Israel won't make any more concessions"
Quotes:
"Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon on Thursday defended Israel's decision to approve construction of 1,600 new housing units in East Jerusalem, saying sovereignty over the capital has never been negotiable and that Israel would not make any more concessions for peace."
"There is no doubt that the Palestinians will try to use this to either stop the upcoming indirect peace talks, or to extort more concessions from us, and I have explained to U.S. government officials that there will be no more concessions," said the deputy minister.
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Category: * The increasing influence of the EU in the Middle East:
"EU has leverage with Israel on talks"
Quotes:
"The European Union could use closer trade ties as leverage to urge Israel to resume peace talks with the Palestinians, the EU's top diplomat said on Saturday ahead of a trip to the region."
"EU high representative for foreign affairs, Catherine Ashton, who begins her first visit to the Middle East on Sunday, said the European Union would be active in getting peace talks to resume and had influence in the issue."
"Our ambition is that they know -- because they do -- that the solution lies in a negotiated settlement. Our view is that it needs to happen quickly and now, with the opportunity that that affords Israel ... to be able to enhance the relationships it wants with us in any event for the future."
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Categories: * Jerusalem as a burdensome stone, * Nations aligned against Israel
"Report: U.S. vows to halt Israeli building in East Jerusalem"
Quotes:
"A Palestinian official told the newspaper Al-Quds Al-Arabi Saturday that U.S. Middle East envoy George Mitchell promised Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas that the U.S. will bring a halt to Israeli building in East Jerusalem."
"In an interview with CNN aired Friday night, United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Israel's announcement of new construction of homes in a Jewish neighborhood in East Jerusalem was "insulting" to the United States."
"In addition to the U.S. condemnation of Israel's announcement, the Quartet of Middle East peacemakers also condemned on Friday Israel's announcement approving new construction in east Jerusalem."
The last quotes from this article are perhaps the most disturbing, and would come under the category of Genesis 12:3, where God firmly declared that He would bless those who bless Israel and curse those who curse Israel:
The U.S. based Anti-Defamation League said late Friday that it was "stunned" by Clinton's "dressing down" of Israel.
"We cannot remember an instance when such harsh language was directed at a friend and ally of the United States," said Abraham Foxman, director of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), in a statement.
The ADL called Clinton's remarks a "gross overreaction" to a "policy difference among friends."
"One can only wonder how far the U.S. is prepared to go in distancing itself from Israel in order to placate the Palestinians in the hope they see it is in their interest to return to the negotiating table," Foxman said.
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Category: Wars and rumors of war:
"UN worried about war of words between Israel and Lebanon"
"war of words" sounds a lot like "rumors of war" to me.
Quotes:
"A recent wave of bellicose rhetoric between Israel and Lebanon has fueled fears the two hostile neighbors could be headed for another conflict, the UN special coordinator for Lebanon said on Friday."
"Defense Minister Ehud Barak, said recently that Hezbollah now has some 45,000 missiles and rockets in Lebanon, higher than previous estimates."
"We don't need this conflict but if it is imposed upon us, we will not run after every individual terrorist but we will take... the Lebanese government and the Lebanese infrastructure as part of the equation facing us," he said.
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Category: Russia continues its resurgence and influence in the Region:
"Vladmir Putin forging ahead with vision of Eurasian empire"
Quotes:
"The Soviet Union is gradually being rebuilt as Vladimir Putin eyes a return to the Kremlin. The man who declared the collapse of the Communist state to be the “greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the century” appears determined to forge a new empire."
"The three states have already established a customs union and plan to form a single economic market by 2012. Mr Shuvalov said that he would not rule a currency union as “the next logical step”, adding that it would be modelled on the euro."
"Were Ukraine to sign up, there would be a common economic space encompassing the “Big Four” republics of the Soviet era, with a combined population of 213 million and stretching from the European Union to China. Its political, military and economic centre would be in Moscow, where Mr Putin is expected to reclaim the presidency in 2012 for up to 12 more years."
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Category: Earthquakes
All one has to do is look at the map - it speaks for itself:
Earthquake Map"
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One day.
One day in the news, and we see multiple, biblical "end times" signs progressing exactly as biblical prophecy would dictate. One day of news. That is one of the aspects of prophecy that is so compelling; to deny this represents a form of denial that I cannot relate to. Its right there - everyday. These news are available to almost everyone - and can accessed at any time.
The signs are all here. We see them daily - today is just one example.
Most of the world remains in a combination of ignorance and/or denial of the signs. In addition, there are scoffers, who seize any opportunity to ridicule prophecy and its "watchers", and do so for a variety of reasons (hint: none of the scoffers are attempting to advance God's Kingdom)
Perhaps that is why diligence and persistence in "prophecy watching" by individuals, (which is typically done for one main reason - a love for Jesus and an excitement that we will be in His presence soon) - is said to receive a special reward in Heaven:
"Now there is in store for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not to me only but to all who have longed for his appearing" (2 Timothy 4:8).
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