News from the Epicenter

There is so much happening in the Epicenter these days, it is getting hard to keep up with everything. In the news today:

Lawlessness spreads in N. Sinai as Hamas transfers al Qaeda cells

Intelligence updates reaching Israel reveal that Hamas plans to follow up its attack on the Egyptian-Israel-Jordanian gas pipeline Saturday, Feb. 5, with more large-scale operations against Israel, using Egyptian Sinai as its launching-pad.

Since the uprising began in Egypt two weeks ago, more than 1,000 Hamas gunmen have infiltrated North Sinai from the Gaza Strip and seized control of the region.

They were followed by Al-Qaeda cells which redeployed from Iraq in the Gaza Strip. Hamas has established a command center in North Sinai for coordinating its operations with the Muslim Brotherhood in Cairo.

Israeli officers serving in this border sector told DEBKAfile's military sources that the situation there was getting dangerously out of control: Hamas was giving free rein to lawless elements – not only Bedouin smugglers but other international networks...
Those sources believe that Hamas and al Qaeda terrorists are sneaking into Israel from Sinai under cover of the swelling illegal traffic.

There is much more contained within this article. We can already see the consequences:

4 mortars hit south

The Color Red rocket alert system was sounded Tuesday morning in Gaza vicinity communities, followed by a loud blast caused by a mortar shell which exploded in a parking lot in the Shaar Hanegev Regional Council.

About three hours later, the Color Red alert system was activated once again and two more explosions were heard in the area. There were no reports of injuries.

The al-Quds Brigades, the Islamic Jihad's military wing, claimed responsibility, saying the mortars were directed at a military post east of the Gaza Strip town of Khan Younis.

A Grad rocket landed near the southern city of Netivot on Tuesday. Four people suffered from shock, and a parked car and a road sustained damage. Several minutes later, another Grad was fired at the town of Ofakim. Later that evening, a third rocket hit an open area in the Eshkol Regional Council.

The next article seems to come directly from the pages of biblical prophecy:

Army Chief: Prepare for all-out war

In his final days on the job, Chief of Staff Ashkenazi warns about growing radicalization in region; given recent changes across Middle East, Israel must prepare for a battle in several theaters, he says

The radical camp in the Middle East is gaining strength, Ashkenazi warned, adding that "the moderate camp among the traditional Arab leadership is weakening.

The army chief said that in the wake of the growing threat of radical Islam among Israel's neighbors, the defense budget would have to be boosted in the coming years. The main change faced by the army is the widening spectrum of threats, he said.

Indeed. Someone finally gets it.

The Sinai Gas Blast: Another Reason for Israeli anxiety over Egypt

The explosion that ripped through a natural-gas pipeline in the northern Sinai Desert on Saturday, Feb. 5, did more than cut off the flow of Egyptian fuel to Israel and Jordan. It also deepened Israeli fears about the changes under way in a powerful neighbor rendered at least neutral over the past 30 years by a peace treaty that might not survive the change in government.

But the dreaded working assumption places the blame on Islamist militants, rejectionists who control Gaza — and who Israel worries will take power in Cairo if President Hosni Mubarak leaves a vacuum in his wake.

Muslim Brotherhood awakens terrorist wing

An Egyptian Islamist terrorist organization founded by the Muslim Brotherhood is re-establishing itself amid the political upheaval in Cairo, WND has learned.

Both Egyptian and Israeli security officials said the group, Al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya, is being reconstituted at the direction of the Muslim Brotherhood.

The officials affirmed Al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya serves as the de fact "military" wing of the Brotherhood, which originally founded Al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya.

While the Brotherhood claimed it abandoned violence to push for a peaceful takeover of Egypt, the group's new spiritual leader, Muhammad Badi, recently has publicly called for violent jihad, including against the U.S.

The Egyptian security official said Hamas is helping Al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya organize into divisions and to arm itself with weapons currently in the Sinai waiting to be smuggled into Gaza.

Both Israel and Egypt say Hamas has amassed a large quantity of weapons in the Sinai Pinunsula, where the Islamist group has been attempting to smuggle the weaponry into Gaza.

Now, the Egyptian security official said, some of those weapons are going to arm the reconstituted Al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya.

And the bottom line can be seen here:

Al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya was founded by the Muslim Brotherhood, and is classified as a terrorist group by the U.S., European Union and Egypt. Like the Muslim Brotherhood, the group is dedicated to the overthrow of Mubarak, seeking to replace his regime with an Islamic state.

None of these developments are surprising for a prophecy watcher. We know from the prophets Zechariah and Ezekiel that Israel will be completely surrounded by her enemies, and that these enemies would prepare for and wage war against Israel.

The stage is being set for these last battles - battles which will arouse God Himself, who will have finally seen enough in the Middle East and determines that He will step into the situation:

"...my hot anger will be aroused, declares the Sovereign Lord...And so I will show my greatness and my holiness, and I will make myself known in the sight of many nations." (Ezekiel 38:18-23).

"I will make known my holy name among my people Israel. I will no longer let my holy name be profaned, and the nations will know that I the Lord am the Holy One in Israel. It is coming! It will surely take place, declares the Sovereign Lord. This is the day I have spoken of." (Ezekiel 39:7-8).

It will most certainly come. God has declared it so.

For a Christian, this is a "win-win" situation. Either we will be raptured before this event (my preference), or we will be here to witness this epic event - massive war in the Middle East which is abruptly halted by God Himself. For those of us who express concern about friends and family members who remain unsaved at this time in history, just imagine the witnessing opportunity that the events of Ezekiel 38-39 will present. It will be an unprecedented opportunity to reach the unbelievers.

If we aren't here during these epic events, then the preparatory work that we all participate in daily (warning our loved ones of what is to come, prophecy discussions, our daily "witness" etc) may pay off in our absence. People will recall what we have said - our warnings and our predictions, based upon prophecy knowledge and our bible studies, etc. - and hopefully, even in our absence - they will have enough knowledge to connect the dots and find their way to Christ Jesus.

Either way, the remaining events will roll out exactly as God has planned.

Meanwhile, we remain hopeful and encouraged - just as the apostle Paul directed - because we know our fate without a shadow of doubt.