2012 Alerts: February 12, 2010
In This Issue:
Another Sign the End Is Near?
The Clock Is Ticking . . . Toward a Bomb!
Is an Israeli Attack Imminent?
Will an Israeli Attack Lead to the Fulfillment of End-Times Prophecy?
The Beginning of the End for the Current Iranian Regime
Middle East Peace Treaty
Nervousness in the U.S.
Update on Apocalypse 2012: The Ticking of the End Time Clock
Another Sign the End Is Near?
Snow in East Texas?! Could this be a sign the end is near? Probably not. It is more likely just another indication of global warming. Anyway, now on to more serious news.
The Clock Is Ticking . . . Toward a Bomb!
Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad attempted to shift the focus from the building opposition within his country toward the current regime toward obtaining nuclear power when he announced that Iran is now a "nuclear state". He claimed that Iran has now enriched uranium to 20%, a major step toward achieving a nuclear weapon, and is now capable of enriching to a much higher degree. As the Washington Post point out this week, once uranium is enriched to 20%, it is considered highly enriched uranium and is on its way to achieve a bomb. And in another Washington Post article, it was reported that Ahmadinejad has ordered the production of even higher enrichment which can mean only one thing. (As a friend of mine used to say, you get three guesses, and the first two don’t count.)
As a result, supposedly, the mood has changed among some U.N. members toward sanctions, though China is still against them. U.S. Defense Secretary, Robert Gates, stated this week that Iran has done nothing toward slowing progress in regard to its nuclear situation. A New York Times article reported that the Obama administration has done all it can do to get Iran to the negotiating table and has started pushing for tougher sanctions against the rogue country. Another New York Times article quotes Richard Haas, the president of the Council on Foreign Relations, who states that history demonstrates that sanctions generally do not dissuade a country from accomplishing what it considers important to its security (i.e., obtaining nukes), though that is exactly the tact the Obama administration is currently taking.
And then, as I mentioned, there is China. As Newsweek pointed out this week, China has too much invested in its multi-billion dollar energy relationship with Iran to give that up easily.
In addition, sanctions against Iran are ineffective. And as a German publication presented this week, historically, Iran has little to fear from sanctions.
So, Iran is more defiant than ever.
Is an Israeli Attack Imminent?
Former U.S. ambassador to the U.N., John Bolton, has concluded that the only way to stop Iran's nuclear quest now is via military attack. (He claims we are five years past the point of sanctions against Iran being effective.) Israel probably cannot agree more, especially after this week’s announcement by Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ali Khamenei, who warned that Israel will suffer obliteration, the latest of a series of threats against Israel by the Iranian leadership. In fact, this week, Egyptian military leaders outlined Israel's preparation to attack Iran. (However, as the Washington Post observes, Israel has been quieter than normal recently, watching on the sidelines as Iran’s nuclear program has suffered an incredible number of technological setbacks, causing observers to wonder if sabotage is involved; and if so, who might be responsible? As my friend says, you get three guesses . . .)
Interestingly, just this week, I saw an advertisement for a book by Jerome Corsi entitled, Why Israel Can’t Wait, which presents this promotional quote:
. . . an Israeli first-strike on Iran's nuclear facilities becomes increasingly likely to the extent Israel feels isolated from the world community and concludes there is no chance the Obama administration will ever be able to induce Iran to stop enriching uranium . . .
We have already seen two wars launched by Israel against terrorist surrogates financed and supported by Iran: the 2006 war against Hezbollah in Lebanon and the 2008 war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Now, a war between Israel and Iran is on the near horizon . . .
Will an Israeli Attack Lead to the Fulfillment of End-Times Prophecy?
I have been predicting this for months. It seems Israel has been patiently waiting for the Obama administration to exhaust its attempts at negotiating with Iran and to learn (hopefully, soon enough) that sanctions will not get the desired effect before launching an attack. Sources indicate this attack could come this summer. If it does, look for it to spawn a change in the Iranian government, leading to a more democratic nation that no longer supports terrorism. In fact, as I have been saying in past “Alerts,” this could very well bring about an environment to fulfill biblical, end-times prophecy, particularly that of 1 Thessalonians 5:3 in which world leaders will announce we have achieved “peace and security”. In addition, the taking down of the current Iranian regime could set the stage for a final (seven-year) treaty between Israel and ten other nations, which, according to the Bible, will initiate the final seven years before the return of Christ.
The Beginning of the End for the Current Iranian Regime
This regime change is already in the works. According to the Wall Street Journal, there is currently, within Iran, a move toward another revolution, replacing Iran’s current government. As the Times Online reported this week, there are two clocks ticking in Iran—one signaling a race toward a nuclear bomb, the other ticking down on the end of the theocratic Iranian regime.
The Iranian leadership is now running scared, fearing its own people and doing what it can to put down the opposition. However, Iran’s employment of the ruthless Basij Resistance Force will likely not be capable of putting down the resistance. In fact, Hamid Dabashi, professor of Iranian studies and comparative literature at Columbia University, claims that Iranian leadership are deeply concerned about the outcome. Thus, as the U.K. Telegraph predicts, the days of the current regime is numbered.
Though I believe that is true, I also agree with the Wall Street Journal that we should not bet on the uprising itself to create regime change. This is why I have been saying that it will take an Israeli attack to bring it about.
Thus, the stage is set for an attack, for a government coup, and for the fulfillment of end-times Bible prophecy. This is the stuff that makes for a best-selling suspense thriller. What makes it even more exciting is that it is happening right before our very eyes!
Middle East Peace Treaty
As you are probably aware, the Obama administration continues to press for a Middle East peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians. However, the plan of Palestinian Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, the one with whom the U.S. is pushing Israel to negotiate, has included going on a worldwide tour to whip up support against Israel. In addition, he stated months ago that he is not interested in negotiating with Israel. But, just in case it ever comes to the point where the U.S. forces him to negotiate, he announced that before he will begin negotiations, Israel will have to commit to give up all of the land in the West Bank, the Golan Heights, and East Jerusalem.
Israel would be foolish to agree to those concessions which would give away areas important to Israel’s security. (This is especially true of the Golan Heights, from where Syria used to launch rockets into Israel, but opening up all of the West Bank and East Jerusalem to the possibility of terroristic entities among the Palestinians, would, essentially, open up all of Israel to be within range of rocket attacks.) Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has stated Israel wants to negotiate peace with the Palestinians; however, security for Israel is a prime concern. Though there is currently pressure from the European Union upon Abbas to negotiate, it is not in his best interest to do so. (After all, he knows he does not possess sufficient authority from the Palestinians to do so; he realizes that Hamas will sabotage negotiations; and he very well knows that he reaps millions of dollars per year—from the U.S. and the E.U.—for doing nothing.) And as one Jewish publication this week reasoned, a peace treaty based upon Israel's unilateral concessions is doomed to fail; thus, without Abbas jumping in feet first, it will not happen; and I do not believe Abbas is capable of doing that.
Once again another week going by shows us that the Middle East treaty will not involve Israel and the Palestinians. Instead, as I have described in past “Alerts,” the Bible predicts the final regional treaty to be confirmed between Israel and ten other nations; and when that treaty begins, the clock will begin ticking off the final seven years before Christ’s return to the earth. (For more discussion on this, see the “Newsletter” page at www.2012apocalypsebook.com.)
Nervousness in the U.S.
For many reasons, this can be a scary time for those who are not resting in God’s kingdom plan and trusting that He will take care of those who do trust Him. Even in the U.S., officials are very concerned about a new report that puts North Korean missiles within reach of the United States within the decade. In addition, this same report, made public this week, states that missile threats from such states as Iran, Syria, China, and Russia are growing “quantitatively and qualitatively”. Couple that report with this week’s release of the report by the International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS) that “both (President Barack) Obama and (Defense Secretary Robert) Gates have signaled that fiscal realities will necessitate a dramatic reprioritization within defense spending". In other words, because of the U.S. economic situation—made worse by the massive national debt—the United States will need to be much more selective in its allocation of defense money which may be one factor that eventually moves the U.S. off center stage with Israel in the process to effect a treaty. (As stated in past “Alerts,” the United States does not appear in Bible prophecy even though Israel is at the center of the prophetic picture. Thus, somehow and for some reason(s), the United States will step back from Israel and hand over the configuration of a treaty to other nations. I have described in past “Alerts” possibilities that may move the U.S. away from Israel in the treaty process.)
Update on Apocalypse 2012: The Ticking of the End Time Clock
Finally, the book is going to print! The third proof was presented to me, to which I gave my okay, and the back cover was also completed this week. (The front cover was completed a few months ago.) Due to space concerns, we could not use all of the endorsements on the book, and those we used had to be trimmed, but I thought you might like to see three of the five that will appear on the back cover, so here they are.
“There is a new world coming! Will you be ready? As never before in our days, we have needed a book like Apocalypse 2012: The Ticking of the End Time Clock. Read it for yourself and share it with your friends. It will change your life.”
---Barry R. Leventhal, Ph.D., Academic Dean, Southern Evangelical Seminary
“If you are looking for clear and accurate revelation of the future that is a page-turner, you can do no better than Apocalypse 2012: The Ticking of the End Time Clock.”
--- Earl Radmacher, Ph.D., President Emeritus, Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon; general editor of The Nelson Study Bible: New King James Version, and author of ten books
“Once you pick up Apocalypse 2012, you won’t be able to put it down. This book will challenge you in a way that will make you excited to share it with friends and family.”
--J. Paul Nyquist, Ph.D., President, Moody Bible Institute
By the way, a number of you have been more than kind in your feedback of the new promotional video done by Media Kitchen (www.mediakitchen.org). In case you have not yet viewed it, here is the YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juSd9VzJHPM. If you like it, please rate it while there.
Thank you for your great support. Together, perhaps God can use us to get the book into the hands of all who are open to His truth.
Keep looking up!
John