"Panic" in the Middle East?

"Egypt: Lebanon in 'panic' over fear of Israeli attack"

"Complete panic" is reigning in Lebanon because of fears of an Israeli attack and another war, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said in a closed meeting earlier this week, sources say.

In recent months, Israel has used diplomatic channels via the United States and European Union to relay warnings that Syria was transferring advanced weapons systems to Hezbollah.

Military censorship has prevented the publication of many details, but reporters and analysts in the foreign media have mentioned various types of arms that Israel says Syria has made available to Hezbollah. These include anti-aircraft missiles, Scuds, and in some reports, chemical weapons.

Senior officials in European countries recently received emotional messages from Lebanon's Prime Minister Saad Hariri, who asked that they intervene to contain Israel so it will not attack Lebanon.

Earlier this month, for example, Hariri met with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi; sources familiar with the meeting say Berlusconi was amazed at the great tension the Lebanese leader expressed about the possibility of an Israeli attack.

Let me make sure that I understand this...Lebanon has integrated Hezbollah into its government and into its military and declared publicly that there is no difference in "Hezbollah" and "Lebanon". In other words, the clear separation which used to exist between the terrorist group and the internationally recognized sovereign state of Lebanon no longer exists and the two are synonymous.

At the same time, Hezbollah completely controls southern Lebanon (at the Israeli border) and the last two "skirmishes" were initiated by Hezbollah as they launched missiles into Israel.

For the last 12-18 months, Hezbollah has been arming "to the teeth", with missiles received from Syria (ultimately from Iran/Russia).

Now they fear Israeli aggression.

What's wrong with this picture?

But wait, it gets better.

Israel, lets not forget, is completely surrounded by her enemies, all of whom have, at one time of another, publicly stated that Israel has no right to exist as an independent state, and should be destroyed ("pushed into the sea" is the preferred phrase).

But now, the international calls are for Israel to disarm:

"Report: U.S. in talks to declare Mideast nuclear-free zone"

The United States and Egypt are negotiating a proposal that would make the Middle East a nuclear-free zone, the Wall Street Journal reported Saturday...

Egypt and other Arab states have been demanding that any final declaration that might come out of the month-long UN nuclear nonproliferation conference planned to open on Monday would include the call for the creation of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East.

Israel is widely believed to have a sizable nuclear arsenal although it has not acknowledged it.


Many NPT signatories would also like the review conference to call for universality of the treaty - meaning that Israel, Pakistan and India should be pressured to sign and get rid of any warheads they have.

Then, as an extension of this thought process, we see yet another article which suggests that Israel will be divided by some kind of "international mandate":

"Reports: Obama preparing to force Israel's hand"

This so-called "international peace summit" is now being formally planned, and it could be called "international summit to force division of Israel and disarming of Israel".

The purpose of convening an international peace summit could only be to impose a peace settlement on the two sides, and if Obama's policies of late are anything to judge by, that peace settlement would greatly favor the Arabs by incorporating nearly all their demands.

Palestinian officials this week also said they had received assurances from US Middle East envoy George Mitchell that if Israel did not start complying with US-backed Arab demands soon, Obama would act to force Jerusalem's hand.

The Palestinians are also threatening to unilaterally declare independence by October if Israel does not start meeting their demands. Israeli officials fear the UN would recognize such a declaration, and that the Obama Administration would do little or nothing to block it.

Just summarize the quotes that we have now been seeing for several months:

"act to force Jerusalem's hand"

"unilaterally declare independence"

"peace settlement that would greatly favor the Arabs"

"impose a peace settlement"


This is interesting for many reasons. What I find fascinating, is that the context of Ezekiel 38-39 and Zechariah's vision of the last days (Zechariah 12 and 14) - reveals an Israel that is standing alone in this world. Not only are they standing alone, but they will be placed in various circumstances in which they ONLY have God to rely on as their only protection. After having been abandoned by ALL nations, and facing imminent destruction, God comes through for them - and He does so in a BIG way...Just read the last paragraphs of Ezekiel 38 and 39, and it is quite dramatic how God comes to their rescue.

When God does come to their rescue - and in such a huge, dramatic way - Israel will begin the process of turning back to Him.

Israel will have no where else to turn, but to God. This is why God has set the stage for this process - a process in which Israel is forced to turn to God for their survival.

This is all happening for a reason. God is creating the perfect scenario for Israel to finally - as a nation - turn back to Him:

"When I have brought them back from the nations and have gathered them from the countries of their enemies, I will show myself holy through them in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord their God, for though I sent them into exile among the nations, I will gather them to their own land, not leaving any behind. I will no longer hide my face from them, for I will pour out my spirit on the house of Israel, declares the sovereign Lord."
(Ezekiel 39:27-29)

Everything that we see now in the Middle East is for a purpose. It's part of God's plan.

God is about to reveal Himself - and in a big way. He will reveal Himself through the prophetic fulfillment of the Rapture of the Church. He will reveal Himself through the events of "Gog-MaGog" as just seen. and then, He will reveal Himself throughout the Tribulation Period.

Throughout all of this - no one will have an "excuse" not to accept God and His promises of salvation. After the Church Age has ended, via the Rapture, God will give everyone multiple opportunities to see firsthand evidence of His presence and everyone will be able to confirm proof of His existence. God will unequivocally reveal Himself, after the Age of Grace (aka "the Church Age") has ended.

At that point - it will be up to the individual to decide their fate. But they can't say that they didn't have a chance. Those who perish during the Tribulation will do so in spite of massive evidence of the presence of God. There will be no excuses.