On Watch for July 2008

Are You Ready?

“But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers“ (1 Peter 4:7).

The United States and Barack Obama

Having won the Democratic nomination for president, Barack Obama is launching out to pack in as much information concerning foreign policy as quickly as he can. This summer he plans to travel to Jordan, Israel, Germany, France and the United Kingdom. Obama stated during his campaign that he would remove US troops from Iraq within sixteen months if he were elected president. He has been to Iraq only once since 2006 and intends to visit there as well as Afghanistan.

The junior senator does not have the experience or expertise, as does Republican candidate John McCain. McCain has been to Iraq eight times, most recently in March. With the situation in the Middle East heating up with Iran, Syria and Lebanon, and the likelihood of a war, it would seem expedient that a presidential candidate have some military expertise (JPost, 29 June 2008).

Israel and Ehud Olmert

A majority of Israel’s parliamentarians have agreed to dissolve the current government and hold primaries for new elections by September 25th. The Knesset members believe this is best for the country in view of concessions being made to the Palestinians to divide Jerusalem, concede the Golan Heights to Syria, and remove most Jewish communities in the West Bank. Another issue is the delay of dealing with the ongoing attacks from Hamas in Gaza against the northern Negev communities and negotiations being made for the return of the captured soldiers, Schalit, Goldwasser and Regev (Haaretz, 26 June 2008).

After Olmert gave his permission to dissolve the current government and hold primaries for the Kadima party he addressed those who were calling for his resignation.” Whatever peace negotiations we might be involved in will be met with opposition from you because you just don't want peace." In reality, most Knesset members want peace but not at any price (JPost, 11 June 2008). [Note: the vote to dissolve the government has been delayed indefinitely.]

A week after the decision, Olmert proposed to invest in the Jewish exile in the US by funneling money in that direction rather that bringing more Jews to Israel. "We must understand that it is possible that the period of massive immigration to Israel is nearing an end," he said. Unfortunately, the Jewish Agency and many others agree with him (IsraelNN, 29 June 2008).

Unholy Alliances in the Mediterranean

Libyan leader, Muammar Ghadafi, initiated a gathering in Tripoli in response to a French proposal to set up a European, Middle Eastern and North African strategic bloc for Mediterranean nations. French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, has been a very busy man recently visiting Israel and her neighbors to further the peace process. The proposed union would consist of thirty-nine partners; the twenty-seven nation EU, plus those from Morocco to Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

Ghadafi called for the June 6th Arab summit to discuss Israel's role in the proposed union. Not surprisingly many of the Arab nations balked at the idea of including Israel. Egyptian President Mubarak did not attend the meeting because of his strained relationship with Syria who supports Hizbullah in Lebanon. However, France invited Syria’s President Assad to France to discuss the matter and to celebrate Bastille Day (JPost, 10 June 2008; 13 June 2008).

Unholy Alliances in Europe

The fulfillment of prophecy that all nations would one day come up against Israel is imminent. Not only is a bloc of Mediterranean nations being proposed, but also the Reform Treaty recently signed by all 27 European Nation States in Lisbon in December 2007 makes it a possibility in the not too distant future. Also known as the Lisbon Treaty it must be ratified by January 1, 2009.

The treaty will shift power from nation-states to Brussels and will be governed by a single legal personality – a perfect scenario for the man who is the Antichrist. It will have the sovereign right to determine foreign policy which poses a threat to relations between the UK and the US. Brussels would sign international agreements on behalf of all member states. This entity would be uniquely well placed to find the answers to today’s most pressing questions (The Heritage Foundation, 30 June 2008).

Pray for the leaders and prospective leaders of the nations.
Pray for the United States and Israel’s relationship with each other.
Pray for the salvation of all peoples NOW.
Pray for believers in the nations to love and speak the truth.
Pray for the Jewish people to receive a revelation of their Messiah and return to their homeland.

“And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed” (Romans 13:11).

“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15,16).

“Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord GOD, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’ “ (Ezekiel 33:11).

“Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say: ‘Return, backsliding Israel,’ says the LORD; ‘I will not cause My anger to fall on you. For I am merciful,’ says the LORD; ‘I will not remain angry forever. Only acknowledge your iniquity, that you have transgressed against the LORD your God, and have scattered your charms to alien deities under every green tree, and you have not obeyed My voice,’ says the LORD” (Jeremiah 3:12,13).

“The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12).

“Therefore wait for Me, says the LORD, Until the day I rise up for plunder; My determination is to gather the nations to My assembly of kingdoms, to pour on them My indignation, all My fierce anger; all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of My jealousy. For then I will restore to the people a pure language, that they all may call on the name of the LORD to serve Him with one accord” ( Zephaniah 3:8,9).

In Messiah, Carolyn Jacobson

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