blog.Tribulationperiod.com

With Friends Like These – Who Needs Enemies!

Bashar Assad’s days as President are Numbered,

Sooner or Later One of His Foes will take Him Out!

His replacement will eventually make Michael Stand

When Seven Vials of Wrath Are Poured on the Planet

While Jesus Judges The Saved In Heaven For Rewards

After a Sounding of the Last Trump in a Series of Seven

When those who morally Destroyed Earth are Destroyed

By a Pouring Out of the Seven Vials of His Wrath on Them!

April 13, 2011

http://www.tribulationperiod.com/

Daniel 12:1 – And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall

be found written in the book.

Matthew 24:21,22 – For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. [22] And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.

Revelation 11:14-18 – The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly. [15] And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. [16] And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, [17] Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. [18] And the nations were angry, AND THY WRATH IS COME, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.

I Thessalonians 5:9 – For God hath not appointed us TO WRATH, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

Begin Excerpt from THE JERUSALEM POST via REUTERS

Syrian President Assad’s emboldened opponents

By REUTERS

04/12/2011 19:04

Assad faces the most serious challenge of his 11-year rule from several opposition parties calling for public freedoms and an end to corruption.

Talkbacks (1)

AMMAN – Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad faces the most serious challenge of his 11-year rule from a wave of protests calling for public freedoms and an end to corruption.

Opposition parties are banned in Syrian under emergency law introduced when the Baath Party seized power in 1963.

RELATED:

Syrian opposition says 200 killed in protests

Assad cedes ground to Islamists as calls to oust him grow

Although dozens of parties exist, including leftist, secularist, Islamist and Arab nationalist parties, decades

of repression have forced them underground or into exile, leaving formal opposition weakened and fragmented.

The most influential opposition groups are the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood, Kurdish nationalists, and an alliance of liberal, leftist, Islamist and Kurdish figures who produced the 2005 Damascus Declaration calling for peaceful reform in Syria.

Here is a summary of Syrian opposition groups and figures, in Syria and in exile:

MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD

Membership of the Muslim Brotherhood was made a capital offense in Syria in 1980. Two years later, the late President Hafez al-Assad put down an armed uprising by the Brotherhood in the city of Hama.

Human rights groups said at least 20,000 people were killed.

The group’s leader, Mohammad Riad Shaqfa, operating from exile, says the Brotherhood seeks non-violent democratic change to replace autocratic rule with a plural system where it can present an Islam-based manifesto to a free vote. It says it does not want an Islamic state in Syria.

KURDISH PARTIES

Kurdish groups have sought civic rights for Kurds in Syria, and won a pledge from Assad last week that tens of thousands of stateless Kurds would be granted citizenship.

But authorities have countered efforts to organize Syria’s minority Kurds into an effective political force by jailing Kurdish leaders and trying to appease Kurdish tribes. Charismatic Kurdish leader Mishaal al-Tammo was jailed for three and half years in 2009 for “weakening national morale”. Habib Ibrahim, a former political prisoner, is taking a more active role as protests against Assad’s rule intensify.

OPPOSITION FIGURES (in Syria)

RIAD TURK is the leading opponent of the Baath Party’s monopoly on Syria’ s political

system.

Turk has spent 25 years in jail, including 17 in solitary confinement. During the Damascus Spring, a period dominated by calls for democratic reform that lasted almost a year after Bashar succeeded his father in 2000, Turk warned that Assad would not hesitate to use repression to crush Syria’s democrats.

AREF DALILA is a former dean of economics at Damascus University who has campaigned for decades for a democratic alternative to the Baath Party. He was jailed from 2001 to 2008 after he criticized a cellphone concession granted to Assad’s cousin, tycoon Rami Makhlouf, who in the eyes of protesters is a symbol of corruption in Syria.

ANWAR BUNNI is scion of a political family known for unflinching opposition to the Baath Party’s monopoly of power. Bunni, a human rights lawyer from the city of Hama, championed the cause of Syria’s political prisoners before being sentenced to five years in jail 2005 for “weakening national morale”.

HAITHAM MALEH is a former judge who challenged the Baath Party takeover of the judiciary and professional unions.

Jailed for six years in the 1980s, Maleh was sentenced again last year but released last month under an amnesty for prisoners over 70.

AHMAD TUMEH is a physician and respected civic figure from the province of Raqqa, one of the areas hardest hit by a water crisis over the last six years that has displaced hundreds of thousands of people. Tumeh was one of a group of 12 who were arrested in 2007 and jailed for two and a half years after they tried to revive the Damascus Declaration.

FAWAZ TELLO was jailed five years for his role in the Damascus Spring. An engineer by training, Tello has been working quietly since his release in 2006 to further the cause of human rights in Syria and strengthen the democratic movement.

OPPOSITION FIGURES (in exile)

ABDELHALIM KHADDAM, a former vice president who resigned and defected from the Baath Party in 2005, has said Assad’s promises of reform do not go far enough and called for the creation of a new constitution based on a parliamentary democracy.

But opposition figures distrust Khaddam because of his decades of service in the Baath Party, and massive wealth he accumulated while he was in office.

RIFAAT AL-ASSAD turned against his brother, President Hafez al-Assad and lives in exile in Spain.

Rifaat, now a wealthy businessman, has loyalists among Syria’ s Alawite minority but hi

s role in crushing the 1982 Hama uprising, where forces under his command killed thousands, means he has limited influence among majority Sunnis.

MAAMOUN AL-HOMSI, a former member of parliament and businessman now based in Canada, was jailed for five years in 2001 for taking part in the Damascus Spring. He has said he expects Assad to replace Syria’s emergency law with equally draconian anti-terrorism legislation.

EMERGING FIGURES IN CURRENT PROTESTS

MOUAZ AL-KHATIB is head of the independent Islamic Civilization society. Seen as an enlightened religious figure, Khatib has moved to assure Syria’s minorities that the diversity of the country would be respected if Assad falls.

“We call for freedom for every person.

For every Sunni, Alawite, Ismaili and Christian, whether Arab or a member of the great Kurdish nation,” Khatib told protesters this month.

MONTAHA AL-ATRASH is a leading member of the human rights organization Sawasiah.

Her stature as daughter of Sultan Pasha al-Atrash, who led a revolt against French colonial rule, helped elevate her as a spokesperson for non-violent democratic change. She has publicly questioned official assertions that Assad was the only person qualified to rule Syria.

SUHAIR AL-ATASSI played a key role in a March 16 protest in Damascus seeking the release of political prisoners and 15 children arrested in the city of Deraa for writing slogans on walls inspired by the Egyptian and Tunisian revolutions.

She was arrested by secret police at the protest, two days before the eruption of the Deraa uprising, which later spread across the country. She was released earlier this month.

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contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law.

In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.

For more detailed information go to:

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml.

You may use material originated by this site.

However, if you wish to use any quoted copyrighted material from this site, which did not originate at this site, for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner from which we extracted it.

Egypt Will Not Attack Israel!

As Army Goes, So goes Egypt

No Jewels On The Egyptian Nile

Just Desert Oasis Flats Outcasts

A Mixed Bag of Tricks for Elections

Expected To Be Held At End of Year

Whoever is elected the Army will Rule

Likely until a Daniel 11 Army defeats It!

April 12, 2011

http://www.tribulationperiod.com/

Daniel 11:42,43 – He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. [43] But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps.

The Egyptian Army is in control of Egypt and will be for some time.

If you want to understand future political events and reactions to them, it is necessary to recognize whatever happens must be agreeable to the leaders of the military. If you want to be familiar with the candidates in the future elections, then keep the descriptions of their backgrounds in the Special Dispatch Excerpt from MEMRI in this Blog.

Begin Excerpt 1 from Ha’aretz

Haaretz WikiLeaks exclusive / ‘Egypt still views Israel as the enemy’

Defense Ministry official Amos Gilad made the statement to an American diplomat in 2005, despite the long-standing peace agreement between Egypt and Israel.

By Yossi Meiman

April 11, 2011

In September 2005, the head of the Defense Ministry’s diplomatic-security bureau, Maj. Gen. (res. ) Amos Gilad, told an American diplomat that the Egyptian army still sees Israel as an enemy, despite the long-standing peace agreement between the two countries. The conversation was described in a classified telegram sent from the U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv to Washington shortly afterward, published in Haaretz over the weekend as part of the latest round of cables released by WikiLeaks.

According to the telegram, Gilad told senior State Department official Elizabeth Dibble that “in their [Egypt’s] war games, Israel is always identified as the enemy… They are training all the time, preparing operational plans, infrastructure and their Second and Third Army Corps in the Sinai to take over the Sinai whenever they decide to do so.”

He also told Dibble that Israel did not believe the Egyptians were planning to attack, but stressed that Egypt’s military capabilities were of concern.

“Gilad stressed that Israel does not see Egypt’s army as a ‘lousy’ one, observing that even a lousy army can be a dangerous one,” the telegram said, noting Gilad also pointed out that the Egyptians have F-16s and American weapons.

According to the cable, Gilad told Dibble that he had discussed the issue with Egypt’s intelligence chief at the time, Omar Suleiman, but to no avail.

The document goes on to explain that, in Gilad’s estimation, these were the reasons Israel was interested in entering a strategic dialogue with Egypt. Gilad apparently told the Americans that the Egyptians were also interested in dialogue, but did not want to send a senior delegation to Israel. He recalled inviting Egypt’s then defense minister Mohamed Hussein Tantawi (who now heads Egypt’s transitional government) and the commander of the Egyptian air force, but they repeatedly declined to visit Israel.

Begin Excerpt 2 from MEMRI

Middle East Media Research Institute

Special Dispatch No.

3751

April 8, 2011

Egyptian Presidential Candidates

The Egyptian presidential elections are expected to be held toward the end of 2011.

Egypt’s past presidential elections have featured a single candidate, to be approved or rejected by the public. Now, however, the recent amendments to the constitution and laws allow multiple candidates, and numerous figures from diverse sectors have indeed declared their intention to run.

Below is a list of all those who have thus far presented their candidacies, in no particular order.

Mohamed ElBaradei – Former IAEA Director-General (1997-2009). ElBaradei is considered to be a liberal candidate, but during the anti-Mubarak revolution he struck an unofficial political partnership with the Muslim Brotherhood. He opposed the recent amendments to the Egyptian constitution, and demands the postponement of the parliamentary elections in order to allow political forces other than the Muslim Brotherhood and the NDP to organize.

He has been critical of Israel, and continuously demands to open the Rafah border crossing.

Hisham Al-Bastawisi – An Egyptian judge who enjoyed the support of the young liberal circles during the revolution. In 2005, he led the campaign of the Egyptian judges against the Mubarak regime. Al-Bastawisi has declared that significant parts of the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty should be renegotiated, and is opposing any amendment to the controversial second article of the Egyptian constitution, which states that the Shari’a is the basis for legislation.

‘Abdallah Al-Ash’al – Former Egyptian deputy foreign minister. Al-Ash’al is affiliated with pan-Arab circles and writes regularly for the Muslim Brotherhood website.

Hamadein Sabahi – One of the founders of the Al-Karama (“Dignity”) party. Sabahi, who holds pan-Arabist, Nasserist views, was elected to parliament in the 2000 and 2005 elections. He is a staunch opponent of the peace treaty with Israel, and wishes to improve Egypt’s relations with Turkey and Iran.

Anis Al-Dgheidi – A relatively unknown Egyptian journalist. During the recent Coalition campaign to enforce the no-fly zone over Libya, Al-Dgheidi traveled to Libya and appeared several times on Libyan TV in support of Mu’ ammar Al-Qadhafi and his regime.

In these interviews, he claimed to have rejected an offer by U.S. President Barack Obama to become his personal advisor, but said that President Obama had been consulting with him on Middle East issues for a long time. He claims to have published 54 books, the most recent, The General of Freedom, focusing on Al-Qadhafi.

General Muhammad ‘Ali Bilal – The first figure with a military background to announce his intention to run for president. Bilal served as commander of the Egyptian military force in Kuwait during the first Gulf War. He supports the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty, on the grounds that it is in the interests of both countries. Nevertheless, he said he would try to amend the treaty in a way that would maintain bilateral relations.

Dr. Hamed Al-Hamed – Claims to be a NASA scientist. Al-Hamed lived for 18 years in the U.S., but does not have U.S. citizenship. He calls to abolish the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty on religious grounds “at the appropriate time.” Al-Hamed believes that the Islamic state established by the Prophet Muhammad embodied the notion of “civil state.”

Tawfiq Okasha – Owner of Al-Faraeen TV, a former member of the NDP and its Policies Committee under Gamal Mubarak. Okasha was elected to parliament in 2010.

‘Amr Moussa – Secretary-General of the Arab League and former Egyptian foreign minister.

Ayman Nour – Head of the Al-Ghad (“Tomorrow”) Party. Nour was imprisoned in 2005 on charges of falsifying documents, and was released in February 2009. Nour, who opposes the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty, calls for a referendum on it. He said he would select a woman or a Copt as his vice president.

Dr. Sadeq Radhwan – Economics expert and consultant and on the advancement of developing countries. The 46-year-old Radhwan divides his time between Egypt and Germany.

Dr. Maher Sami Hashem – Consultant in administration and economics. Hashem stated that he wishes to improve Egypt’s relations with the Nile River Basin countries and all the neighboring countries, “especially Palestine.” He said he opposes revoking international treaties, but would adopt a policy of imposing impossible conditions that would force the other party to revoke the treaty themselves. His campaign slogan is “Yes, We Will Be.”

Magdi Hussein – Secretary-General of the Islamist Al-‘Amal (“Labor”) Party. He stated that confronting Israel would top his political campaign for the presidency. Hussein was incarcerated in Egypt after crossing into Gaza through a tunnel.

Magdi Hatata – Former Egyptian Chief of Staff (1995-2001). Hatata is running as an independent candidate.

Sameh ‘Ashour – First deputy head of the Nasserist Party. He is running as representative of his party.

Wissam ‘Abd Al-Gawwad – A 44-year-old geography teacher, who demonstrated at Al-Tahrir Square. Founded the Egyptians for Change association, and the Al-Nahhar party, which has 3,400 members to date. Due to a lack of funds, ‘Abd Al-Gawwad recruits support in cafes.

Midhat Khafaji – Deputy head of the Al-Ghad (“Tomorrow”) Party (whose head, Ayman Nour, is also running). Will be running as an independent candidate.

Ahmad Shobair – Former goalkeeper of the Egyptian national soccer team. Shobair hosts a sports show on an Egyptian TV channel.

Dr. Muhammad Muqbil – Owner of the Al-Badr TV channel. Muqbil’s elections slogan is “Justice-Freedom-Revival.” He wishes to amend the Camp David Accord so that it would “realize peace and justice.” Muqbil also wants to bring about pan-Arab unity and establish the “United Arab States.”

‘Adel Fakhri Danial – Founder of the Istiqama Party, and Egypt’s first Coptic presidential candidate. He said that the first article in his platform would be the abolishment of the Camp David Accord. Danial stated that he did not wish to revoke the second article of the constitution, which states that Islam is the basis for legislation, but that he wanted to add the phrase “and the other monotheistic religions” to it.

Hussein Abd Al-Razeq – One of the leaders of the Communist Al-Taggam’u Party.

Anas Al-Wugud Aliwa – Egyptian author. Stated that she believed women could succeed in the elections, because they constitute half the population.

Osama Al-Hilwani – A lawyer who serves as chief prosecutor in the Shubra Al-Kheima region.

Buthaina Kamel – An Egyptian TV host, member of the Kefaya movement, which opposed the Mubarak regime. Kamel said that she did not believe the Egyptians really opposed the idea of being led by a woman.

Mustafa Sadeq – Independent candidate. Demands that the monthly salary of

the Egyptian president, ministers, and other officials should not exceed 20,000 Egyptian pounds. Sadeq calls to restrict the age of ministers to below 55. He also wants to make Egypt a neutral state “like Switzerland,” which would develop “like China.”

Muhammad Muhi Al-Din – Lecturer in engineering at an Alexandria university. He declared his intention to run for president in 2009, long before the revolution.

His slogan is “Yes, We Can Turn Egypt into a Superpower.”

Hamdi Tahhan – Former pilot and the former head of the transportation committee in the Egyptian parliament

Begin Excerpt 3 from THE JERUSALEM POST

The region: The future of Egyptian politics, religion

By BARRY RUBIN

04/11/2011 03:44

How can Marxists, radical nationalists and Islamists all work togethe

r? Well, that’s Egypt for you.

There are currently 20 candidates running for Egypt’s presidency. Most are not serious, but can split the vote for various blocs. I think the winner will be radical nationalist Amr Moussa, which isn’t great but better than an Islamist regime.oussa, former Egyptian foreign minister and former secretary-general of the Arab League, has far more name recognition than any opponent. As a veteran of the old regime, he has the votes of Mubarak supporters. As a radical nationalist, he appeals to many Egyptians.

He is not an Islamist in any way, which will appeal to the majority of Egyptians, who don’t want the Muslim Brotherhood to rule. And he knows how to be a demagogue.

The 20 candidates include two women, a Christian, two retired generals, and a couple of journalists. But there are no Islamists (or at least no Muslim Brotherhood representatives) among them. The Brotherhood won’t run a candidate, and so will have to decide who to vote for.

There is only one other candidate from the old establishment, so that vote – perhaps one-quarter of the electorate? – will go to Moussa.

But there are five leftists and six liberals who will split those two blocs. The following are all running: Abdallah al-Ash’al, pan-Arab nationalist; Hamadein Sabahi, Al- Karama (Dignity) party; Hussein Abd al-Razeq, neo- Communist Al-Taggam’u Party; Magdi Hussein, Al- ’Amal Party; and Sameh ‘Ashour, Nasserist Party.

Incidentally, several of these people

– notably al-Ash’al and Hussein – get along nicely with the Brotherhood.

How can Marxists, radical nationalists and Islamists all work together? Well, that’s Egyptian politics.

Yet that’s not the key problem. Remember those young, pro-democratic Facebook liberals who supposedly were going to rule Egypt

? Well, they’re all running against each other, thus splitting an already small voting bloc into a microscopic one. The six rivals are: • Mohamed ElBaradei, who is more popular and far better- known with Western journalists than with Egyptians.

Hisham Al-Bastawisi, a judge who was one of the first to come out against Mubarak.

Ayman Nour, al-Ghad (Tomorrow) Party, who ran against Mubarak in the previous election and spent four years in prison.

Midhat Khafaji, deputy head of the al-Ghad party, who is running against Nour, the party’s leader.

Buthaina Kamel, a TV host from the Kefaya movement – another early anti-Mubarak group.

Wissam Abd al-Gawwad, a teacher who founded the Egyptians for Change association and the al-Nahhar party.

While only the first four are more important, that’s still a pretty big field. Remember also that when it comes time to assemble lists for the parliamentary election, such splits will be even more damaging.

Here are the two interesting questions: • Who will the Brotherhood back with its 20-30% base? It was supporting ElBaradei (yes, Islamists backing a liberal, because he isn’t so liberal), but have quarreled with him lately.

Will Moussa organize his own party which, if successful, could come in first in the parliamentary election? But one thing isn’t in much doubt: President Amr Moussa sounds likely.

ALI GOMAA, grand mufti of Egypt, writes in the New York Times: “Egypt’s religious tradition is anchored in a moderate, tolerant view of Islam. We believe that Islamic law guarantees freedom of conscience and expression (within the bounds of common decency), and equal rights for women. And as head of Egypt’s agency of Islamic jurisprudence, I can assure you that the religious establishment is committed to the belief that government must be based on popular sovereignty.”

Well, without getting into things like clerics endorsing suicide bombings, here’s what they don’t tell you: Gomaa is a Mubarak appointee. The Muslim Brotherhood is already demanding his resignation.

Either he will quit, be forced out, or be replaced by someone whose view of Islam is closer to that of the Brotherhood.

And who doesn’t believe Islamic law guarantees freedom of conscience and expression, or equal rights for women.

And note that last phrase. He’s saying, after supporting the Mubarak dictatorship for decades, that he now supports democracy. But if government is based on popular sovereignty, doesn’t that mean the grand mufti should reflect prevailing views of Islam, which includes – according to reliable polls – overwhelming support for Koranic amputation and stoning punishments, the killing of anyone who converts to another religion, and other things that seem neither moderate nor tolerant? The entire religious establishment in Egypt has been organized to fight Islamism and the Muslim Brotherhood – a group that will probably control about one-third of parliament. And many Egyptians who don’t like the Brotherhood will also see Gomaa as a remnant of the dictatorship they want to eliminate.

All mosques must be government approved; mosque leaders are controlled by the government; religious education is controlled by the government; the head of the al-Azhar mosque/university and the grand mufti (Gomaa) are appointed by the government; clerics are allotted television time and media space by the government.

Guess what? There’s a new government and thus a “new” Islam.

Incidentally, the Brotherhood is now calling for a Saudistyle morality police with powers of arrest. Is that the moderate, tolerant style Gomaa is advocating

? Three points many are missing: 1. Many who don’t like the Brotherhood want even stricter social controls. Will the revolution ultimately bring Egyptians more freedom or less? 2. The Brotherhood will be a political power, and other parties will make deals with it in which they give the Brotherhood what it wants on religious-related, social matters, and even foreign-policy issues, in exchange for Brotherhood support for their own priorities.

Beyond the Brotherhood there are radical violent Islamists who will carry out terror attacks against uppity women, secularists, Christians and Israeli or Western targets.

Many of them were radicalized by being in the Brotherhood. With the Brotherhood legalized and growing, there will be many more such people. The government will not crack down on their base-building and propaganda. How tough will it be on their terrorism? Many things to consider…

The writer is director of the Global Research in International Affairs Center (www.gloria-center.org) and editor of Middle East Review of International Affairs Journal and Turkish Studies. He blogs at www.rubinreports.blogspot.com

FAIR USE NOTICE: This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more detailed information go to:

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml.

You may use material originated by this site. However, if you wish to use any quoted copyrighted material from this site, which did not originate at this site, for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner from which we extracted it.

ALMOST 2000 YEARS AND STILL COUNTING – BLOG 5

http://www.tribulationperiod.com/

April 11, 2011

Matthew 24:3 – And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be

? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

JESUS ANSWERED 3 QUESTIONS BUT NOT IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER!

THEY ARE LINGUISTICALLY SEPARATED FROM ONE ANOTHER BY THE FOLLOWING EXPRESSIONS IN LUKE’S OLIVET DISCOURSE:

(1) “BUT THE END IS NOT BY AND BY’ – LUKE 21:9

(2) “THEN SAID HE UNTO THEM” – LUKE 21:10

(3) “BUT BEFORE ALL THESE” – LUKE 21:12

(4) “UNTIL THE TIMES OF” – LUKE 21:24

(5) “AND THERE SHALL BE” – LUKE 21:25

The Olivet Discourse by Jesus is found in Luke, Mark, and Matthew. I have read hundreds of expositions of the discourse by many different men. I can truthfully say, without reservations or hesitation, that many positions are held on the discourse and wide differences do indeed exist between them. Some believe it was all fulfilled by 73 A.D., some say most of it was fulfilled by 73 A.D., and some say most of it is yet to be fulfilled.

Some say it only applies to the Jews, and some say it applies to both Jew

and Gentile.

In Blogs 1 through 4, an exposition was given that covered Mark 13:1-8, Matthew 24:1-8, and Luke 21:5-17. Blog 4 completed Luke 21:12-17 as an answer to the first of three questions the disciples asked Jesus, which are found in Matthew 24:3, the first question being, “when shall these things be?” They wanted to know what signs would be occurring from that time until the temple was leveled.

Matthew 24:3 – And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

Luke 21:17 – And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake.

Blog 4 ended with Luke 21:17, so Blog 5 will continue to answer this first question, beginning with Luke 21:18, which we know cannot be referring to physical hair, because of Luke 21:1 6.

Even physical hair eventually rots and perishes when a person dies, and in in Luke 21:16 he tells them some of his followers are going to die for their testimony and belief in him, but immediately thereafter in 21:18 he tells them “But there shall not an hair of your head perish.

”

Luke 21:16 – And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.

If some of them were to be put to death, then Luke 21:18 must refer to an application of the maintenance of their spiritual being.

Luke 21:18 – But there shall not an hair of your head perish.

After having advised the disciples of all the trials and tribulations they were going to experience before the temple was leveled in 21:12-17, he then assures them they will not be separated from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus.

Even the smallest part of each one of them would forever be preserved, even down to their hair follicles.

Romans 8:36-39 – As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. [37] Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. [38] For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, [39] Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

He had advised them earlier not to be afraid of those who could kill their bodies, but to fear God who was the keeper of their souls. He also told them that they were much more valuable than the smallest of creatures offered in temple sacrifices, the sparrow. And since he kept track of even the smallest sacrifice offered they, being more valuable, would have their souls preserved through all tribulations by his power. And, even if they suffered physical death, not one spiritual hair of their being would ever be forgotten or forsaken.

Luke 12:4-8 – I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.

[5] But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him,

which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. [6] Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God

? [7] But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows. [8] Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God:

All but Judas had repented of their sins, and confessed him as Messiah, so he assured them that not one of them, who would go through this time of great testing, would have his soul perish from his presence.

II Peter 3:9 – The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

He then tells them, in essence and in context, in your endurance of all the trials I have just described, let your faith in me take possession, or take control, of your souls. Let your born again Spirit control your soul, in patient endurance, through all these trials

Luke 21:19 – In your PATIENCE POSSESS ye

your SOULS.

The word used for PATIENCE is HEPOMONE, which means the act of ENDURANCE. POSSESS is KTAOMAI.

SOULS is PSUCHE, which is frequently translated as LIFE. In their ENDURANCE, through all these trials, they were to spiritually POSSESS their souls. This is the process of spiritual growth in faith by a soul kept by God, as it grows by the trials it endures – more on this in Blog 6.

It would be Interesting If………..!

A three year truce could be Brokered

Between the Gaza Terrorists and Israelis,

Thereby giving Israel a false sense of Safety

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I Thessalonians 5:3,4 – For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

[4] But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

Isaiah 26:17-21 – Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O Lord. [18] We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen. [19] Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise.

Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the

dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead. [20] Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.

[21] For, behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.

April 10, 2011

http://www.tribulationperiod.com/

Begin Excerpt 1 from THE JERUSALEM POST

Arab League plans to ask UN to impose no-fly zone over Gaza

By JPOST.COM STAFF

04/10/2011 17:27

Amid escalation in violence along border Moussa says proposal to be presented to UNSC; Gaza ceasefire brokered by UN official Robert Serry who acts as intermediary between Hamas and J’lem, Ma’an reports.

The Arab League on Sunday announced during a special meeting in Cairo that it plans to press the UN to impose a no-fly zone over Gaza amid an escalation in violence in the area, AFP reported.

Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa said he plans to present the proposal to the UN Security Council, the report said.

The announcement came as Palestinian news agency Ma’an reported on Sunday that UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Roberty Serry successfully brokered a ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip including Hamas.

The deal,

reportedly reached Saturday night stipulated that the IDF stop its air and artillery strikes against Palestinian terrorist groups, who also reportedly have agreed to halt their rocket and mortar fire.

Neither Jerusalem nor Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip have announced a ceasefire, but senior officials made statements Sunday hinting to their openness towards such a deal.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak said early Sunday that Jerusalem was willing to accept a mutual ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza after several days of projectile fire and IDF strikes, adding that “If necessary, we will act, but,” he said, “restraint is also a form of strength.”

“If they stop firing on our communities, we will stop firing. If they stop firing in general, it will be quiet, it will be good,” Barak told Israel Radio.

On the Gazan the armed wing of Islamic Jihad, Al-Quds, said that it was committed to a ceasefire with Israel, saying it was in the “interests of our people not to give Israel an excuse to launch a major military operation in Gaza.”

The announcement came only hours after the group claimed responsibility for firing three mortars and a rocket into Israeli territory Sunday morning.

Abu Ahmed, Islamic Jihad’s spokesperson, said that his group would cease violence “so long as Israel fulfills it’s responsibility and stops attacks against the Palestinian people in Gaza.”

Hamas also softened its language on Sunday.

The group’s spokesman in the Gaza Strip, Sami Abu Zuhri, on said that “The Palestinian factions are not interested in escalation.” He added, “if the Israeli aggression stopped, it would be natural for calm to be restored.”

Reuters contributed to this report

Begin Excerpt 2 from THE JERUSALEM POST

Barak: 750,000 citizens in bomb shelters is unacceptable

By JPOST.COM STAFF

04/10/2011 15:55

Netanyahu warns that Iron Dome isn’t a complete solution for Gaza attacks; US to transfer additional $205m. for more Iron Dome batteries.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Sunday said that “Hamas, from our point of view, is responsible for everything that happens in the [Gaza] Strip and for all of the [terrorist] organizations that operate there.”

Speaking at the weekly cabinet meeting, he added, “we will not accept actions that harm our citizens, actions like the firing on the bus, or attempts to put three-quarter of a million citizens in bomb shelters.” The defense minister was referring to an incident on Thursday when an anti-tank missile was fired at a school bus, leaving a 16-year-old in critical condition and the firing of over 120 rockets and mortar shells over the weekend.

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IDF to move Iron Dome to Gush Dan region in weeks

Hamas sustained a heavy blow, he said, adding that “fortunately, nobody was injured” by their fire. The IDF’s strikes, he said, have been “very effective and precise, and they sustained a heavy blow.”

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Sunday lauded the Iron Dome anti-rocket system’s successes, while cautioning that it is not a complete solution to the problem of Hamas’s offensive against Israel from the Gaza Strip.

Speaking at the weekly cabinet meeting, the prime minister said that “IDF had two major achievements in the past few days, one on the area of defense, the other in offensive operations.

In the area of defense, Israel scored a significant and impressive success when the Iron Dome system intercepted missiles.”

He said that despite the achievement’s significance, “it is clear that it is only a partial response. It is clear that an offensive response is also needed.”

Despite calls coming from both Hamas and Defense Minister Ehud Barak for a ceasefire, Netanyahu reiterated that the IDF would not tolerate attacks on Israeli citizens, and would respond fully. “If Israeli citizens continue to come under attack, the response will be much harsher,” Netanyahu said.

The prime minister’s praise for the Iron Dome rocket defense system came as the United States was expected to transfer $205 million to Israel for the purchase and deployment of additional Iron Dome batteries, Army Radio cited the security establishment as saying Sunday.

Though the $205 million in funds will aid Israel to continue to deploy Iron Dome batteries, with the hopes of providing increased defense to Israel’s more heavily populated civilian areas, greater funding is still required to adequately expand the defense system, which has cost an estimated $210 million thus far.

Since its inception, many top security and military officials have said that Iron Dome only distracts from necessary offensive military actions against Hamas.

The system’s effectiveness , however, has led to increased demand for its utilization, and many top security officials believe that Iron Dome batteries should be deployed across the country. Currently, two batteries are deployed: one battery outside Beersheba, and the other near Ashkelon.

Iron Dome’s successes can be seen in several different cases already. On Sunday, a Grad rocket fired towards Ashkelon was intercepted just outside the city. Last Friday when a Grad rocket fired from Gaza toward Beersheba was intercepted, as were four rockets that were launched towards Ashkelon. It intercepted a total of eight Grad rockets over the weekend.

Yaakov Katz contributed to this report.

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ALMOST 2000 YEARS AND STILL COUNTING – BLOG 4

http://www.tribulationperiod.com/

April 9, 2011

Matthew 24:3 – And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world

?

JESUS ANSWERED 3 QUESTIONS BUT NOT IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER! THEY ARE LINGUISTICALLY SEPARATED FROM ONE ANOTHER BY THE FOLLOWING EXPRESSIONS IN LUKE’S OLIVET DISCOURSE:

(1) “BUT THE END IS NOT BY AND BY’ – LUKE 21:9

(2) “THEN SAID HE UNTO THEM” – LUKE 21: 10

(3) “BUT BEFORE ALL THESE” – LUKE 21:12

(4) “UNTIL THE TIMES OF” – LUKE 21:24

(5) “AND THERE SHALL BE” – LUKE 21:25

The Olivet Discourse by Jesus is found in Luke, Mark, and Matthew. I have read hundreds of expositions of the discourse by many different men. I can truthfully say, without reservations or hesitation, that many positions are held on the discourse and wide differences do indeed exist between them. Some believe it was all fulfilled by 73 A.D., some say most of it was fulfilled by 73 A.D., and some say most of it is yet to be fulfilled. Some say it only applies to the Jews, and some say it applies to both Jew and Gentile.

In Blog 1, an exposition of Matthew 24:1-6, Mark 13:7, and Luke 21:9 was given. In Part 2, a thorough exposition of Luke 21:10 was given as it related to its disassociation from 21:9, because by the use of “tote elegen” for “then said he,” it indicated that a new subject was being introduced, so that the “wars” of verse 9 are not related to “nation shall rise against nation” in verse 10.

Luke 21:9,10 – But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by. [10] Then said he (tote elegen) unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:

In Blog 2, a case was made to show the root word “egeiro,” translated as “rise” in verse 10, means to “come to life, to rise from sleep, or to come into existence.” And I showed numerous Scriptures where it was used in order to make that po

int. A case was also made to show that the word “against” is “epi,” and that its basic meaning is “on” or “upon.” So the claim was made that “Nation shall rise (egeiro) against (epi) does not in any way refer to war, but rather the ever increasing number of nations that have come to life in the last 56 years, rising one upon another from the 51 charter members of the United Nations in 1945 to 160 by 1989, and now at 200 in 2003. Nothing like this has ever happened in history. But I promised, at the close of Blog 2, to provide additional proof that “Nation shall rise against nation” does not refer to increasing wars, but rather to an increasing rise in the number of new nations every coming to life, and raising one upon another. And I will proceed to present additional proof at this time.

Immediately after Matthew and Mark list the signs that give the answer to the second question they asked him, which was, “And what shall be the sign of thy coming,” Jesus gives the general name for the four things he has listed in the expression, “All these are the beginning of sorrows.”

Matthew 24:7,8 – For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences,

and earthquakes, in divers places. [8] All these are the beginning of SORROWS (ODIN).

The God-Breathed word for SORROWS is ODIN. You may look in any Greek Lexicon from any time period, and you will always find this listed centrally as the definition for ODIN – “The pains a woman suffers in the travail of childbirth, a woman’s birth pains.” The disciples knew quite well what ODIN meant.

When the Olivet Discourse was written, they had no hospitals, no painkillers, and midwives delivered the babies. If a baby was lodged sideways in the womb, no one knew how to remove the baby through the stomach, and the mother and child died. The pain of normal childbirth is painful enough, but these men had listened to the shrill dying cries of women that traveled for great distances. They knew what ODIN meant. When true labor pains begin, the first pain hurts, but the next hurts a little more, the next more and closer to its precedent, and harder and closer, and harder and closer, and harder and closer, until finally the baby arrives.

This is the manner the occurrence of the four things he listed as SORROWS would follow

as signs his second coming was drawing near.

The four things he associated with the “sorrows” that are to be signs that his coming is drawing near are: (1) Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, (2) Earthquakes, (3) Pestilences, and (4) Famines.

Luke 21:10,11 – Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: [11] And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.

Luke did not refer to them as the “beginning of sorrows” because he added “fearful sights and great signs,” which are not a part of the time of sorrows, but rather a part of Christ’s answer to the third question. They will mark the end of the world (the Gentile Age), and are associated with the 2nd Advent of Christ at Armageddon. I will be showing why this is the case in future expositions of the Olivet Discourse.

The number of new nations coming to life, and rising one upon another, started to increase like a woman’s birth pains at the end of World War II. Earthquakes started to follow the birth pains pattern in 1967. The pestilences began to follow the pattern in 1980. Famines began to follow the pattern in the early eighties, and dramatically increased after 1993.

I will deal with each one of these separately, Lord willing, in future parts of this BLOG series, but Part 4 will deal with Luke 21:12 to 17, and I promise you will find it interesting.

In Blogs 1 through 3, an exposition was given that covered Mark 13:1-8, Matthew 24:1-8, and Luke 21:5-11. It was established that Luke 21:10,11 referred to the second question that the disciples had asked Jesus about coming events in Matthew 24:3, that being “and what shall be the sign of thy coming?”

Matthew 24:3 – And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

Luke 21:10,11 – Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: [11] And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.

It was established in Blogs 1 through 3 that this verse contains four signs that will be occurring before Christ returns for the saved.

Now, please note carefully the first four words in the verse that follows Luke 21:11.

Luke 21:12 – BUT BEFORE ALL THESE, they shall lay their hands on YOU, and persecute YOU, delivering YOU up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake.

Jesus returns to answering the disciple’s first question, “when shall these things be,” that is to say, when will the temple be leveled?” He had given them two things already that would be occurring in Luke 21:8,9 during their lifetimes before the temple was finally leveled. Then he changed the discourse in Luke 21:10 by using TOTE ELEGON (Then said he), and gave them the answer to their second question regarding his coming. But in verse 12 he goes back to answering their first question, and begins to tell them what is going to happen to them personally before the temple is leveled. He literally tells them, BUT BEFORE ALL THESE, that is to say, BEFORE THESE THINGS I JUST TOLD YOU WOULD BE OCCURRING AS SIGNS TO LET YOU KNOW MY COMING IS NEAR, HERE IS WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO YOU AS MY DISCIPLES.

And what he states in Luke 21:12 to 17 is precisely what did happen to them to fulfill this prophecy, and thereby answer their first question. This is not the first time Jesus had warned them what would be happening to

them after his departure. He had warned them before he ever sent them out alone on their first assignment in Matthew 10:17-22. Let’s compare this with Luke 21:12 to 17.

Matthew 10:17-22 – But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their SYNAGOGUES; [18] And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. [19] But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.

[20] For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. [21] And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.

[22] And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake:

Luke 21:12-17 – But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the SYNAGOGUES, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake. [13] And it sh all turn to you for

a testimony. [14] Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: [15] For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.

[16] And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. [17] And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake.

Luke 21:12-17 was fulfilled during the lives of the disciples, right up to the leveling of Herod’s temple in 70 A.D. The account of their persecution is vividly portrayed in the book of Acts.

It is precisely what Jesus foretold would happen to them long before the increase of the number of nations, earthquakes, famines, and pestilences. To those who believe Luke 21:12-17 has yet to be fulfilled, please note that the subjects of these verses are delivered up to SYNAGOGUES, and I have yet to read a commentary indicating that today’s believers are going to be carried by Jews to be tried in their synagogues. Jews will be under more persecution than true believers in the coming tribulation period. So the Jews will hardly have time to persecute us, as the following two Scriptures attest.

The answer to question number 1 has already been fulfilled, and I will continue to elaborate on it, and on question 2, in Blog 5