Paving the road

...to the Tribulation. We see it every day. The headlines tell the story:

"Holocaust could happen again, warns expert"

In his new book "A Lethal Obsession: Anti-Semitism from Antiquity to the Global Jihad," Hebrew University Professor Robert Wistrich explains that the politics and social attitudes that gave rise to and allowed the Nazi Holocaust to occur are still very much with us. In particular, Wistrich notes that Islam has much more openly conducted a religious war against the Jews in recent years, while Europe and the West have reacted with general indifference to that fact.

"We are in an era once again where the Jews are facing genocidal threats as a people," Wistrich said in an interview with Ha'aretz. "We have not been in that situation for quite a while. And maybe this is the first time since the Holocaust that Jews feel that this is palpable."

Wistrich also acknowledged the enormous rise in anti-Semitism in Europe in recent years, fueled largely by more brazen Muslim populations there.

An annual study done by Tel Aviv University titled "Anti-Semitism Worldwide" revealed that attacks on and harassment of Jews doubled in 2009, especially in Europe and Canada.

"Openly Anti-Semitic Party Gains Power in Hungary"

On Sunday, Hungarian Jews protested in Budapest against the anti-Semitic climate in the country in advance of the elections. Recent anti-Semitic incidents have included vandalism, a neo-Nazi rally, and an attack on a rabbi's home over Passover.

In 2009, Jobbik candidate-for-parliament Judit Szima was accused of approving an article for publication that referred to anti-Semitism as “the duty of every Hungarian homeland lover,” and called to “prepare for armed battle against the Jews.” Another candidate, Krisztina Morvai, allegedly responded to criticism by saying, “I would be glad if the so-called proud Hungarian Jews would go back to playing with their tiny little circumcised tail rather than vilifying me.”

The party's magazine recently ran a picture of a statue of a bishop holding a menorah instead of a cross. “Is this what you want?” the headline asked.

"Israeli Study Shows Rise in Anti-Semitism"

As Israel commemorates the Holocaust, a new study shows a surge in anti-Semitism.

An Israeli report shows that 2009 had the most anti-Semitic acts since monitoring of such incidents began 20 years ago. According to the Institute for the Study of Contemporary Anti-Semitism and Racism, the number of violent incidents totaled 1,129 last year compared to 559 in 2008.

The report said that Muslim and left-wing activists have joined forces to demonize Israel on college campuses in the United States and Europe.

"One of the extraordinary paradoxes is that the very places of learning where you expect to educate, to enlighten, in many cases they have become a kind of fountain for anti-Semitism, wrapped up of course in their anti-Israel human-rights rhetoric," Wistrich said.

"Turkey to Challenge Israel, Support Hamas"

Turkey is planning a gesture that will challenge Israel and provide support to Gaza's Hamas leaders next month. A flotilla of ships funded by Turkey will approach Gaza in May, in an attempt to challenge Israeli control at sea - or, as organizers put it, “break Israel's illegal blockade on Gaza.”

Gaza terrorists have previously used incoming ships to smuggle arms, and have used the sea to transport bombs to the coast of southern Israel.

IHH organizers said they see several possible outcomes to their venture: either Israel will allow them to land in Gaza, giving them a PR victory, or Israel will prevent them from reaching Gaza by stopping the ships or seizing their cargo, thus subjecting itself to international condemnation. Another scenario is that Israel's navy might fire on the ships, which could possibly be considered a declaration of war on the ships' countries.

Ties between Israel and Turkey have been strained since early 2009, when Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other senior leaders harshly condemned Israel for its counterterrorism operations in Gaza. Erdogan publicly snubbed President Shimon Peres, Turkey later held a joint military exercise with Syria, and cancelled Israel's participation in a scheduled military exercise.

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The rise of anti-Israeli sentiment around the world is very ominous. Many authors have compared the current era to the era just prior to WWII and the Holocaust.

What is prophetic about these current events is obvious: The persecution of Jews and Christians during the Tribulation will be unprecedented it scope and magnitude. Anyone not willing to serve and worship the antichrist will be put to death, and this will primarily involve Jews and Christians who have reached salvation during the Tribulation. The world is preparing for that era now, and it is obvious.

Also of significance, as seen in the last article posted, we see Turkey continuing their anti-Israeli stance. This is a relatively new (but ongoing now for a couple of years) finding. The significance of this is found in chapters 38 and 39 of the book of Ezekiel, where an invasion of Israel is described. The easiest countries to identify from these ancient scriptures are Russia, Iran and Turkey. Turkey seemed ambivalent towards Israel for years - and prophecy watchers have been keeping a keen eye on Turkey.

For a while, it appeared that Turkey could become rooted in the EU and develop a more "western approach" to government and to their allies. However, over the past two years, Turkey's alliances with Russia and Iran have become very strong, with an array of financial and military agreements forged with both countries. During this process, the anti-Israeli rhetoric has reached epic levels. In today's world, Turkey now sounds no different from Iran or any of the terrorist groups in the region in terms of their anti-Israeli statements.

Just as biblical prophecy would dictate.

Then, to close, we see the following:

"Iran threatens, world remains silent"

"A free society must ask itself what it should do in the face of evil forces who aim to destroy it and to trample human beings and their rights underfoot. There is no limitless tolerance, and we must draw the line. This is the question that all enlightened states must ask. The historic failure of the free nations before the Nazi beast was in the fact that they did not gather to oppose it in time, when it was still possible to stop it.

"We are witness today to the new-old fire of hate, hatred of Jews inflamed by organizations and regimes of extremist Islam, most of all Iran and its satellites. Iran's leaders are scurrying to develop nuclear weapons and freely announce their desire to destroy Israel, but before these repeated declarations to wipe the Jewish state from the face of the earth, at best we hear faint protest, and even this is fading.

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It's all happening right on schedule. As we approach the Tribulation, the road is being paved for the arrival of the antichrist - and that point is more clear today than ever before.