The Last Days
Anita Clark
“For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath He sent me unto the nations which spoiled you [Israel]: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of His eye. For, behold, I will shake My hand upon them, and they shall be a spoil to their servants: and ye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me” Zechariah 2:8,9.
The above Scripture is a promise of the Lord’s help for Israel in the latter days of the tribulation. The news is teeming with information about the various nations who are against Israel. God is displeased with the nations that turn against the Jews. “The apple of His eye” refers to the “pupil of the eye.” How careful we are about our eyes! God is careful about Israel for they are His chosen people.
HISTORIC NUCLEAR FRAMEWORK WITH IRAN – Iran and six world powers have been working on a deal for some time regarding Iran’s nuclear program. Sanctions have been in place against Iran to try and get them to commit not to create a nuclear bomb. This agreement is led primarily by Secretary of State John Kerry and President Barak Obama and other concerned nations. Just recently Iran has stepped up aggression against ships traveling through the Persian gulf, which has caused anxiety in the hearts of many neighboring nations. Also, Iran is fighting in Yemen against Saudi Arabia.
RUSSIA TO SELL IRAN ANTI-AIRCRAFT SYSTEM & NUCLEAR REACTOR – Back in 2007 Russia made a deal with Iran to deliver this system and to update a reactor in Bushehr, Iran, where a previous reactor has been. They called off the sale when the U.N. brought sanctions against Iran in 2007. Now, Russia says it will go ahead with the sale, and it recently “guaranteed Iran’s protection” against aggressors.
Andrey Piontkovsky, a Russian Mathematician and political writer and analyst strongly suggests, “Israel will likely feel compelled to launch a military strike against Iranian facilities in the near future before the Russian systems go operational, something that by its very nature could trigger a broader conflagration in the already unstable Middle East.” He expresses, “Russia may be doing this in hopes that Israel will accomplish a raid on Iran, which well could cause the Arabs to unite back more closely against Israel and on the Kremlin’s side, while driving up the price of oil from its current low levels.” He states, “Russia has protected Iran for 15 years in the Security Council by preventing the adoption of harsh sanctions which really could have stopped the Iranian nuclear project.” Indeed, Russia has been Iran’s protector, with many Russians working at nuclear sites and providing technology to build nuclear reactors.
In view of Ezekiel 38-39, which shows a war taking place in the endtime, showing Russia, Persia (Iran), Ethiopia, Libya, Gomer, and Togamah all coming together to fight Israel, we wonder if it is about to happen. Some think that this account in Ezekiel only refers to Rev. 20:8, where it is stated that Russia will come against Israel one more time after the Millennial reign of Christ, but it seems there will be a previous time before that time of peace. Russia has been a great persecutors of the Jews over the ages.
Revelation 6:2 says, “And I saw, and behold a white horse, and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him; and he went forth conquering and to conquer.” This white horse comes out of the book of judgment of chapter five. The horse and rider represents the Antichrist, who will come in peace, making a treaty with Israel to which they will agree (Dan. 9:27). This will take place at the first part of the seven years of tribulation, and it will finally seem that man has achieved peace. But, next there will be a “red horse” come out of the second seal. He represents that peace will be taken from the earth. This will usher in a terrible time of war and death. I believe that this might be the Magog, Gog war of Ezekiel 38-39.
The war of Ezekiel does not seem to be the same as the coming of Gog and Magog at the millennial’s end, because if you read the rest of the story in Ezekiel 39:2, it says that God will smite them and leave a sixth part of them, also, that He will cause the ravenous birds and beasts that will eat their bodies. At the point of time (Rev. 20) after the millennial, God will already have dealt with the heathen, as is mentioned in verses 21 and 23. As Ezekiel states in chapter 38:19-23, at this time of Russia coming with Iran and other nations, God will bring an unparalleled judgment on the earth especially against those nations that have come up against Israel. However, at the time of the judgment on Gog and Magog in Revelation 20:8-9, the judgment of the tribulation will be over, and fire will come down specifically on Magog and Gog there at the Millennial end, where no mention is made of the other nations involved in Ezekiel.
Today as we read about the threatenings of Iran’s Ayatollah, stating that they will wipe Israel off the face of the map, let us remember that our God has already decreed that He will bring judgment on anyone who comes against Israel. Even though the majority of Israelites are in unbelief, God still has His covenant with them which He made with Abraham in Genesis 12:2-3 “And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great, and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”
Israel is very upset about the treaty with Iran, their mortal enemy, and some worry that they might decide to bomb Iran soon. The United States Congress voted recently to have the right to review the treaty before it is implemented with Iran. This is actually already the right of the Congress, but this fact seemed to be ignored by the U.S. leaders.
“And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem” Zechariah 12:9. In the end, God will fight for Israel, but many of them will die during the tribulation, as stated in Zechariah 13:8, “And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die, but the third shall be left therein.”
SUMMIT TO BE HELD MAY 13, 2015 – with Arab nations to talk about the treaty on the advancement of Iran’s nuclear development brokered by the U.S. President Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry. The king of Saudi and the Emir of Bahrain refused to come to the grouping.
NATURAL DISASTERS RAMPANT – The Philippines just experienced winds of 90 miles per hour in a category 4 typhoon which destroyed rice and corn fields. Thousand were made homeless as the storm swept up the coast and crossed over to southern Japan. There have been more increasingly fierce storms hitting the Philippines lately than before. Because the population is denser more people are left homeless, or injured or killed than before.
Many storms and tornados have been tearing through the states of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas and Iowa, numbering 226 as of May 15, 2015. So far, none has gone through heavily populated areas, so, there has not been great loss of life, but there has been pretty heavy devastation in area.
Many places n the U.S. still do not have enough rain to replenish the water supply. Even the underground aquifers are going dry. California has been for sometime suffering a terrible drought. Residents are forbidden to water their lawns, which has caused many lawns to die. Recently the government has been offering to pay to have lawns ripped up and replaced with gravel and plants that don’t require very much water. How strange to think of California looking so different! The earth is changing - in tune with God’s plan for the change that shall come, the tribulation of seven years, and then the Kingdom of our Lord.
Earthquakes in Nepal – Many dead and injured after two devastating earthquakes. There are many believers in Jesus Christ in this small country, but the majority are Hindu’s or Buddhists. God is moving to bring people to Him in their grief and pain.
Disease and Pestilence – Polio is spreading in Africa, where many are not vaccinated. In 2012 there were just 250 cases of polio worldwide, but in the last three months there have already been over 100 new reported cases in Somalia. Somalia has the second-lowest vaccinated coverage in the world. UNICEF has warned that “If the outbreak in Somalia is not controlled quickly, it could jeopardize global efforts to wipe out polio once and for all.” There is a deeper challenge in countries like Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan, where polio has proven very difficult to eradicate, partly due to mistrust of immunization programs among certain communities. Matthew 24:7 says in the endtime, “For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be famines, and pestilences (diseases), and earthquakes, in divers places.” Polio is just one of many viruses rampant in the world today.
SUMMING IT UP – Beloved Saints of God and all others who read these words, Jesus Christ is coming very soon. The signs everywhere show forth that the judgment of the tribulation is at hand. God’s Spirit will not always strive with man (Gen. 6:3). Just as in the day of Noah, where the world that forgot God was going about doing their own thing, God brought judgment upon them, so God will very soon say, “It is enough.” His wrath will be poured out. Our only hope is to accept the Lord as our Savior, and walk with Him in obedience to His Word. He admonishes us through the Word of God in Romans 13:11-14, “And that knowing the time that it high time to awake out of sleep for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand; let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly as in the day, not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put you on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.” Let us realize that the time is so short and yield completely to the Lord’s working in our lives.
