Analysis
This week in the online edition of Israel Today a headline read; “ANALYSIS: Turkey Working to Islamicize Jerusalem Ahead of US Embassy Move.” The article went on to say; “In the run-up to the US Embassy move to Jerusalem, Turkey, together with the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, is pumping a quarter of a billion dollars into the Islamification of the city, according to Israel’s Hadashot News (formerly Channel 2 News).The Wakf, the Muslim custodian of the Islamic holy places on the Temple Mount, and a slew of Islamist organizations in Israel’s capital received the bulk of the money officially to ‘rescue’ the holy sites and to finance ‘renovations. ‘Israeli security agencies, however, fear the money will end up financing fresh riots once the US moves its embassy to Jerusalem on May 14, a day before the Palestinian Arabs commemorate the so-called Nakba, the flight of roughly 550,000 Arabs before and during the 1948 War of Independence in Israel.
Meddling
Erdogan’s Turkey, in particular, is trying to meddle in internal Israeli affairs by investing large amounts of money in so-called dawa (charity with a mission) activities by nonprofits and grassroots organizations in Arab Jerusalem. “The Turks fund a great part of the dawa activities in the city, and their representative is Sheikh Ekrima Sa’id Sabri, a former grand mufti of Jerusalem and the most prominent representative of the Muslim Brotherhood,” according to Dr. David Koren and Ben Avrahami, two advisers on Arab affairs to the Jerusalem Municipality. The Turkish activities in Jerusalem are part of “a wider process of creating regional Turkish hegemony at the expense of other players,” according to the two researchers. This “wider process” includes allowing Hamas terrorists operating freely from Turkish soil where they raise and launder money for the Izz-a-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas.” (End of extract)
Principalities
It is interesting what we read in Daniel chapter ten verses 20-21…“Then he (the Messiah) said, “Do you know why I have come to you? And now I must return to fight with the prince (principality) of Persia; and when I have gone forth, indeed the prince (principality) of Greece will come. But I will tell you what is noted in the Scripture of Truth. (No one upholds me against these, except Michael your prince.”) In verses 12-14 of the same chapter we see described a future war between Israel and Iran in the latter days. While Iran will lose this war they will not be down for the count but make a comeback with the invasion force that attacks Israel and Jerusalem described in Ezekiel Chapter 38. Persia (Iran) is also mentioned. (Ezekiel 38:5). Notice again in Daniel Chapter Ten in verses 20-21 that the Messiah and Michael not only fight against Persia (Iran) but ‘Greece.’ The Hebrew word used for ‘Greece’ or ‘Grecia” is the world ‘Yavan’ or ‘Ionia.’ Alexander the Great had a western and a middle-eastern eastern leg of his empire. Ionia was located in the middle-eastern part of his empire and Ionia would be Turkey today.
Israel, Iran and Turkey
A future war is coming for Israel and not only with Iran but also with Turkey. As for Syria, on Israel’s northern border, it is fast becoming a haven for Israel’s implacable enemies. The Turks, the Russians and the Iranians are in Syria right now. Whether Russia will join forces with Turkey against Israel remains to be seen as Russia and Turkey historically have had several major wars. Russia’s religious roots are in Russian Orthodox Christianity but Turkey’s religious roots are in Islam. Of course we must not discount the fact that if Russia has a vested interest in invading Israel then they might just align themselves with Turkey in an agreement of some kind. Recently in the media there was a photo of Putin, Erdogan and Rouhani smiling, holding hands, and it would seem standing together in solidarity with each other.
The Americans
At present the USA has around 2,000 military personal on the ground in Syria and America’s presence may be a temporary deterrent to any action by Turkey and Iran and Syria against Israel. If President Trump pulls out the American forces from Syria, as he said previously that he would do, then Iran might try sending missiles into Israel. Now that President Trump has publically declared he will totally scrap the Iranian Nuclear deal and will put even more sanctions on Iran it may well be that Iran will attack Israel across their Northern border with Syria despite America’s presence in Syria. Iran is not at all happy with President Trump’s decision to scrap the Iranian nuclear deal and impose more sanctions on them.
War on the horizon
Coming back to Daniel 10:20-21 it would seem that a war has to happen between Israel and Iran and then sometime after that Israel will have to fight a war with Turkey. Also we notice that the Messiah of Israel, our Lord Jesus and Michael will also fight against these principalities controlling Iran and Turkey. Michael is mentioned in verse 13 and again in verse 21. In Daniel chapter 11:36-45 we see the man of sin and his armies (the King of the North) attacking the forces opposed to him (the king of the South) at the end of the chapter we see the man of sin (the Antichrist) destroyed at Jerusalem. I am persuaded that the army of the man of sin (Antichrist) is the 200 million strong Islamic army that will cause a third of mankind to perish. They advance towards Jerusalem across the dried up Euphrates River. (Revelation 9:13-19; 16:12-16) This is Joel’s army (Joel 2:1-11) this army is also God’s judgement on a world that hates and by enlarge rejects our Lord Jesus the Anointed Messiah. (Revelation 9:20-21)
“A time, times and half a time”
Following on from Daniel chapter 11 we have of course chapter 12 and in verses 1-3 of chapter 12 we have the Great Tribulation described. (See also Matthew 21-22) Michael is at the forefront of this last end-time battle as the prince or principality who protects Israel.(Daniel 12:1) Daniel also tells us that this Time of Trouble for Jacob and for the whole world is for three and a half years or 42 months, or 1,260 days or for “a time, times and half a time.” (Daniel 7:25; 12:7) (Revelation 11:2-3; 12:6, 14; 13:5) Tragically, when the invasion of Israel occurs (Ezekiel 38:1-17) the Holy City will be trampled underfoot for 42 months and the saints of God persecuted but God will still have his witnesses in the city. (Revelation 11:2-3) Zechariah tell us that the City of Jerusalem will be invaded and captured once again but this time it will not be destroyed because the LORD will intervene to save the remnant of Israel. (Zechariah 12:1-9; 13:8-9; 14:1-5, 12-13) (See also Matthew 24:21-22) We are also told in Zechariah “that Judah will also fight at Jerusalem!” (12:14)
A false security
As we see Turkey, Iran and even Russia sending their forces into Syria and the possible withdrawal of the American military personal we can see the possibility that the Ezekiel 38 scenario is starting to take shape. Having said this we also must keep in mind that when the Ezekiel 38 invasion occurs that Israel as a nation will be “a land of unwalled villages, a peaceful and unsuspecting people-all of them living without walls and bars” (Ezekiel 38:10) At present this does not describe the conditions in Israel. A war between Israel and Iran, which Iran will lose big time, would most likely be the catalyst that would cause the forces of Russia and Turkey to pull back even from Syria because Damascus could also be taken out by the Israelis superior firepower. (Isaiah 17:1) So mighty and devastating will the weaponry of Israel be in their war with Iran and Syria that the nations will think twice about coming against Israel at least in the near future. After this time Israel will recommence trade with the nations and the nation of Israel itself will become very prosperous and secure and ultimately develop and prosper as a nation to the point where they think they are actually immune from attack.
For the sake of His elect
The tragedy in that all of this is that Israel for the most part will not have turned to the LORD but still be relying upon their own prowess and strength especially in light of their victory over Iran. In their prosperity Israel by enlarge will forget their maker. When they feel secure and are at ease the invasion from the North will come. It will be the Time of Trouble for Jacob but he will be saved out of it. (Jeremiah 30:1-7) For the sake of His elect saints and Israel’s survival as a nation the LORD will cut those days short and send our Lord Jesus the Anointed Messiah back to save Israel and to rescue the saints still alive on earth. (Matthew 24:21-22) (Matthew 24:29-31)
A Powder Keg
As for the man of sin and his demise the prophet Daniel tells us; “He will pitch his royal tents between the seas at the beautiful Holy Mountain (Jerusalem) Yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him. “ (Daniel 11:45) And so Daniel writes…“Then he (the Messiah) said (to Daniel), “Do you know why I have come to you? And now I must return to fight with the prince of Persia (Iran); and when I have gone forth, indeed the prince of Greece (Turkey) will come. But I will tell you what is noted in the Scripture of Truth. (No one upholds me against these, except Michael your prince.”) I am persuaded on the basis of scripture and in the light of events occurring in the Middle-East that these events are like “a powder keg” waiting to explode. This is where we are today in Bible Prophecy.
