Putin agrees to take the Golan from Israel, and give it to Syria

On By AdminIn Israel, Russia4 Comments

Last year we wrote a post explaining what could cause Russia to invade Israel.

At the time, Israel’s Prime Minister had flown to Washington, and was making a desperate bid to get Obama’s support for Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights.

Only a few weeks earlier a discovery had been made that would serve to increase tensions on the question of sovereignty over the Golan – huge oil deposits were found on the Golan Heights, and verified by an Israeli company.

Yet, weeks later, Benjamin Netanyahu returned to Israel having failed to secure Obamas support.

It wasnt long before the United Nations – including Russia – condemned Israels “occupation” of the Golan Heights, and around the same time, Syria asked Russia to develop their oil resources.

Then, over the course of the next 6 months, the Israeli leadership became very concerned about Russian activity near the Golan.

Click here for the context of the story thus far.

Now, Debkafile reports the following:

“Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu will visit Moscow on Thursday, April 21 to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and to launch the most important battle of his political career, and one of Israel’s most decisive contests of the last 10 years: the battle over the future of the Golan Heights.

DEBKAfile’s intelligence sources and its sources in Moscow report exclusively that Israel’s top political leaders and military commanders were stunned and shocked last weekend when they found out that US President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed to support the return of the Golan to Syria. The two presidents gave their top diplomats, Secretary of State John Kerry and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, the green light to include such a clause in a proposal being drafted at the Geneva conference on ending the Syrian civil war.

Israel captured the Golan from the Syrian army 49 years ago, during the Six-Day War in 1967 after the Syrian army invaded Israel.

In 1981, during the tenure of then Prime Minister Menachem Begin, Israel passed a law defining the Golan as a territory under Israeli sovereignty. However, it did not state that the area belongs to Israel.

While Israel was preparing for a diplomatic battle over the future of Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, Obama and Putin decided to deal a diplomatic blow to Israel and Netanyahu’s government on an unexpected issue, the Golan.

It is part of an endeavor by the two powers to use their diplomatic and military cooperation regarding Syria to impose agreements on neighboring countries, such as Israel, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Jordan.

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For example, Washington and Moscow are trying to impose an agreement regarding the granting of independence to Syrian Kurds, despite Ankara’s adamant opposition. The two presidents are also pressuring Riyadh and Amman to accept the continuation of Syrian President Bashar Assad’s rule, at least for the immediate future.

DEBKAfile’s sources report that just like the other diplomatic or military steps initiated by Obama and Putin in Syria, such as those for Assad’s eventual removal from power, the two powers see a resolution of the Golan issue as a gradual process that may take a long time, perhaps even years. But as far as they are concerned, Israel will have to withdraw from the Golan at the end of that process.

It should be noted that Prime Minister Netanyahu is not traveling to Washington to discuss the Golan issue with Obama. The frequent trips by the prime minister, senior officials and top IDF brass to Moscow in recent months show where the winds are blowing in the Middle East.

However, Moscow is not Washington, and Israel has no lobby in the Russian capital defending its interests.

It should be made very clear that the frequent trips by senior Israeli officials to Moscow have not created an Israeli policy that can influence Putin or other senior members of the Russian leadership. Putin has made occasional concessions to Israel on matters of minimal strategic importance, but on diplomatic and military steps regarding Syria and Iran he has shown little consideration of Jerusalem’s stance.

It should also be noted that there has been no basis for the enthusiasm over the Russian intervention in Syria shown by Netanyahu, Israeli ministers and senior IDF officers.

All of the calls by a number of Russia experts, mainly those of DEBKAfile, for extreme caution in ties with Putin have fallen on deaf ears among the political leadership in Jerusalem and the IDF command in Tel Aviv.

Amid these developments, three regional actors are very pleased by Washington and Moscow’s agreement to demand Israeli withdrawal from the Golan: Syrian President Assad, the Iranian leadership in Tehran and Hizballah leader Hassan Nasrallah.

Now, they do not need to risk a military confrontation with Israel over the Golan because Obama and Putin have essentially agreed to do the dirty work for them.

The Kingdom of God

On By AdminIn The Kingdom1 Comment

It is a picture, but not a fancy.

It is beautiful, but not a fable.

It is ravishing to the imagination, and yet the presentment of truth as practical and actual and tangible as any sight to be seen at any time in the humdrum streets of a modern city.

It comes direct to us on the guarantee of Him who holds heaven and earth in His hand – who, having cursed, can bless; who, having smitten, can heal; who, having caused us to know the misery of His withdrawn countenance from the earth, and the consequent prevalence of disorder and death, can gladden our eyes by the spectacle of the tabernacle of God with men, and human life a beautiful and holy and joyful thing for ever.

Come to the land of promise in the day of its glory – not as you are now – burdened with infirmity, with a nature easily fatigued, eye soon dimmed, power soon spent, and having but scant capacity to rise to the surrounding sublimities of the universe, or to apprehend sympathetically the subtle glories of the Spirit.

Come, when it has been said to you as to Joshua, “Take away the filthy garments from him…

I will clothe thee with a change of raiment.” Come when mortality no longer weighs you to the earth, and when you know the new experience of having “the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.” Come when you can step lightly and joyously abroad upon the earth in the freedom and power of spirit nature; strong, penetrating eye looks out of a glad heart to behold in all things the unfolded love, and wisdom, and glory of God: when every thought is a joy, every movement a pleasure; every breath the inspiration of an ecstacy that can only find fit expression in praise to Him that sits upon the throne.

In such a state, any land, any configuration of country, would furnish suitable sphere.

But God puts his jewels in fit settings.

He hath called and glorified His children, and “He hath prepared for them a city” – a city having foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Abraham sojourned in the geographical area of this city – in the land of promise – as in a strange country; but that is now long past.

Forsaken and hated for ages, the land is now “an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations.” God has fulfilled His promise, and has made “her wilderness like Eden – her desert like the garden of the Lord.” Come and see as we go; we stand on the hills of Judea, now no longer stern and wild.

They are clad with glorious vegetation, of every form and fragrance.

The hills are clothed with pleasant woods, and the valleys rejoice in the smiling beauties of a rich cultivation – field and vineyard, fruits and flowers, corn and wine.

The air is clear and warm, and laden with pleasant odours.

The view on all sides is magnificent and far-reaching.

No smoke obscures the landscape, no fog on the valleys, no mist on the hills.

The sky is cloudless, and the sun pours his healing flood of light on rejoicing land and ocean.

The whirr of pleasant insect; the musical song of bird helps the sense of gladness that fills the air.

Nearby are pleasant homesteads, standing each in its own plot or portion, neatly trimmed and well-kept.

Below in the valley, towns and hamlets, peopled by righteous Israelites, are visible in the far receding distance, clearly visible in this transparent atmosphere, in which everything appears nearer than it is.

Jerusalem is faintly visible on our northern horizon.

Let us hasten in that direction.

Bro. Robert Roberts describes his vision of the Kingdom in ‘The Final Consolation’.

Stay posted to read the remainder of the series.

Catholicism and Paganism

On By AdminIn Catholicism, Papacy1 Comment

A large part of the book of Revelation is written about the apostasy and the false prophet and this is particularly so in Rev 16 – 18.

Why does Revelation show how much God and Christ are repulsed by the apostate church? To name a few reasons –

  • pagan like worship
  • its history of child sexual abuse
  • money laundering
  • the politicization of religion

Pagan traditions

Catholic Church makes tradition above or equal to Scripture, but in actuality many of its traditions stem from pagan sun worship. Its teachings, beliefs and practices come from Mithraism—a form of paganism that existed in Babylonian times.

These pagan practices are symbols of apostasy against God. Of this, the Twentieth Century Encyclopedia of Catholicism says the following:

The missionary history of the [Catholic] Church clearly shows her adaptability to all races, all continents, all nations. In her liturgy and her art, in her tradition and the forming of her doctrine, naturally enough she includes Jewish elements, but also elements that are of pagan origin. In certain respects, she has copied her organization from that of the Roman Empire, has preserved and made fruitful the philosophical intuitions of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, borrowed from both Barbarians and the Byzantine Roman Empire—but always remains herself, thoroughly digesting all elements drawn from external sources…In her laws, her ceremonies, her festivals and her devotions, she makes use of local customs after purifying them and “baptizing” them.

The Papacy claims that its system of worship has been handed down through tradition. They are absolutely correct. But these are not the teachings of Jesus, but rather the traditions of Babylon.

Roman Catholic doctrines such as infant baptism, sprinkling during baptism, teachings on death and immortality, tonsured and celibate priests with power over the dead, prayers to the dead and to relics, repetitive prayers with the use of beads, doctrines on forgiveness of sins, teachings on hell, the mass, and Sunday worship are doctrines actually derived directly from ancient Babylon, not the Bible.

Doctrine Date
The Trinity and the Sunday Sabbath 321-364 AD – Council of Laodicea
Relic Worship 337 AD
Rosary 366 AD
Mass 394 AD
Eternal Torment 590 AD
Indulgences 799 AD
Mary Worship 850 AD
Confessional 1198 AD
Bible Forbidden 1299 AD
Infant Baptism 1311 AD
Tradition Above Scripture 1563 AD

When Constantine married paganism and Christianity, the door was opened for false doctrines to creep into the early Christian Church, and they were gradually introduced into the system. The Church became divided into the Catholic Church who accepted the pagan doctrines, and those who resisted Constantine’s indoctrination.

Like the successive strata of the earth covering one another, so layer after layer of forgeries and fabrications were piled up in the Church.

The church historian Philip Schaff says, “No church or sect in Christendom ever sank so low as the Latin church in the tenth century.”

This article is adapted from Truth Matters by Professor Walter J. Veith

Putin: Russia may deploy forces back to Syria ‘in mere hours’ if necessary

On By AdminIn RussiaLeave a comment

“Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm”
– Ezekiel 38

“The king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind”
– Daniel 11

While Russia is withdrawing most of its forces from Syria, they could be deployed there again in a matter of hours if such a need arises, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated. He added that the Russian bases in Syria are well-protected.

Putin was summarizing the results of the Russian five-month-long anti-terror campaign in Syria at a solemn ceremony in Moscow.

The Russian president said Moscow was open in saying from the start of the operation that it was a limited campaign with a set deadline.

“We have created the conditions for a peace process. We have established constructive and positive cooperation with the US and a number of other countries, with respectable opposition forces in Syria, which really want to end the war and find a political solution of the conflict. You, Russian soldiers, paved that way,” Putin told the Russian military personnel who took part in the campaign.

He added that the Syrian Army, with Russia’s support, can now hold out against terrorist forces and take back terrorist-controlled territories.

The president acknowledged that the pull-out may be reversed, if necessary, even though Moscow would not want to see such a development. He also stressed that advanced air defense systems deployed in Syria for protection of Russian military sites remain there and would attack any hostile forces threatening them.

“We stick to the fundamental international laws and believe that nobody has the right to violate Syria’s sovereign airspace. We have created an effective mechanism for prevention of air incidents with the Americans, but all our partners have been warned that we would use our air defense systems against any target that we considered a threat to the Russian troops,” Putin said

Published by RT.com

Dont be fooled – Putin isn’t going anywhere.

On By AdminIn RussiaLeave a comment

Since a very public announcement from Putin a day ago, questions have been raised as to how true this announcement is.

Acute observers have made the point that Russia isn’t actually withdrawing much, and that fixed strategic assets like the S-400 – which just happens to be the most important military asset – will remain just where it was setup only a few months ago. The S-400 allows Russia to control much of Syrian and Israeli airspace, and it also gives Russia an dominant edge over any Turkish-Syrian conflict. Not even the US has anything that can combat the S-400.

A withdrawal? I don’t think so.

I made the comment earlier that while Russia seems to be reducing its active military operations, it is effectively leaving behind a highly scalable contingent meaning that wouldn’t be too hard for Russia to sweep down harder and faster at another time.

The CS Monitor makes the same point:

the door will remain open for a swift return, should Moscow deem it necessary.

Daniel and Ezekiel describe the Russian invasion as swift as a ‘whirlwind’, and a ‘storm’ – and we now see that the infrastructure is in place for such an invasion.

In an article entitled ‘Don’t trust the Russian pullback’, Bloomberg makes the point that Putin did the same thing during the Ukraine war; he said he would withdraw forces from Ukraine – and nothing happened.

Putin used a similar signaling method in June 2014, as talks were beginning to hammer out what became the first Minsk cease-fire for eastern Ukraine. Late that month, Putin asked his rubber-stamp upper house of parliament to withdraw permission for him to conduct military actions in Ukrainian territory. Russia never officially conducted any, though Russian troops, instructors and weapons were even then being sent to aid pro-Moscow rebels in eastern Ukraine. Nonetheless, Putin, according to his spokesman Dmitry Peskov, considered the announcement an appropriate gesture as negotiations between the rebels, Ukraine and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe were beginning.

If you were in any doubt that Putin was employing the same strategy, hear it from the mouth of the Moscow Times;

The Russian Air Force will continue to conduct strikes on terrorist targets operating in Syria, the Defense Ministry said on Tuesday, one day after President Vladimir Putin announced a partial withdrawal of his forces from the war-torn republic.

Given the amount of speculation, it would be premature to simply believe either US or Russian propaganda, but in the mean time, Daniel 8:25 gives us an insight into the kind of king that will rule in the latter day – and it describes just the kind of behaviour that we see from Putin.

“And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.”

Finally, its also important to remember that while we tend to place much emphasis on Russia as a yardstick for the return of Christ, that Russia may not even invade until after Christ has returned. A more accurate sign of the imminent return of Christ is found in Revelation 16 – read more about that here.