2012 Alerts: November 13, 2009
In this week’s “2012 Alerts”:
· 2012
· Peace Treaty
· A Major Threat to Peace and Security
· Threat to Israel
· Iran Preparing for Israel Attack
· Jews to Israel to Prepare for Salvation
· Update on Apocalypse 2012: The Ticking of the End Time Clock
· Comment by My Editor
· Meet Two More Amazing People Provided by God
2012
Today marks the release of the movie “2012”. The hype on the 2012 phenomenon continues, and many caught up in it believe that 2012 is the year the world will end as we know it—which you will see if you choose to watch the movie. As you will see when you read my book, I take a different approach to that; however, I do believe we may be very close to seeing Biblical prophecy regarding end times fulfilled. And there was much in the news this week that may indicate we may be very close to the fulfillment of Biblical prophecy. Following are some items I came across.
Peace Treaty
New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman described this week why we will not see a Middle East peace treaty in the way this has been approached. Friedman’s point is that the same old approach will yield the same old results. (To illustrate, he pictures two men, while watching a movie, betting on the way a particular scene will end. When one man wins and the other tries to pay him, the first says, “No; don’t pay me. I knew how it would come out because I’ve seen the movie before.” The second responds by saying, “I’ve seen it before, also, but I was hoping it would come out differently this time.”)
Another writer’s view why nothing is happening in peace talks is that the Palestinians refuse to negotiate, which is true. (The Palestinians are now using the excuse they will not negotiate until Israel agrees to not do any construction in “settlement” areas because a few months ago, the U.S. administration made that a focus of peace talks. However, as a result of discussing this with the Netanyahu administration, the Obama administration has changed its stance; but the Palestinians continue to use it as an excuse for no negotiations.) In addition, Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian leader with whom the U.S. is seeking to negotiate, is actually stirring up violence against Israel, taking the same tactic as did Yasser Arafat before him. So how could Israel negotiate with a man like that?
A writer from the Jerusalem Post this week made the point that with the change in position by the U.S. (after talking to the Palestinians), Israel cannot trust the Obama administration to hold to its word with Israel. Though Israel is eager for peace, this approach does not help.
The World Net Daily reports that the Obama administration is planning to adapt the Palestinian plan recently set forth. However, as one would expect from the Palestinian leadership, it is not a plan that has Israel’s best interests at heart.
As a result of all this, the Jerusalem Post reports that the Israeli leadership is beginning to look to Syria for peace negotiations. This shows how desperate the situation has become; after all, Syria promotes violence against Israel.
There is a reason why all of this looks so hopeless in terms of arriving at a Middle East peace treaty. The reason is this: The peace treaty, involving Israel, will not involve the Palestinians, and it will not be a dual-party treaty. According to the book of Daniel in the Old Testament, a treaty will be enacted between Israel and ten other nations. Based on clues God gives us, the treaty will be a seven-year treaty; it will be guaranteed by five nations from the Western part of the old Roman Empire (i.e., West European countries) and five nations from the Eastern section of the Roman Empire (i.e., Arab countries); and the United States will not be a part of the treaty.
I believe God is using the current frustrations in the Middle East approach to peace to prepare for the treaty described in Scripture. However, I believe that something dramatic will need to occur for a change in approach; and I believe that occurrence will involve Israel and Iran.
A Major Threat to Peace and Security
The New York Daily News reported this week that Iran is the single greatest threat to peace and security. In fact, it is such a threat that the Arabian leader of Al-Qaeda stated this week that Iran is more dangerous than the Jews! Certainly, Iran continues to show it is the largest promoter of terrorism in the world as the recent, massive interception of weapons by Israel that was intended for terrorists. Iran’s current spread of terrorism has also become a threat to Arab nations as indicated this week by Saudi Arabia's blockade of Yemeni terrorists sponsored by Iran. In addition, Iran is planting its terrorism in the backyard of the U.S. (Latin America).
When we consider Iran’s threat to peace and security, recognized even by Al-Qaeda (!), we begin to see the role Iran may very well play in God’s kingdom drama.
Threat to Israel
The Chair of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Michael Mullin, stated this week that Iran’s race to acquire nuclear weaponry serves as an "existential threat to Israel". In fact, Israel sees Iran as the next holocaust. For this reason, Israel cannot allow Iran to achieve nuclear capability. However, though Israeli intelligence indicates that Iran is extremely close to achievement, the Obama administration wants to give Iran until the end of the year before pursuing other action. Thus, the U.S. has told Israel not to attack before then. (However, Iran is not about to halt its nuclear ambitions since it knows that nukes will only strengthen its position in the world.)
Though some believe that if Israel attacks Iran, it will result in a long, protracted war, it may not be that at all. After all, in past “2012 Alerts,” I have shown that the Iranian regime is anything but a secure, stable one. In fact, protests within the general populace continue against the Iranian leadership as a result of the rigged presidential elections a few months ago. The majority of the Iranian population is pro-western and hates the current regime. Thus, it is very likely that if Israel were to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities (which attack would have to be extremely forceful in at least nine different locations of the country), the populace will rise up against the regime as if to say, “Look what you brought upon us!” In addition, there are many countries that would love to see that regime overthrown which could provide help for that to occur.
If Israel were to carry out such an attack, it would become the hero to certain Arab nations which could very well be persuaded at that point to back a peace treaty with Israel. (In fact, it is very possible that secret negotiations have already been carried out between Israel and a few Arab nations—i.e., Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan—with a treaty being mentioned in the context.) With the fall of the Iranian regime—the single biggest progenitor of terrorism in the world—and the announcement of ten nations backing Israel on a regional peace plan, I could easily envision the world proclaiming “peace and security” in fulfillment of 1 Thessalonians 5:3. We will see, and we may not have long to wait!
Iran Preparing for Israel Attack
By the way, an Israel attack against Iran has taken on serious planning. In fact, it is so serious that Iran is preparing for it. Moreover, the U.S. has been working with Israel to prepare for Iran’s response to the attack.
Jews to Israel to Prepare for Salvation
I have mentioned in the past God’s kingdom plan to bring Jews to Israel to prepare for their salvation, which the Bible says will occur in the last seven years before the return of Christ to the earth. In addition, I have shown that aliyah (Jews emigrating to Israel) has slowed significantly to a point of zero immigration which could be a sign that the number God has appointed to come to Israel in preparation for the final seven years could be close to fulfillment. Also, I have discussed how God has used the current financial crisis to draw (possibly) some of the last Jews to Israel for the purpose of future salvation.
This week, another evidence of this last point surfaced in the news. An article featured American Jews moving to Israel due to the bleak job market in the U.S. God is using everything He allows to fulfill His kingdom plan.
The Un-Health of the Church
I have also discussed one reason why Jesus will pull the Church (all who have believed Jesus for eternal life) out of the world (in what is known as the rapture of the Church). It is likely this will occur (on the day the final seven years begin, which is on the day the seven-year treaty begins) due to the Church’s ineffectiveness at reaching the world. One reason the church has already achieved this state of ineffectiveness (in my humble opinion) is illustrated in some quotes I came across this week from books recently released. Here are two of those and the books in which they appear:
“I am quickly coming to believe that this is the first time in history that people outside the Church have shown more signs of knowing God’s heart than do the people within the Church. . . . I have found that the common bar dweller knows more about the heart of God than the dedicated churchgoer.” ---Darin Hufford (The Misunderstood God: The Lies Religion Tells Us about God)
“Rather than drawing people to Christ, many Christians are pushing people away because of the disconnection between what we say and how we live. . . . Christ-followers are supposed to be the most liberated, grace-filled people on earth. . . . We’re supposed to know how to live in the world but not be of it.
Most believers I know don’t know. Most are either living out of the world or they’re of the world. No wonder Christians have so little impact, so little relevance.” ---Kary Oberbrunner (The Fine Line: Re-envisioning the Gap between Christ and Culture)
All of this indicates we may be close!
Update on Apocalypse 2012: The Ticking of the End Time Clock
By the way, the editing process on my book is now complete. The publisher is currently waiting on typesetting at this point. Though the release date has been set for May 1st, I have just been informed by the publisher that I will receive the thousand copies I have ordered sometime in February. When I receive my copies, the priority will be to get them to those of you who have ordered and paid for them. I still have a few hundred not yet spoken for, so let me know. As I mentioned in the last “Alerts,” you can order copies of my book by sending a check (made out to John Claeys—that would be meJ) in the amount of $16 (which includes tax) and $3.99 per copy that need to be shipped to:
John Claeys
2709 S. Garrett St.
Marshall, TX 75672
Comment by My Editor
It is always encouraging to see God’s sovereignty (control) at work—for our very best. Clearly, He hand-picked my editor for me. Out of all the editors I could have had, this one has had extensive experience editing books on eschatology (the study of Bible end-time events) and is Jewish (my book shows that Israel and the Jews are at the center of God’s prophetic plan). As a result, she was the perfect candidate to edit my book. Once she began the editing process, it only took her a week because she didn’t have to make many changes (though, due to her Jewish background, she caught a couple of things in my book that were helpful to see so they could be tweaked). In fact, she mentioned to me that my manuscript was one of the clearest, cleanest, and best-written ones she has edited (and she has been editing for fifteen years). She also believes the book will do well.
As you can see, it was very encouraging to work with her. When an author gets to this point in the persevering process (of writing, re-writing, re . . . well, you get the idea; of shopping the manuscript to various publishers; etc.), one could use encouragement. God knew that and, so, provided that editor for me. (However, I also want to say that many of you have been very, very encouraging to me, as well. Thank you so much for that!)
Meet Two More Amazing People Provided by God
I have mentioned in the past my thankfulness for specific people God has directed my way to help me in this publishing process. Before I begin to delve into some of the significant news items of this past week, I would like to surface two more individuals with whom God has blessed me.
I am discovering that the promotion of a book is very important for its success. One can write the greatest book in the world, but if no one knows about it, it won’t get read. In addition, I have discovered that promotion is not my forte, particularly when it comes to promoting via the worldwide web; for promoting via the internet involves some very technical computer-geek (I use that term with great respect because I wish I was one) stuff (a computer-geek technical term—just kidding!).
Of course, God knew my weakness in that area, and apparently He has plans to use my book for others, because He has provided me with two geniuses in the computer world to get the word out to others on the internet. These are Dave Bolthouse, whom I also consider a promotions genius and who has worked with such well-known Christian authors as David Jeremiah, and Ken Sladaritz, a definite computer-geek genius!
The way it has worked recently is in this way: Dave looks at my website and sees what key words I need to attract many people to my website (and has even researched the top dozen or so key-terms and how many searches per month each has been getting), how my site needs to be set up, and other much more involved and technically-detailed stuff (there’s that technical word again) the site needs. He will then email all of this information to me. I read it and determine I have no idea what he is saying or how to get it done, so I forward the information to Ken who gets it done. And I stand amazed! I am amazed at their genius intellects, but I am also amazed that God would bring individuals across my path and who would volunteer to help me as they do.
I am convinced that if the book gets into the hands of a lot of people, it will be because of people like Dave, Ken, and others who have helped. Many of you are in that list. You have supported me, prayed for me, and have financially given to see me through this process. I can’t thank you enough for that!
As I have indicated, we may be close to some fulfillment of key Biblical prophecies, so keep looking up!
John