Prophecy Watching: Good News And Bad News

Being a prophecy watcher is very difficult at times. Sometimes I actually envy those who can live in blissful ignorance. I believe the difficulties involved account for some of the reasons we "watchers" are recognized and rewarded:

  "Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day - and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing." 
(2 Timothy 4:8).

 Of course it is a deep love of Jesus and a deep longing to be with Him and to be in His presence that propels us to study prophecy and to watch for the signs, but there are many hardships along the way as well.

To watch prophecy is to be in a dark place much of the time, as we see the increasing signs around us - signs that are growing in magnitude like the birth pains that Jesus described. The evil and darkness that will characterize the Tribulation is already beginning and to watch prophecy, one has no choice but to  become immersed in this dark world,s as we focus on these signs that we have been given. 

There are both good news and bad news which are associated with being a prophecy watcher. Thankfully, the bottom line for a believer is the simple fact that the good news far outweighs any bad news associated with being a prophecy watcher:

Good News:

Many people share their personal feelings regarding “end times” prophecy, their views of various current events and where the world seems to be heading. It is encouraging that more and more people seem interested in prophecy recently, especially over the last 3-6 months as certain events in the world seem to be converging, creating a general sense of fear or unease. This also creates an opportunity to witness for Christ in the context of the abundant signs around us and the vast parallels with the prophetic scriptures. 

Bad News

Even people who don’t normally pay attention to world news or current events are becoming aware that there is growing talk of economic collapse, not only in the U.S. but worldwide. Similarly, it seems that many people are becoming more aware of the Middle East powder-keg, for the first time, as the situations in Syria, Egypt, Gaza, West Bank, and Jerusalem, are part of the daily news cycle and WMDs (including chemical and nuclear weapons) are prominent in many of these news stories. 

These are just two examples of what seems to be driving people’s fears – there are many more that could be discussed. Earthquakes, tsunamis, super volcanoes, murder, robbery, gang violence, growing radical Islam, totalitarianism, oppression, hyperinflation, health-care, tax burdens, persecution, war, chemical warfare, kidnappings, food shortages/famine, forced incarceration, disease, and on and on that list goes. Its no wonder people are fearful these days. Similar to what happened in the aftermath of 9-11, it seems that a palpable and significant fear – fear of the future - combined with a general sense of unease is growing in many people around this country.

Good News

As stated many times before, it’s hard to imagine being in this world at this time without having biblical prophecy to lean on. It reminds me of what a loving God we have – a God that loves us enough to give us biblical prophecy so we would know what would happen and why – in advance. This was meant to be comforting to us - the knowledge that God is fully in control and the fact that everything we see around us is part of God's overall plan. As the apostle Peter reminded us in 2 Peter 1:19, prophecy is like “a light shining in a dark place”. Indeed it is. As the darkness of the coming Tribulation approaches, with all of the things we see happening around us, we can look to the words of prophecy and gain complete peace and comfort.

It reminds me of a particularly fearful child who was going to face a hospital admission and subsequent surgery. As a way of comforting him, several people on this hospital staff did a “dry run” with the child – showing him where he would first enter the hospital, where his room would be and what it looked like, where the nurses would be – where the post-op recovery would be and what it would look like when he awakened from anesthesia, etc. Familiarity with the people he would encounter and knowledge of what he was facing helped ease his fears dramatically. Imagine a loving God – knowing what His children would be facing in these last days – a God who loves us enough that He would actually give us the future in great detail in His written word and put there for anyone to read.

Knowing what we would be facing in these last days, Jesus began His Olivet Discourse by telling us to fear not – to not be “alarmed” when we begin to see these things. In Luke’s version, Jesus informed us to “look up” when we see the signs around us, because His coming and our "redemption" is drawing near. In this context, the apostle Paul took it one step further when he actually said that we should congregate and give each other “hope and encouragement” in these days -  as he spoke of the “gathering up” of the Church Saints prior to the Tribulation.

It is such a paradox that while being in the midst of such a growing darkness, that we have this “light” of biblical prophecy and the promises of Jesus’ return for His bride and that knowledge alone should fill us with great anticipation and hope – certainly not fear – in fact, quite the opposite.

Bad News

In light of the above, this isn’t really bad news but has to be categorized as such. Here it is: a strict interpretation of biblical prophecy indicates that things aren’t going to get any better on this planet before the Second Coming of Christ Jesus.

Jesus informed us that the generational signs preceding His coming would be like birth pains. We all know what that means (isn’t it interesting that Jesus chose an illustration that every human could understand?). Labor contractions increase in frequency and intensity, particularly during the last phases before birth. Once started, we know that labor pains don't suddenly decrease or reverse course. Once started, the pains continue to worsen until the actual birth. 

We also know that the signs that we were given were all negative signs (earthquakes, famine, pestilence, warfare, deaths, persecution, growing world totalitarianism, financial collapse, suffering, hardships, etc…), including the profile of humanity as given by the apostle Paul in 2 Timothy 3 (ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, brutal, not lovers of the good, etc…). We also know about the coming wars from Ezekiel 38-39 and Isaiah 17 – not to mention the devastating wars that will occur during the Tribulation.

We shouldn’t have any expectations that any of these descriptions will improve while we’re still around. Whatever we are seeing around us today is not destined to improve in fact they will continually worsen. The very things that are inclined to give us a spirit of fear will increase in the near future.

We need to understand this fact and brace for what could be coming. Everything mentioned above is destined to worsen as we approach the Tribulation (and will dramatically worsen during the Tribulation).  Any expectation that things will suddenly turn around and change course for the better is unrealistic in view of biblical prophecy.

Keeping the bible handy, staying in prayer constantly, and looking up towards Jesus will be necessary in these coming days.  We have been specifically instructed to not have a spirit of fear but to be focused on Christ’s return (Luke 21:28-31).

Good News:

The same biblical prophecies which have been proven correct throughout the centuries inform us that Jesus will gather up His bride before the wrath of the coming Tribulation and that simply cannot be too far away.  1 Thessalonians 1:10, 4:16-18, 5: 4-9, Revelation 3:10, the fact that the Church isn’t mentioned at all in Revelation 6-18 (tribulation period), the fact that the Church is seen in Heaven in Revelation 19, before the Second Coming, the fact that Jesus took God’s wrath on the cross for all believers, thus necessitating the exclusion of the Church on earth during that period of God’s wrath (aka the Tribulation), the fact that Daniel was told that this designated period of time (including the Tribulation) was for “his people”, namely the Jews, the apostle John's ascension to Heaven in a manner paralleling the Rapture, just before the beginning of the Tribulation as described in Revelation 6-18, etc., etc.  – all point to a pre-Tribulation Rapture of the Church.  

The signs that we see around us now – the same ones that are so ominous and dark – also tell us that Jesus is preparing to gather up His bride.  Remember His words of comfort and instruction in John 14:1-3:

Do not let your hearts be troubled.

Trust in God; trust also in me.

In my Father’s house are many rooms (dwelling places);

if it were not so I would have told you.

I am going there to prepare a place for you.

And if I go and prepare a place for you,

I will come back and take you to be with me

that you may also be where I am.

Note the following:

1. Fear: Once again, we see an immediate reference to fear: “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” How many times does He have to tell us?

2. Trust Him:  Not this world or the things of this world. Trust in Him - exclusively. Remember - He will never leave you nor forsake you (Joshua 1:5).

3.  Our permanent dwelling place (aka New Jerusalem) is in our Father’s house: Just like the Jewish bridegroom prepared a place for his bride at his father’s house, Jesus prepares a place for His bride – the Church – in His Father’s house.

4. Emphasis and certainty: “…if it were not so, I would have told you.” Jesus isn’t allowing a shred of ambiguity is He? How much more emphasis could Jesus put on this statement? He certainly isn’t a liar is He? He is making perhaps the most definitive statement He could possibly make here. In other words, He is telling us in this passage that His coming will happen. Period.

5. The Mission: “I will come back”: Could Jesus have been more clear?

6. The Purpose: to “take you to be with me that you may also be where I am.”

That last sentence is so important. Note that in this description Jesus isn’t coming here to hang around on earth with us. Jesus said explicitly that His purpose is to take us to where He is. He is in heaven preparing that place. He isn’t on earth preparing that place. When He comes for His bride, He is clearly taking His bride - to this place that He is preparing - a fact that draws an immediate distinction with the Second Coming, where He does come to earth to reign for 1,000 years. The apostle John is giving us a vivid description of the process of the "gathering up" of the Church Saints here in this passage - a reference to the Rapture of the Church, not the Second Coming (one of the many distinct differences in contrasting the Rapture and the Second Coming). 

Jesus has made this promise and He made it emphatically.

In these coming days or weeks ahead we need to follow the instructions that we have been given. We can’t give in to fear or a spirit of fear. We should be focused on Christ and His promise of returning for His bride. We need to trust in Him exclusively. We should be looking up as directed. His coming is imminent and that is nothing but good news.

Maranatha!

In The News: The Vice That Surrounds Israel

Once again, we see a vice surrounding Israel, and it is tightening by the day: 

Egypt's Morsi Signs Islamist Constitution Into Law

The win gives Islamists their third straight electoral victory since veteran autocrat Hosni Mubarak was toppled in a 2011 revolution, following their earlier wins in parliamentary and presidential elections.

The presidency said Morsi signed a decree enforcing the charter late on Tuesday after the official announcement of the result of a referendum approving the basic law, Egypt's first constitution since Mubarak's overthrow.

The text has sharpened painful divisions in the Arab world's most populous nation and prompted often violent protests on the streets of Cairo.

Opposition groups condemn the new basic law as too Islamist and undemocratic, saying it could allow clerics to intervene in the lawmaking process and leave minority groups without proper legal protection.

Sharia Now Egypt's Law Of The Land

Sharia is now Egypt’s law of the land. The Islamist-written draft constitution was approved by about 64% of voters. The Muslim Brotherhood believes its time has come. At long last, it has overtaken the land where the group was founded in 1928. For them, this is a blessing from Allah for their years of discipline and patience. And that blessing will continue as it erects a bloc to eliminate Israel, restore Islamic dominion in Europe and wage “civilization jihad” against the West.

The Egyptian opposition, consolidated into the National Salvation Front, cried foul at the results of the first round of voting. It claimed that 66% voted against it in the first round and the result was skewed by mismanagement, vote rigging and election violations. The Front is demanding a formal investigation into the irregularities. The Islamists run the Egyptian government, so that will go nowhere.

Article 2 of the constitution declares that “the principles” of Sharia are to be the main source of legislation. This is the same language as the previous constitution but that should give no comfort. This phrase is defined later in Article 219 as: “The principles of Islamic Sharia include general evidence and fundamentalist bases, rules and jurisprudence, as well as sources accepted by doctrines of Sunni Islam and the majority of Muslim scholars.”

 Article 44 says that “insulting prophets and messengers is forbidden.” That means if a Christian contrasts his religion with that of Islam, he could very well end up arrested.

This weekend’s passing of the constitution is a bigger victory for the Brotherhood than the sweeping of parliament and taking of the presidency. Elected offices are won and lost but the constitution is here to stay. And that means that Sharia law in Egypt is here to stay.

Senior Hamas Leader Calls For Third Intifada

A senior Hamas leader called on Tuesday for a third intifada and the resumption of suicide bombings against Israel.

The demand came in response to the government’s recent decision to approve the construction of hundreds of housing units in east Jerusalem and Ma’aleh Adumim.

The Palestinians, he added, should resort to various methods of resistance, first and foremost “martyrdom operations in the heart of Israel.”

He urged Palestinians to “ignite a third intifada to save the Aksa Mosque and Jerusalem.”

The “enemy is waging a fierce onslaught on Jerusalem and accelerating plans to Judaize the city geographically and demographically,” he told reporters in Gaza City.

Israel, he charged, was spreading the “cancer of settlements to all parts of Jerusalem.”

Hamas Official Calls For Suicide Bombings In Response To East Jerusalem Construction Plans

Senior Hamas official Ahmed Abu Haliba, speaking to a Palestinian news source, said Israel’s announcements were the Jewish state’s attempt to “speed up the construction of the Temple” and that ”our people need… a new Islamic intifada to strike at the face of the enemy.”

Abu Haliba called on “all Palestinian factions” to resume suicide attacks “deep inside the Zionist enemy” and said that ”we must renew the resistance to occupation in any possible way, above all through armed resistance.”

Abu Halima also called for demonstrations in the West Bank in response to the renewed building.

Russian Warships Gather In Mediterranean

About a dozen Russian warships are converging on the Mediterranean and the Gulf of Aden as part of a large-scale strategic exercise, a high-ranking representative the General Staff of Russia’s Armed Forces said on Tuesday.

“This part of the world’s oceans is very important from the point of view of Russia’s geopolitical interests, including the fact that the Russian Navy has a logistical base here [in Syria],” he said.

On Monday, large landing ships Azov and Nikolai Filchenkov from Russia’s Black Sea Fleet left Novorossiysk for the Syrian port of Tartus. The ships are carrying naval infantry units for protection during the voyage. They are expected to join the Black Sea Fleet task force comprising the missile cruiser Moskva and the frigate Smetlivy in the Aegean Sea on December 28 before heading to Tartus.

Also see:

Nigeria: Muslims Murder Christians At Christmas Service

Unholy Alliance

As Islamic Jihad, including its “stealth” variety, is rapidly succeeding in destroying our civilization, the Left continues its shameless and bizarre denial — not only about the threat of Islamic Jihad, but also about its own complicity with our enemy and its war on our society.

Progressives and Islamists are completely out in the open about their alliance. Just go to any “Israeli Apartheid Week” on any North American campus and see who is taking part in the Hate-Israel bashing. Take a peek at who marches side by side in the BDS (“Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions”) rallies against Israel. This whole alliance is symbolized best by the “peace” demonstrations that we saw during Bush’s liberation of Iraq in 2003, when leftist and Islamist demonstrators in the West marched arm in arm and chanted “Allahu Akbar” (“God is Great”) — the phrase shouted by Muslim suicide bombers before they blow themselves up along with innocent people. This behavior and the whole alliance in general is all meticulously documented by David Horowitz in his masterpiece Unholy Alliance and by me in United in Hate.

Here’s the problem though: It is true. Islamic-aligned leftists are indeed in the White House and they have indeed infiltrated the State Department to advance their goal of destroying this country.

Who do you think Huma Abedin is? Her father is Muslim Brotherhood. Her mother is Muslim Brotherhood. Her brother is Muslim Brotherhood. She worked for an organization (Institute of Muslim Minority Affairs) for twelve years that is Muslim Brotherhood. The Muslim Brotherhood is dedicated to the destruction of America. And Huma works as Hillary Clinton’s deputy chief of staff, but doesn’t even get a security clearance.

One doesn’t even know whether to laugh or cry in watching this all unfold.

One doesn’t even know whether to laugh or cry in watching this all unfold.

And this is only the tip of the iceberg. For those interested in learning about the heavy penetration of the Obama administration by the Muslim Brotherhood, read Frank Gaffney’s must-read pamphlet: The Muslim Brotherhood in the Obama Administration.

Consistently Hypocritical

If the elites in our country are anything they are consistent. Consistently hypocritical.

This hypocrisy was epitomized by none other than NBC‘s David Gregory, who badgered LaPierre over his stance during a Dec. 23 interview:

You proposed armed guards in school. We’ll talk about that in some detail in a moment. You confronted the news media. You blamed Hollywood and the gaming industry. But never once did you concede that guns could actually be part of the problem. Is that a meaningful contribution, Mr. LaPierre, or a dodge?

In trying to be too clever by half, Gregory went on. Citing mass shootings at Columbine and Virginia Tech, both incidents in which armed guards or police officers were present on the grounds, he tried to bait LaPierre: “But you would concede that, as good as an idea as you think this is, it may not work. Because there have been cases where armed guards have not prevented this kind of massacre, this kind of carnage. I want you would concede that point, wouldn’t you?”

Not so surprisingly, Gregory himself conveniently left out the fact that he sends his children to the Quaker school Sidwell Friends where there is a security department consisting of 11 personnel, according to the Weekly Standard, many of whom are police officers and therefore presumed armed.

and those of a number of political and media elites who also send their children there – will benefit from the full-time Secret Service protection afforded Obama’s children, who attend the school. The others whose children attend Sidwell represent a cornucopia of voices now calling for more gun laws, stricter gun control and outright gun bans.

Hope Of The World

That really characterizes  the essence of the birth of Jesus: He was indeed the hope of the world. That is exactly what happened at the birth of Christ Jesus - there was hope for the world. That says it all. 

Below is just a little music interlude for Christmas day as we worship in the spirit of not only Jesus' birth, but His life, death and resurrection and the give of salvation that He offers the world:

Hope Of The World

Hillsong:

Hope Of The World (Lyrics)

For the love poured out
For the price of freedom
Let the whole earth sing
The praises rising
We stand in awe of what you've done
For us, at the cross


The hope of the world
Lifted on high
Calling us home with arms out wide
To know you forever, to love you forever
You are our everything


Our sin erased,
We're forgiven
You made a way
You are our ransom
And we owe this life for all you've done
For us, at the cross


The hope of the world
Lifted on high
Calling us home with arms out wide
To know you forever, to love you forever
You are our everything


All we need is You


The hope of the world
Lifted on high
Calling us home with arms out wide
To know you forever, to love you forever
You are our everything

Maranatha! 

Christmas And Grace

Below are two related messages, the first from David Jeremiah and the second from Max Lucado:

How Do We Keep Christmas Wonder-Filled?

Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year; but remember — the word wonderful means full of wonder, which is exactly how we should feel when we consider the incredible entrance of God into human life in Bethlehem. After all, His very name is Wonderful, and the people of His day were amazed at every aspect of His life and ministry. Mark 9:15 says, “As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet Him” (NIV, emphasis mine).

Fatigue Can Wipe Out Our Wonder

One reason we’ve lost the wonder is that we’re too rushed to ponder the meaning of Christmas, and our fatigue overwhelms our sense of marvel. One woman said, “It’s not even Thanksgiving, and I’m already feeling Christmas fatigue. I see the lights and the decorations in store windows and think, ‘Oh, no, not again!’ Isn’t it possible just to skip it all?”

But notice these three little words in Isaiah 29:9, “Pause and wonder....”We’ve got to find ways of pausing, of being still, or quieting our lives and our hearts. You might want to get out your calendar right now and make an appointment with yourself for two or three nights during the holidays in which you’ll accept no invitations, entertain no friends, and schedule no activities. You might even decide to “farm out the kids” one evening so you can be alone by the Christmas tree — just you and the Lord — reading Luke 2 and singing the great carols of Christmas as private solos to Him. I know it’s a radical idea! — but even Jesus needed to steal away by himself from time to time.And there’s one more thing. I know you’d like to find that perfect gift for everyone on your list; but maybe it’s better to give a twenty dollar bill or a gift certificate — accompanied by a personal note of appreciation — if doing so will keep you from collapsing from fatigue. You can’t wonder if you’re weary, and it’s hard to be excited when you’re exhausted. This season, try our Lord’s advice: “Come...apart...and rest a while” (Mark 6:31, KJV).

Doubt Can Wipe Out Our Wonder

Doubt and disbelief can also wipe out our wonder. One of the reasons the world has turned Christmas into a harried holiday instead of a hushed holy day is because of the skeptical secularism of our times.

Ravi Zacharias warns that when we reduce the universe to purely mechanistic or random terms, there inevitably follows an accompanying loss of childlike wonder; and that reduces all of life, for everything ultimately becomes chemical or molecular. That leads to a loss of gratitude, for there’s no one left to be grateful to. Thanksgiving Day becomes Turkey Day, and Christmas becomes a holiday rather than a holy day. This results in an avoidable slide into emptiness.

“I think particularly of our present generation,” says Zacharias, “which enjoys more sophisticated toys than ever before, yet each toy has a shorter thrill-span than the previous one.... When wonder ceases, boredom and emptiness begin to stalk existence.”[1]

Pride Can Wipe Out Our Wonder

Self-centered pride can also dilute our feelings of awe toward our great Savior, and Christmas has become very materialistic and selfish for many people. But only by being Christ-centered can we be wonder-filled.Don’t think of what you’ll get out of Christmas this year. Think of others, and think of Him! Share His love. When the shepherds received the angelic message that the Messiah had been born just a mile or so from where they were, they went with haste and found the Babe lying in a manger; and when they had seen Him, they spread the news. Luke 2:18 says: “And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds” (NASV).It’s still wonder-full news. This Christmas, don’t let fatigue, doubt, or pride steal the wonder from your heart. Take time to marvel at the miracle of the manger, to stand amazed in His presence, and to worship Him who alone makes it the most wonderful time of the year.

The second commentary below, from Max Lucado introduces the first chapter of his new book "Grace" (a link to the full chapter is provided) which seems timely while we ponder the idea of Jesus coming to earth and fulfilling His mission to live a perfect life and then die on our behalf. Its hard to think about Christmas without thinking about Grace and everything that it involves. As usual, from Max Lucado, this book promises to be a worthwhile read:

GRACE – Chapter 1

by Max Lucado • October 11

The Grace-Shaped Life

Some years ago I underwent a heart procedure. My heartbeat had the regularity of a telegraph operator sending Morse code. Fast, fast fast. Slooooow. After several failed attempts to restore healthy rhythm with medication, my doctor decided I should have a catheter ablation. The plan went like this: a cardiologist would insert two cables in my heart via a blood vessel. One was a camera; the other was an ablation tool. To ablate is to burn. Yes, burn, cauterize, singe, brand. If all went well, the doctor, to use his coinage, would destroy the “misbehaving” parts of my heart.

As I was being wheeled into surgery, he asked if I had any final questions. (Not the best choice of words.) I tried to be witty.
“You’re burning the interior of my heart, right?” “Correct.”
“You intend to kill the misbehaving cells, yes?” “That is my plan.”
“As long as you are in there, could you take your little blow- torch to some of my greed, selfishness, superiority, and guilt?”

He smiled and answered, “Sorry, that’s out of my pay grade.”
Indeed it was, but it’s not out of God’s. He is in the business of changing hearts.

---

To continue reading, download the PDF of all of GRACE Chapter 1: The Grace-Shaped Life

In The News: Syria

Rebels Say Assad Regime Used Chemical Weapons In Attack

Rebel forces in Syria claimed Sunday that regime forces used chemical weapons in an attack on Homs, killing six people and injuring dozens more with poison gas.

Qatar-based satellite channel Al Jazeera reported 10 people suffered serious injuries from the chemical attack, including blindness and paralysis, and over 50 more suffered other injuries.

Opposition activists posted a video online that they claimed shows a victim of the alleged chemical attack suffering from breathing difficulties.

Don't forget, any of these claims can lead to a large escalation of events, including getting the U.S. involved - true or not. With Russia in the mix, things could get ugly and fast:

The US has called the use of chemical weapons a “red line” that may invite international intervention. On Saturday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the Syrian government had moved the chemical weapons from many arsenals to just “one or two centers” to properly safeguard them.

The attack came on a particularly deadly day for Syria. Near Hama, another rebel stronghold, more than 60 people were killed in an air strike on a bakery. Opposition sources said over 180 people were killed around the country on Sunday.

UN Envoy Calls Situation 'Worrying' After Talks With Syria

Russian Military Presence In Syria Poses Challenge To U.S.-Led Intervention

Russian military advisers are manning some of Syria's more sophisticated air defences – something that would complicate any future US-led intervention, the Guardian has learned.

The advisers have been deployed with new surface-to-air systems and upgrades of old systems, which Moscow has supplied to the Assad regime since the Syrian revolution broke out 21 months ago.

The depth and complexity of Syria's anti-aircraft defences mean that any direct western campaign, in support of a no-fly zone or in the form of punitive air strikes against the leadership, would be costly, protracted and risky. The possibility of Russian military casualties in such a campaign could have unpredictable geopolitical consequences.

 Turks and western officials say there are signs Assad sees chemical weapons as another step in the escalation of force, rather than a Rubicon-crossing gamble that could end his regime. The US, UK, France and Turkey have warned Syria that its use of such weapons would trigger military retribution. But any such a response would be fraught with difficulties.

Air strikes against chemical weapon depots would potentially disperse lethal gases over a vast area, triggering a humanitarian disaster. 

US and allied special forces have been trained to seize the air bases where the warheads are kept, but it is unclear what the next step would be. It would be physically impossible to fly the hundreds of warheads out of the country, while it would take thousands of troops to guard the arsenal for what could be many months. In the interim, those western troops could easily become the target of Islamist groups fighting the government in Damascus.

Sources familiar with the Moscow-Damascus defence relationship confirmed the presence of Russian air-defence crews inside Syria. Their deployment would be a consideration when western contingency plans for Syria were being considered, they said.

John Kerry, the nominee for secretary of state, has advocated greater support for the rebels, but stopped short of calling for direct US or Nato involvement. With no new secretary of defence yet nominated, it could take several months for the new team to recalibrate its approach.

The question really becomes - why is the U.S. supporting Anti-Israeli, radical Islamic rebels who are sworn to destroy Israel? And where does that place the U.S. in God's eyes? Not only that, but these rebels are also radically opposed to Christians.

Syrian Christians Fear Bleak Future After Assad

Christians, who make up about 10 percent of Syria’s population of more than 22 million, say they are particularly vulnerable to the violence that has been sweeping the country since March 2011. They are fearful that Syria will become another Iraq, with Christians caught in the crossfire between rival Islamic groups.

During the Syria conflict, Christians have largely stuck by President Bashar Assad, in large part because they fear the rising power of Muslim hard-liners and groups with al-Qaida-style ideologies within the uprising against his rule. Many Christians worry they will be marginalized or even targeted if the country’s Sunni Muslim majority, which forms the majority of the opposition, takes over.

This week, the commander of one rebel brigade threatened to storm two predominantly Christian towns in central Syria — Mahrada and Sqailbiyeh — saying regime forces were using the towns to attack nearby areas.

The commander, Rashid Abul-Fidaa, of the Ansar Brigade in Hama province demanded the towns’ residents “evict Assad’s gangs” or be attacked.

Report: Christianity In Danger Of Being 'Wiped Out' In The Middle East Due To Islamic Oppression

A new study published on the eve of the Christmas holiday provides a chilling assessment of the future prospects for a once thriving Middle East Christian community and concludes Christians are suffering more persecution around the world than any other religious group, mainly due to “Islamic oppression.”

Civitas, a conservative-leaning British research organization, on Sunday published the report titled“Christianophobia.” Civitas described some of author Rupert Shortt’s disturbing findings:

Christianity is in serious danger of being wiped out in its biblical heartlands because of Islamic oppression, according to a new report from a leading independent think-tank.

But Western politicians and media largely ignore the widespread persecution of Christians in the Middle East and the wider world because they are afraid they will be accused of racism.

They fail to appreciate that in the defence of the wider concept of human rights, religious freedom is the “canary in the mine”, according to the report.

The study explains that Christians are more likely to face persecution than any other faith group and that they are especially threatened in Muslim societies. Shortt explains that this oppression is only magnified by already rampant anti-Americanism and “the false belief that Christianity is a ‘Western’ creed.” This, even though the religion was born in the Middle East.

He quotes research findings which show that “between a half and two-thirds of Christians in the Middle East have left or been killed over the past century” and that the threat has only been exacerbated by the rise of militant Islam in Egypt, Iraq and Syria.

Though the mainstream media rarely report it, one glaring exception to the institutionalized persecution the study describes is Israel, where the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) on Sunday published statistics showing that Israeli Christians are both well-educated and prosperous. But even in Israel, they face intimidation from their Muslim neighbors.

When it comes to education, Christian Arabs are among the most successful groups in Israel. In 2011, 64% of the community’s high school graduates were eligible for Bagrut matriculation certificates, generally a requirement for entry to university, while among Jews that figure was 59%, and only 48% among Muslims. The CBS statistics also showed that Christian Arabs enjoyed relatively high incomes, and were generally more prosperous than their Muslim neighbors.

But there is concern that the Christian community is shrinking – due to intimidation by their Muslim neighbors. […]

Many Christians have complained of being targeted by Muslims, whom they believe are trying to either drive them out of cities that have traditionally had large Christian populations, or to “persuade” them to convert. In 1999, for example, radical Muslims in Nazareth rioted as they attempted to wrest land from a major Christian shrine to build a mosque. Christians in Bethlehem, too, have complained of being persecuted by Muslims, and being encouraged to leave. In 1946, Bethlehem was 80 percent Christian and Nazareth 60 percent; those numbers are now 20 percent and 30 percent respectively, with the percentage of Christians in the city shrinking every year.

Also see:

Human Rights Watch: Gaza Commits War Crimes

The Human Rights Watch (HRW) issued a rare condemnation of Gaza terrorists on Monday for war crimes - without the usual “balancing act” of blaming Israel.

The condemnation also comes at a critical time for Hamas, which claims it “won” the missile war by gaining implicit diplomatic recognition to a certain extent.

“Palestinian armed groups made clear in their statements that harming civilians was their aim last month,” wrote HRW’s Middle East director Sarah Leah Whitson. “There is simply no legal justification for launching rockets at populated areas.”

“Palestinian armed groups made clear in their statements that harming civilians was their aim last month,” wrote HRW’s Middle East director Sarah Leah Whitson. “There is simply no legal justification for launching rockets at populated areas.”

Between November 14 and 21, Gaza terrorists fired approximately 1,500 missiles at Israel, and more than half of them exploded in Israel, including 60 in populated areas. More than 40 people were either killed or wounded, not including two Gaza Arabs who were killed by their own misfired rockets, Human Rights Watch said.
Human Rights Watch interviewed witnesses, victims, and relatives of people killed and injured by rocket attacks in Israel, as well as Israeli officials from two communities struck by rockets, and a spokesperson for the Israeli emergency medical services.

It “found that armed groups repeatedly fired rockets from densely populated areas, near homes, businesses, and a hotel, unnecessarily placing civilians in the vicinity at grave risk from Israeli counter-fire.” 
HRW names the “armed groups" as Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and the Popular Resistance Committees’ terrorist branches.

The terrorist organizations publicly stated they targeted Israeli civilians as acts of “revenge.”