War Preparations

Watching and Waiting

By Daymond Duck

First, the Middle East has reached a boiling point. In just two days, Israel attacked targets in Gaza, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. All of these nations are mentioned in end-of-the-age prophecies, and all of them are currently in a state of high alert.

The Iraqi and Lebanese governments called Israel’s attacks an act of war, and Hezbollah (in Lebanon) threatened to attack Israel. Iran moved troops closer to Israel’s border with Syria and said Israel will pay a price for its actions.

Prime Min. Netanyahu briefed his main opponent in the Israeli election on the situation and beefed up his troops and weapons at bases near Israel’s borders with Syria and Lebanon. Mr. Netanyahu ordered all Israeli troops to stay at least 3 kilometers away from those borders unless they are armed and wearing a bulletproof vest.

Israel’s ambassador to the UN demanded that the UN rein in Iran, but no one thinks that will happen. On Aug. 28, 2019, Israel ordered a six-kilometer area of airspace along Israel’s border with Lebanon closed to civilian aircraft.

On Aug. 29, 2019, the Israeli military cancelled the leaves and furloughs of all Israeli troops serving in the combat brigades on the Syrian and Lebanese borders.

On Aug. 29, 2019, U.S. Sec. of State Mike Pompeo made it clear that Israel can count on U.S. help, including military assistance, if war breaks out.

On Sept. 1, 2019, Hezbollah fired several anti-tank missiles from Lebanon into Israel, and the IDF retaliated with about 100 shells of their own. On the same day, Prime Min. Netanyahu urged citizens living within four kilometers of Israel’s border with Lebanon to open their bomb shelters.

Also, on that same day, Lebanon’s Prime Min. asked France and the U.S. to pressure Israel to back off, and Russia called upon Hezbollah and Israel to get control of the situation before it turned into an all-out war. It was also reported that Israel had planes in the air for the purpose of delivering a massive attack on Hezbollah, but the attack was suddenly cancelled.

For whatever it is worth, if all-out war had broken out, it is not unreasonable to believe that several end-of-the-age prophecies could have been quickly fulfilled.

Second, it is common knowledge that China has implemented a Social Credit Score system in some areas of the nation, and Beijing is now tracking what millions of her citizens are doing. Many factors determine a citizen’s Social Credit Score including what they buy and sell; who they send e-mail to; who they associate with; the websites they visit; their driving record, use of alcohol, control of their pets, etc.

Chinese citizens with a high Social Credit Score are rewarded with better jobs, access to better houses, better schools for their children, lower utility bills, better Internet service and other perks. Chinese citizens with a low Social Credit Score are punished with low-paying jobs, poorer housing, poorer schools for their children, higher utility bills, poorer internet service, etc.

Here is the latest: A movement is now underway to bring a China-like Social Credit Score system to the U.S.

Several High-tech companies are pushing the U.S. government to establish a Social Credit Score system because they want to sell and install the surveillance equipment (cameras, computers, monitors, etc.). Social media companies (like Facebook) want to sell the data they are collecting to the government, insurance companies and others.

The new street lights will be part of an interconnected system of security cameras, air-quality monitors, traffic and pedestrian counters, and gunshot detectors.

Third, on Aug. 26, 2019, Pres. Trump said he thinks Israel and the PA want to make a deal, and he believes it could happen. If they agree to negotiate, it could still drag on for years, there could be war or whatever. But it is important to understand that the Rapture will be before the Antichrist confirms a peace treaty, and there could be a peace treaty on the table in less than a month.

Fourth, on Sept, 17, 2019, Israel will hold a second vote to try to elect a new Prime Minister. The election is very tight, and one of Israel’s small political parties has bowed out of the campaign and given its support to Prime Min. Netanyahu.

This was apparently brought on by the fact that Prime Min. Netanyahu offered to give the head of that political party, Moshe Feiglin, a high position in the next Netanyahu government (assuming there is another Netanyahu government). This could be a deciding factor in the election, and the fascinating thing about it is the fact that Mr. Feiglin strongly supports a rebuilt Temple.

This begs a question: Did God set up this election standoff to put a strong advocate for rebuilding the Temple in a high position to fulfill His Word? We need to keep watching and waiting (and, most of all, be ready).