Will Israel Annex the West Bank?

On November 3, 2016January 16, 2017 By Geoff HenstockIn Israel, West BankLeave a comment

Israeli Education Minister, Naftali Bennett, a leader of the Jewish Home Party, recently called on the Israeli government immediately to annex Judea and Samaria, which abut Jerusalem. This area, usually referred to as “the West Bank”, was captured from Jordan during the Six Day War in 1967. In Ezekiel 38:8 the area is referred to as “the mountains of Israel”.

Education Minister Naftali Bennett calls for Israel to extend sovereignty over Judea and Samaria

Approximately 450,000 Israeli citizens live in the area. Most of them are Jewish, while some are Arab citizens of Israel. At present, they live under the laws of the Palestinian Authority and the land they occupy is regarded by most nations as belonging to the Palestinians.

Mr Bennett’s extremely hawkish and provocative suggestion came in the wake of a recent UNESCO statement which denies any Jewish link to the Temple Mount. The Education Minister claimed that the UNESCO statement reflected “the failure of Israel to clearly express Jewish rights to the historic Land of Israel”. He went on to say, “That’s what happens when we don’t treat our own land as ours. The UNESCO resolution is an attempt to deny history. But you know what? You cannot change history. Israel is ours for well over 3,000 years. It will be ours –Jerusalem is ours – but it’s time to apply Israeli law to Judea and Samaria”.

In accordance with the confidence of the Israelis that is suggested in the language of Ezekiel 38, Mr Bennett dismissed concerns about the international opposition such a move would trigger with the words, “Don’t fret global opposition; annex Judea and Samaria now!” This bold position may have been strengthened by comments from Donald Trump’s camp in the United States Presidential election campaign. In June, David Friedman, Mr Trump’s co-adviser on Israeli affairs, said that Mr Trump does not believe Palestinian state. He went on to say that, if elected president, Mr Trump would support Israel’s annexation parts of the West Bank.

The Minister cited earlier precedents for such annexation, noting that, “Menachem Begin in 1981 did the same thing for the Golan Heights. [Prime Minister] Eshkol in ’67 did the same thing in Jerusalem. And there was always a world [that opposed it]. But there was the will power and the courage to do it – and we need to do what’s right for Israelis, for the Jews, and that’s the right thing.”

While not calling for wholesale annexation of Judea and Samaria, other Israeli officials have also spoken recently about increasing Israeli sovereignty over parts of the West Bank. Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked is establishing a committee to organize the legal status of land settled by Israelis in the West Bank. This is intended to resolve the concerns of residents of West Bank settlements that their land may be taken from them.

Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely, a hard-line member of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party, in late October publicly promoted the concept of annexing a significant area in the West Bank. She said that, “The answer to the international struggle over Jerusalem is applying sovereignty over Ma’ale Adumim, which will guarantee Jerusalem will always remain united and develop”. Welfare Minister Haim Katz, also from the Likud party Ms Hotovely’s call for annexation.

Given the reluctance of successive Israeli Governments since 1967 to annex this territory it is unlikely that Israel would move to incorporate Judea and Samaria (the West Bank) into Israel. If it did so, it would need to manage the demographic challenge of several million Arabs who currently live there. Of course, circumstances can change very suddenly, especially in the volatile political climate of the Middle East, and the fact that there are senior Government Ministers willing to advocate for annexation confirms that it remains a possibility.

Whatever the legal status of Judea and Samaria might be in the future, what is certain from Ezekiel 38:8 is that this area will be the focus of the Gogian invasion. It could be that any Israeli move to seize even part of the West Bank could be a trigger that Gog might use to justify his thrust into the Holy Land.

Russian miltary base attacked by ISIS

On May 24, 2016May 24, 2016 By AdminIn RussiaLeave a comment

STRATFOR – a private global intelligence firm has published an article showing that a Russian base has been attacked by ISIS in Syria.

In Ezekiel 38, God says to Gog (latter day Russia):

… I will put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords: Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet.

Hooks in Jaws: why did God choose to use a violent analogy?

The placing of ‘hooks in jaws’ was a brutal tradition conceived by the ancient neo-Assyrian’s.

The Assyrian’s typically put hooks in the jaws of defeated enemies, either for the purposes of humiliation or to deport them to other lands. This practices is often described in their annuls, and graphically depicted in their wall relief’s.

~ The IVP Bible Background Commentary

Why does God choose to use an ancient Assyrian practice to explain how he will drag Russia south to build a confederacy?

Perhaps because it would be an Assyrian like power – ISIS – that would provoke Russia to move South, and establish and guard a confederacy of nations.

Here is an article that deals briefly with some of the similarities between the Assyrian’s and ISIS:

Some similarities are listed here:

Both powers are known for executing absolute and excessive barbarity, and subsequently advertising it to their enemies. For example, enemies of the ancient Assyrian regime were beheaded in public, and the walls of their cities were lined with impaled men, women and children in order to send a message to their enemies. In the 21st century, ISIS use social media and other technologies to project their gruesome decapitations to the world.
The capital of the ancient Assyrian empire was located in Nineveh. Today, The Islamic States biggest city – Mosul – surrounds the ruins of Nineveh, and is the hometown of ISIS.
The Assyrian’s wiped out virtual all culture prior to them as do ISIS today.
Women were forced into slavery by the ancient Assyrian’s as they are today, under ISIS

So there are many indicators which show that ISIS bears many of the hallmarks of the ancient neo-Assyrian empire.

Is ISIS the Hooks in the Jaws that we are witnessing today?

On the verge of fulfilment?

On February 27, 2016February 27, 2016 By AdminIn Graphics2 Comments

2015 in Review – What a Year!

On December 31, 2015January 5, 2016 By AdminIn SOT1 Comment

Wow. What a year 2015 has been!

It can’t be long till our Lord returns.

As we usher in 2016, lets reflect on some of the tremendous events of this past year, events which remind us of Gods sure word of prophecy:

1 – Egypt discovers a Supergiant gas field.

“He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt” – (Daniel 11)

As one brother aptly described it; “This is huge. It’s almost too perfect. It’s what we have been waiting for.” Why is it so significant? Because in Daniel 11, the King of the North invades Egypt to take her precious gold and silver. Until recently, Egypt didn’t seem to have anything that would be of significant value to Russia, but now they do. Putin, who has a doctorate in the “Exploitation of natural resources of the benefit of the Russian economy” will no doubt be intrigued by this discovery.

Articles: Egypt discovers a Supergiant Gas field

2 – Russia moves into Syria to fight terrorism.

“And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords” – (Ezekiel 38)

Ezekiel prophesied (in chapter 38) that Russia would have hooks placed in its jaws, and that it would be dragged down to form a coalition which would eventually come against Israel. There is only one such civilisation infamous for that technique in ancient history, that is, the ancient Assyrian’s. Today, an Assyrian like power – ISIS – have caused Russia to move south and protect its access to international waters.

Articles: “Hooks in Jaws” = ISIS? | Russia acts to protect Tartus

3 – Turkey shoots down a Russian warplane.

“The Ottoman dynasty must of course be driven out of Europe. The occupation of the Dragon’s throne by a non-catholic royalty is clearly exceptional… Hence the Sultan must be ejected that a dynasty patronizing a high priest who forbids to marry may come in. When there for the Czar gets possession of Constantinople he will not be hostile to the Pope.” – (John Thomas, Anatolia)

The decision to shoot down a Russian war-plane has caused grief for Turkey ever since it happened. Russia responded with a range of economic, geopolitical and military measures and threats which have aggravated Turkey and only escalated the rift. Based on Daniel 11 and other sections of scripture, brother Thomas stipulated that at some point Russia would invade Turkey. The resulting aggression between the two belligerents could well be the beginning of such a conflict.

Articles: Why Russia will take Turkey

4 – Russian airliner crashes over Egypt.

“He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape.” – (Daniel 11)

Daniel 11 shows that the King of the North will “stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape.” Ever since the airliner crash, Egypt has continued to deny that the crash was a result of terrorist activity and yet Putin strongly affirms that it is. This divergence could become a sore point for Putin.

1 – Nationalism Surges in Europe & Russia.

Given this is a phenomena we expect to result from the spirit of the frogs (Revelation 16), one might say that it would be very convenient for me to pick this phrase out of thin air, however, this is not my observation: STRATFOR – a global intelligence firm noted the resurgence in European nationalism during 2015. Forbes also noted that Russian nationalism is on the rise, and both Putin and the Russia Orthodox Church are directly contributing to this.

Articles: Forbes on Russian Nationalism | STRATFOR on European Nationalism

2 – Israeli / Palestinian Conflict

This has been a significant theme since the United Nations summit when Abbas (the Palestinian President) threatened to do something which could be cataclysmic. Around that time, clashes began on the temple mount in Jerusalem and since then the crisis has continued. The United Nations responded by offering to put international troops in Jerusalem to curb the crisis. Zech 12 speaks of a time when Jerusalem will be a “cup of trembling unto all the people round about… and in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people”. Joel reminds us “behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, (our time – the return of Israel back to their land) – I will also gather all nations”. Today, we can see the gathering of nations in Syria, while a few hundred miles south, in Jerusalem, a conflict is brewing.

Articles: UN offer to install peacekeepers in Jerusalem

3 – Russia seeks global intervention & control (not just Syria)

2015 can be remembered as the year when Putin sought to occupy and/or control not only all territories which belonged to the ancient King of the North (Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan) but also started to re-establish ties with the nations of the coalition of Ezekiel 38; Libya and Sudan (ancient Ethiopia). This is a discreet but significant development, and it is timed with Russia’s move south into Syria. Ezekiel 38 talks about the time when Russia will be dragged south in order to form a coalition, and 2015 seems to be the year in which this has begun.

Articles: Libya seeks Russias military help | Sudan & Russia sign 14 cooperation agreements | Putin seeks to occupy Afghanistan | Iraqi MP’s seek to replace the US with Russia |

4 – Contention/fears around the Golan

Debka reports that Israel is extremely nervous about Russian operations on its Golan border. The Golan heights is contested territory with the majority of the international community including Russia asserting that the heights belong to Syria. Infact a few months ago, Russia joined in on international condemnation of Israel for its continued occupation. The discovery of large amounts of oil on the Golan has only exacerbated fears of a conflict. Read about the unfolding story here:

Article: This is what could cause Russia to invade Israel

5 – A Looming Financial Crisis

Numerous predictions by mainstream economic experts of a looming financial crisis. 2015 saw a historical global stock-market hiccup in August when the Dow Jones dropped over 1000 points – the biggest intra-day point drop in history. Since then, the World bank, and other leading global banks have warned of impending global defaults which could contribute to a huge financial crisis. Our lord reminds us in Luke 17, that just before the return of Christ, general prosperity will be widespread. “Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all: Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.”

Articles: Warnings from the World Bank | Gundlach: “something is very wrong with the world”

Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

To follow coverage of current events for 2016 (if our Lord has not returned) follow our Facebook page at Facebook.com/WatchYeTherefore. This blog will also continue to cover major events and themes relating to prophecy, as they happen during the year.

The Russian Bear sinks claws into the Middle East

On October 21, 2015October 21, 2015 By AdminIn RussiaLeave a comment

An astonishing series of events have occurred in the last few weeks which are seeing the demise of the US power and subsequent rise of the Russian power in the Middle East.

Last time we posted on this topic, the US had withdrawn their only remaining aircraft carrier out of the Persian gulf. It had also been revealed that Obama’s rebel program had been an embarrassing failure with only 4 rebels remaining for what was supposed to be $500 million dollar strong program to arm US backed rebels.

Since then, the US administration has only continued to fumble in the face of an assertive Russian presence.

1) Iraq is mulling a ‘goodbye to US’ and ‘hello to Russia’

“The parliament fractions are calling on the Iraqi government to request Russian airstrikes and use it to attack the ISIL military bases and oil centers,’ Rubaie, who is now a senior legislator at the Iraqi parliament, told FNA on Tuesday… ‘The US air force doesn’t cooperate with Iraq’s federal government and security and armed forces and refrains from providing any intelligence on ISIL’s concentration and field camps,’ he added.”

2) Russian plans an unprecedented escalation of the war

So far Russia has been bombing in Syria more than 5 times the intensity of the US. Soon Russia’s contribution will be stepped up to an incredibly intense 300 sorties per day, while the US has been bombing on average two times per day. In the words of the Australian… a truly “remarkable escalation”.

3) Canada to withdraw all involvement from US led coalition against ISIS.

With the election of a new Prime Minister, Canadian foreign policy will change to reflect a budget which will support higher domestic infrastructure spending and a complete withdrawal from the US coalition against ISIS.

4) The US war against ISIS has availed ‘nothing in 14 months’

“The Islamic State has exactly the same fighting capabilities now as they did 14 months ago. If the size of an adversarial force you intend to “ultimately destroy” remains static, despite 7,323 airstrikes, then it could be as much an indication of their success as it is yours.”

5) Russian officials admit the plan is ‘broader’ than Syria

Russian officials are beginning to admit that Russia’s intention in the Middle East is far broader than Syria.

The Kremlin’s real goal is to help Syrian President Bashar al-Assad retake as much as possible of the territory his forces have lost to opponents, including U.S.-backed rebels, Russian officials told Bloomberg News. Moscow’s deployment of several dozen planes, as well as ships in the Black and Caspian Seas, could last a year or more, one official said.

Bible Prophecy & Current Events

Tag: ezekiel