Friday, April 29, 2011

Headlines for a day

Its amazing how many prophecy related stories appear in a single day now. I can recall several years ago, weeks would pass before we'd see anything prophetically related in the news. These days there are several such stories in the news almost hourly, and then there are days like this in which you can barely fit all of the stories into one post:

IAEA chief: Syria tried to secretly build nuclear reactor

The head of the UN atomic watchdog, Yukiya Amano, on Thursday said for the first time that Syria tried in the past to secretly build a nuclear reactor, which was destroyed by Israeli warplanes five years ago, The Associated Press reported. The IAEA carried out an agreed inspection of another Syrian plant earlier in April as part of a long-stalled probe into suspected covert nuclear activity.


Muslim Brotherhood Urges Protests In Syria

The banned Muslim Brotherhood has called on Syrians to take to the streets to protest against the regime ahead of Friday prayers. The declaration is the first time that the Brotherhood, whose leadership is in exile, have called directly for demonstrations since pro-democracy demonstrations against President Bashar al Assad's autocratic rule erupted six weeks ago.
European governments will discuss the situation on Friday
A push for the UN Security Council to condemn the crackdown was blocked by Russia, China and Lebanon on Wednesday night.


Fayyad: PA Already Moving to Make Jerusalem its Capital

Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad used his weekly address to tell listeners the PA would be making unilateral moves to establish Jerusalem as the capital for a PA stat

Telling listeners the last two years [during which the PA adamantly refused to sit down and discuss peace with Israel -Ed.] had focused on resistance to Israeli "occupation" of eastern Jerusalem, Fayyad said that now it was time to focus instead on turning the city into a capital for a PA state.


U.S. dollar's dizzying drop wreaks economic havoc

The U.S. dollar’s long decline has turned into a sudden plunge, throwing currency markets into a frenzy that is complicating life for policy makers and executives the world over. The U.S. dollar is in the midst of what Nomura Securities International analyst Jens Nordvig called a “violent … weakening move,” as a confluence of factors drive investors to seek short-term gains outside the United States.


America's Fiscal High Noon

According to the unclassified 2009 report “Economic Warfare: Risks and Responses” by financial analyst Kevin D. Freeman, what’s referred to as “Bear Raid II” — phase III of an economic terrorist attack against the United States — is poised to fatally hit the U.S. Treasury and the U.S. dollar, causing the collapse of America’s economy.

It was a threat former Secretary of State James A. Baker III underscored on CNN’s Fareed Zakaria GPS on April 10, noting if the dollar was replaced as the global reserve currency, it would be catastrophic for America.

Yet red flags galore signal that the train has already left the station.


US South drought Causes Massive Crop Losses

A devastating drought intensified across Texas over the last week, with high winds and heat causing "massive crop losses," and weather experts said Thursday that little relief was in sight. Ranchers were struggling to feed and water cattle, and farmers were left to watch their crops shrivel into the dusty soil. Some experts estimated that producers were giving up on up to 70 percent of the state's wheat acreage.

Fuchs said the drought in Texas was one of the worst in decades. The dramatically lower-than-normal amount of moisture in the soil has caused widespread crop failures, including to the state's hard red winter wheat crop.

Texas is a key production area for wheat. The losses there and in parts of the U.S. Plains hit by drought will aggravate already short supplies around the world.


Soaring crude prices putting squeeze on U.S. GDP

As crude prices soar, oil dependence is once again proving a glaring vulnerability for the U.S. economy and, ultimately, the global recession. “That’s the single biggest risk to the U.S. and the global recovery at this point, the risk that oil prices are not done with us yet,” said Doug Porter, deputy chief economist at BMO Capital Markets. “And they could rise further.”

On Thursday, crude futures neared $113 a barrel, up more than 40% since November and up more than 30% in the last three months alone. The current price was last hit in April 2008.


US at risk of war with China, Russia

The US is at the risk of a war with Russia and China as its main objective behind engineering the Libyan war and Syrian unrest is to remove the two world powers out of the Mediterranean, a former US official warns.

“Washington is all for invading against Libya and is putting more and more pressure to intervene in Syria because we want to … clear China and Russia out of the Mediterranean,” Paul Craig Roberts, former assistant secretary to US Treasury in Panama City said in an interview with Press TV.

“Once Russia and China come to the conclusion that the Americans simply cannot be dealt with it in any rational way and are determined to somehow subdue them and do them damage, all kinds of escalations can result. This is the real danger and we’re risking a major war,” the former senior US official cautioned.


Iran's growing clout

The fast-paced political earthquakes in the Middle East that we have been witnessing in recent weeks have one common denominator -- President Obama's influence in the region has shrunk to somewhere between a pittance and zero, while Iran's has been bolstered across the board.

By his inability to shape events, Obama created a political vacuum that Iran's theocratic rulers are filling at an accelerating pace

Abbas completely distanced himself from Obama by cutting a reconciliation deal with Hamas, another terrorist surrogate of Iran. Riding high, Tehran immediately blessed the Fatah-Hamas "unity' agreement, brokered by Cairo's new power elite, as "the first achievement of the Egyptian revolution." Hamas immediately vowed there would be ''no recognition, no negotiations'' with Israel with Hamas sharing power.


Barak reiterates: Israel won't talk to Palestinian government that includes Hamas

Defense Minister Ehud Barak issued an official response on Thursday to the announcement of Palestinian reconciliation, saying there was "no chance that we will talk with this government, if they try to create it."

"Hamas is a murderous terrorist organization that fires rockets on citizens and recently fired an anti-tank missile at a school bus of students," Barak said. "This is an organization with whom there is nothing to discuss, and therefore we will have no discourse with them."

Earlier in the day, Barak had said that Israel should negotiate with the planned Fatah-Hamas Palestinian unity government only and if it renounces terror activities and recognizes Israel.

In his official statement, the defense minister also demanded that Israel's international friends also refuse to speak with a unity government which includes Hamas, unless the group "undergoes a deep and fundamental change."

The Palestinian announcement was met with skepticism, with Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman warning that a reconciliation deal could result in a Hamas takeover of the currently PA-ruled West Bank.

Lieberman told Army Radio of his fears that Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, would eventually take over the Palestinian Authority-ruled West Bank as well, making use of Hamas activists freed by Fatah as part of the new agreement.

President Shimon Peres also commented on the burgeoning Palestinian reconciliation agreement on Thursday, saying he felt the deal was a mistake that could prevent the formation of an independent Palestinian state.

33 comments:

Anonymous said...

There is a serious situation developing in the heartland of America--massive crop damage due to the flooding. The Mississippi River has reached a critical flood stage and the Corp of Engineers in MO are discussing breaking a levee to save a town while sacrificing prime farmland and 200 homes. The Mississippi River in Memphis has reached W. Memphis and at best estimates the river won't recede until late fall at the earliest. In my town alone 2/3 of the businesses are under flood water.

As a result of the massive damage due to flooding, there will be a critical shortage of wheat, corn, and cotton. Jesus said that there will be famine in the last days and right on cue we are experiencing it.

Anonymous said...

^^^^
(cont'd)

Several years ago I lost a business to a freak hail storm that lasted 45 minutes and a tornado that came along with it. FEMA came in, handed me a 75 page application for federal relief, which included a lower interest loan with a balloon payment. Yeah, that's what I need-go further into debt and owe the government even more money. No cash for assistance, just more payment to Uncle Sam.

Stick a fork in me, I'm done.

~gearedup2go

Dylan said...

Hey Scott, just so you know, there's crop failure in more than just the USA. Up here in Alberta, our fields are flooded from too much snow, so we haven't even begun planting yet. So it looks like we've got a food crisis coming soon.

Jill said...

On another note, if you watched the wedding this morning there was a moment when the gospel was given and the imagaery of the bride and bridegroom was explained. Estimated audience over 2 billion people..... the name of Jesus went to the ends of the earth this morning :)

Anonymous said...

I'm so glad I have Jesus to look to in all this bad news. It would be overwheling if we did not have the "blessed hope" of the rapture.

It is going to be so bad for those left behind. Things are coming to a head in the middle east, the world economies and the violent weather.

It sure looks like the Tribulation is at the door. "When you see these things taking place, look up for your redemption is drawing near"

WVBORN56

hartdawg said...

I ask this question from time to time so here it is this question is address to scott but any leader who reads this please feel free to answer as well;
without setting a date the way things are going especially with israel and her survival at risk can you imagine as having 5 years left til the rapture?

Anonymous said...

NO WAY 5 YEARS! Lol. nobody knows but i am thinking more like 5 days, 5 weeks, or 5 months! I really dont think we will be here for Christmas. That of course is if things continue at the rate they currently are going! i actually think between may and sept of this year. both months are "trigger" points deluxe. Nobody knows but the Father! now i have an unanswerable question as well! If we are so close to rapture/trib/peace treaty, and i believe we are, then why has the Lord called so many mighty men of God home recently? J.R. Church and David Wilkerson to name a few....totally baffling...but not my will, Lord jesus, your will be done! ally

Anonymous said...

when i re read your post Heartdawg, i saw you were asking for a leader. sorry but i definately do not qualify as that. Scott is our wise and fearless leader and i cant wait to hear what he has to say! -ally

Scott said...

Thanks for that Ally, but I'm just like you guys - trying to be a watchman on the wall...I see us as 'all in together"...My job is just to point to the "signs" and then point to the scriptures.

Hart - I can't imagine a scenario in which we are here in 5 years...the main reason for me - is that I can't believe that one of the many tipping points wouldn't have been reached by then....I can't see the "lid" being kept on the M.E. for that long. Now can I see Iran being kept from triggering something by then.

Plus, I can't see us being "like the days of Noah" in 5 years.

Dylan - no, I didn;t know that. Hmmm...Food shortages seem to be happening everywhere now. How interesting.

Gearedup - I'm so so sorry to hear that about your business.

WV - I agree - the time is VERY near. Thank God. I'm ready to go home.

Anonymous said...

Isn't their scripture that states there will be a spiritual revival prior to the rapture, one like we have never experienced before? Perhaps around Pentecost, wouldn't that be exciting? An opportunity perhaps like no other to witness to our friends on the fence. AM

hartdawg said...

what's meant to be reader not leader:)

hartdawg said...

anon... no there is not the revival happens during the tribulation at the time of the rapture the church is sleeping

Scott said...

"reader" - exactly Hart!

Anonymous said...

I agree with Ally...well said...I know there is some danger in saying we will be gone by Christmas but as Scott said there is hardly any way around the ME not blowing up very soon with the September deadline for PA nationhood. Throw in the precarious ledge the American and world economies are now perched. I see no plausable way it hangs in this position much longer.

We keep talking about "tipping points" to jump start all the Biblical prophcies like Revelation 6 and 13 and the ME Biblical wars, Psalm 83/Isaiah 17 and Ezekiel 38-39.

The table is fully set or almost fully set for them to commence and I think "the" big "tipping point" of all "tipping points" will be the......

RAPTURE!!!

Maranatha

WVBORN56

DrNofog said...

I know dawg has raised this issue before on another site [and maybe here too], that his question is partly also related to when the burning of the weapons of war for 7yrs takes place, especially if it's really referring nuclear fuel as it cannot continue after mid-trib when Israel must flee into hiding...

That would mean Ezek38 would have to be over 3.5yrs BEFORE the actual Trib begins, which would also mean that there is either a 3.5yr "pause" between the Rapture and the Trib, or we will see both p83 and E38, and say "see, I told you so!" for 3.5yrs as witnesses to the world.

Personally, if it is referring nuclear fuel, I don't have a problem with starting the clean-up and burning the fuel at the end of the Trib on into the Millennium since Jesus take 75 days [as I recall] to judge the nations and misc. other 'stuff' before starting the Mill.
After all, nukes can be a good clean energy source for society since there won't be any more curse of quakes and tsunamis.

Also, as I have mentioned before [and took some heat for it...], without taking anything away from "immanency", especially with the aid of 20/20 retrospect concerning those in the past who were "watching" for His appearing and yet still logically wondering about Israel having to come back into the land, I, personally, can speculate and think that we will see p83 and maybe some of Israel's rebuilding the newly recovered Abrahamic land formerly in Arab hands.

I have a problem with E38 following closely on the heels of P83. I think it will take at least 1-2 yrs of rebuilding and wealth-building to tick off the Russians.

Just a thot...
;)

DrNofog said...

The GREAT thing about the 'cut & paste' feature is if you miss the word "to" in "referring nuclear fuel", it allows you to propagate the error as many times as you want...
:D

Anonymous said...

Well, I have to add my opinion.

And I have not changed it.

The EURO and GOLD are getting ready
to collapse. Everyone is SO NEGATIVE on the dollar, they do not even see it coming.

I came across info that a one
million dollar bet was placed
on the SLV that Silver will
collapse between now and 15 JULY.

You don't bet that big unless you
have been successful in the past.

I don't mean to be a party popper,
but SILVER is getting ready to
crash.

PLEASE BE READY for that.

Stephen in Hawaii !!!!

Anonymous said...

I have no problem seeing the rapture by June...both wars faught back to back this summer and the peace treaty being signed in September with the commencement of the tribulation immediately thereafter.

That gives you the 7 years of weapons burning required before the start of the Millenial reign of Christ. I think we may be that close.

If the order is as you prescribe DrNofog then I think it takes out the doctrine of imminency and Jesus coming back as a thief in the night and also as in the days of Noah.

It is certainly possible we could be here another 3-4 years but I can't see it from my perch. I hope it is not just wishful thinking on my part. Time will tell very shortly if I am in the ballpark or out to lunch...lol... At any rate I'll jusst keep watching and praying. Maranatha!

WVBORN56

Paula said...

I'm no financial expert, but here's what I understand about the basics of currency:

Precious metals don't "rise" and "fall"; their buying power is fairly constant. Someone pointed out that a silver dime bought a gallon of gas in the 1960s, and it still buys a gallon of gas today. What has changed is the value of the dollar, the Euro, and any other fiat currency. When precious metals rise, it only means that the buying power of fiat currency is falling. So if you buy precious metals you lose nothing because it can always be exchanged for real products at real value. But fiat currencies buy less and less as they inflate. So the rise of precious metals are an indicator of a weakening fiat currency.

Scott said...

DrNo - A couple of questions....

- I'm not following your 3.5 years thing as far as the burning of the weapons...

- I have always been under the assumption that burning of the weapons would not overlap with the 1,000 yr reign. (I think most of us agree to that)

- If Gog-MaGog occured in the first month of the Tribulation, that would allow for 7 years of burning and still not overlap with the Trib - so why would it have to be over at the 3.5 mark? (this is what I;m not following).

- Also (slightly unrelated) - Grant Jeffrey has proposed that many of the Russian weapons are based on a material which is actually wood-based, (I can't recall the name, but its something like "ligionite" or something within a few letters of that..

Anyway, he has speculated that these weapons, as left on the various 'battlefields' would be gathered up and they would be burned.....Just an idea that is interesting IMO..

But back to the timing of Gog-MaGog, I believe that it happens before the Tribulation, and sets the stage for the AC to come in and "confirm" the covenant, and allow for the rebuilding of the temple. I also believe that several years could occur between the rapture and the trib.

OTOH - the story that Peter told in 2 Peter reminding us of Noah's escaping the flood and Lot escaping S&G tells us that God knows how to save man from HIS wrath and he will do it again. Both Lot and Noah barely made it out in the nick of time, so I do wonder if that places the Rapture closer to the Trib.

Just some food for thought

hartdawg said...

thanks for the discussion everyone this is the question I asked from time to time because things change sometimes god pulls back the clock a little longer.

DrNofog said...

This was originally Hartdawg's concern; -that if, as some were speculating, the "weapons of war" is referring to nuclear fuel [there! I got the "to" in right that time!], at mid-trib, when the AC persecutes the Jews and they flee into hiding... although the "fuel" is compact and 'could' be taken, ...the reactors... well, they aren't exactly camping items... they can't take their reactors with them, so that "beginning of Trib" start date doesn't allow them 7yrs!

As to the alternative, even if the weapons are made of a "New and Improved" version of those hard, compressed woven wooden bowls, you're talking a huge quantity of "fire wood" to flee with, especially when Jesus warned "don't even go back to the house to grab yer coat!" [excerpted from DrNofog's Modern Paraphrased Version. Soon to be released - Order yours early!] -Again, that start date doesn't allow them 7yrs!

That leaves 2 alternatives as I mentioned above:

1. "That would mean Ezek38 would have to be over 3.5yrs BEFORE the actual Trib begins..." [in order to finish burning 3.5yrs into, and end at mid-Trib.]

or

2. "...burning the fuel at the end of the Trib on into the Millennium...", which I don't have a problem with as it's a good fuel for the Millennium. And as I don't see anything preventing it anywhere, just as I also don't see the nations all "...beating their swords into plows..." in the 75 days while they are busy being judged by Jesus.

Option #1 also yields 2 alternatives as I mentioned above:

A. "...there is either a 3.5yr "pause" between the Rapture and the Trib..."

or

B. "...we will see both p83 and E38, and say "see, I told you so!" for 3.5yrs as witnesses to the world..."

Option #2 means all bets are off! We could be outta here anywhere in the time-line!
:)

DrNofog said...

WV said... "...both wars faught back to back this summer and the peace treaty being signed in September..."

Bill Salus, in his book "Isralistine" make the very strong case that Israel does not currently meet any of the "peace with her neighbors, great wealth, and especially a false sense of security" conditions for E38. P83 must happen 1st and the world must be wary of them long enough for them to rebuild and get careless...

WV said... "...I think it takes out the doctrine of imminency..."

Nothing "takes out the doctrine of imminency" except date-setting and/or denying His return.

My point in mentioning 20/20 hindsight is that from our perspective we can now see how many things had to be in place to bring us to this point, yet I'm sure that many in the past also speculated that certain condition didn't seem to be set right, yet they [and we] believed that, with God, anything can change in an instant.

But as I cautioned last yr, -the Arabs, Jews, the nations, and even us, were rumoring "war by summer, war by end of summer for sure!" and then God pulled Stuxnet out of His big sleeves.

This could go on for a few more years while America collapses and merges into the NAU...

So, no, I don't think speculation harms Imminancy in any way.

It's just food for thot.
;)

hartdawg said...

doctor no fog please consider the following 1 during that time of Gog and Magog god is once again dealing strickly wis israel a post rapture scenario 2 god is dealing with the nations in judgement also a post rapture scenario 3 this battle does not have to occur 3.5 years before thetribulation 1many jews will accept anti christ and will be burning fuel right to the end they will stay in jerusalem and not flee 2 since petra will be a part of israel during the battle of Gog and Magog and the planes and weapons will fall on the mountains of israel the weapons will already be in petra when israel flees 3 it does not say are make sense that they would burn no weapons

hartdawg said...

inside the land they would likely burn them outs so there is no reason why this battle hasta happen 3 and a half years before the tribulation. the fact is we don't know for sure 1 way or the other

Scott said...

As I recall, Showers believes that there will be a few years between the Rapture and the beginning of the Trib, and I can't recall why, exactly. I need to go back and look at that,.

DrNo. As far as burning weapons during the 1,000 yr reign, I agree that there is no specific scripture stating that this can't happen. For me, this is more of an intangible sense that the new world created by Jesus wouldn't include such hardships as the need to burn weapons which represent a carry over from the previous "era". Its admittedly a lame rationale.

I suppose, also, the fact that we were given a specific period of time "7 years" could be a clue. IOW, if the burning of weapons extended into the 1,000 yr reign, why would it arbitrarily end at a 7 year mark? (why couldn't it continue indefinitely? What would end this process at the 7 year mark?)

Perhaps this isn't for us to know. Its a mystery isn't it?

Is it possible that the "peace" created by the confirming of the covenant is the prerequisite peace needed for Gog-MaGog?

Under this scenario, could the Psa 83/Isa 17 scenario actually be the scenario which leads to the confirming of the covenant, and then, we see the "covenant" of Daniel 9:27, and then Gog-MaGog within a month or so, and in this scenario, the burning of the weapons takes place for the 7 year tribulation?

What do you guys think of that scenario?

Paula said...

Scott, that's what I think too, as does Don Koenig of The Prophetic Years. The seal judgments would fit nicely into the time between the Rapture and the Trib. Koenig thinks that if this gap is 3.5 years, it would be the "perfect storm" for fooling people into thinking that when the AC sits in the Temple and declares himself God, it's actually the end of the Trib. since it will have been 7 years between the Rapture and that point.

hartdawg said...

scott the problem with your scenario it is if gog magog happen early on in the tribulation the anti christ would be a forced ti defend israel there would be no need for god 2 intervene.

hartdawg said...

scott forgive me for sounding dogmatic but I look at this from every angle the only 1 that makes sense is the place this battle between the rapture and the tribulation no ather time makes sense to me ask for psalm 83 it could go either way but it seems likely to happen before the rapture. there is no reason however that's psalm 83, the rapture Gog magog and the start of the tribulation could not all happen within 6 months

Scott said...

Hmmm...thats a very good point Hart - regarding the need for Israel to have God intervene...OK - let me speculate some more here.

What if Gog-MaGog happened SO fast after the confirming of the covenant, that the AC literally didn't have time to have consolidated his forces or been able to put together an effective military (yet) to do something?

Just thinking here...

hartdawg said...

that's very possible and I actually consider that and in bible times part of the year is a whole year but the problem with that is the merchants of tarshus and the young lions and the others constitute europe america and a host of nations namely the anti christ kingdom and even and have another problem from the start of the tribulation the 2 witnesses will be in jerusalem doing miracles and such so placing it early in the tribulation is highly unlikely.

hartdawg said...

until I read israel stine and some other books and had an understanding of psalm 83 I also was thoroughly convinced this battle happened sometime during the tribulation I also thought it happened before ac consolidated his power I just couldn't understand how israel could be in peace otherwise after reading of the coming battles it all made sense and quite frankly no ather time makes any sense I assure you I exam and every angle between the rapture and the tribulation is the only time that make sense

DrNofog said...

Dawg, dude! good replies! More food-4-thot that I hadn't considered...

Let me cogitate on it for awhile and I'll try to get back to you sometime before P83...
;)

Scott said... "...Jesus wouldn't include such hardships as the need to burn weapons..."

Funny, I never thot of it that way. I always thot of it as "a gift from the nations", free fuel [wood or nuke] for 7 full yrs before they hafta start using their own home-grown stuff..., you know, kinds like Joseph said, "you meant it for evil, but God meant it for good"!

I don't think we'll be reduced to a primitive society, but rather, with the "green-commies" out of the way, we'll be able to advance much more rapidly and power will still be needed for an advanced society.