I have not written anything about the topic of Ezekiel 38 and Ezekiel 39 since my article about the key issues to consider when analyzing Ezekiel 38 and Ezekiel 39 a few weeks ago. However, I have spent most of my time studying Ezekiel 38 and Ezekiel 39 these past few weeks. Today I want to provide an update on where this study stands.
An Update on My Ezekiel 38 and Ezekiel 39 Study
My Thoughts on the Latest Pew Findings on Egyptian Public Opinion
Update: The Muslim Brotherhood seems to have found a way to circumvent the Egyptian constitution and have formed a new political party affiliated with it. They will contest up to half of Egypt's parliamentary seats in the upcoming election. Link
A couple of days ago the Pew Research Center released a survey about Egyptian’s views of ongoing events. The Pew Research Center has asked Egyptians about their views for the past several years, but this year’s results have a lot more relevance/significance because Egypt is expected to have a democratic election in the next few months.
- The potential arrival of democracy in Egypt brings new importance to Egyptian public opinion. Under Mubarak, Egyptian public opinion was relatively unimportant because Mubarak ruled as an autocrat. Under some semblance of democracy, Egyptian political figures are likely going to need to strongly consider Egyptian public opinion when proposing policies and formulating policy decisions since it will be the Egyptian public who decides their political fate (as long as democracy is intact).
Today I want to share some of my thoughts about Pew Research Center’s recent findings concerning Egyptians’ views of the U.S., Egypt’s peace treaty with Israel, and the Muslim Brotherhood.
Iran vs Saudi Arabia: The Battle to Shape the Middle East is Underway
An interesting phenomenon is currently transpiring in the Mideast as the Mideast is undergoing a significant metamorphosis. There is an ongoing battle between Saudi Arabia and Iran to shape the Middle East as the region undergoes a lot of drastic political change. The battle is currently being waged across several Mideast hot spots.
Today I highlight some of the significant hotspots where Iran and Saudi Arabia are vying to control.
A Couple of Items to Consider When Monitoring the Unrest in Syria
The unrest in Syria is increasing rapidly by the day as increasing numbers of people are calling for the end of the Assad regime and demanding freedom. The Assad regime has responded to the unrest primarily through violent crackdowns against those protesting and half-hearted attempts to bring reform.
- The violence has escalated recently with Syrian security forces shooting at mourners at several funerals last Saturday and with Syrian security forces driving tanks into towns to terrorize the people.
- Last week the Syrian regime lifted emergency laws that have been in place for several decades. However, the escalating violence by the Syrian regime and a new law requiring protesters to get a government-approved permit before protesting suggests that the regime is not serious about granting freedom to its people.
Today I want to mention a couple items that some people might not be aware of about the ongoing situation in Syria in hopes of increasing people’s understanding of what’s going on and what might be at stake.
Does the European Union Have a Military Ready for Middle East Conquest?
Another question I posted in last week’s article is whether the European Union possesses a military capable of Middle East conquest now.
- The question is important to consider because there are some people who believe the Antichrist will emerge from Europe and/or utilize European forces in a war of conquest in the Middle East.
- If the European Union does not possess a military ready for Middle East conquest then the start of the End Times may be delayed at least until the time when it finally possesses one.
Prominent Economics Professor Warns of U.S. Bond Market Crash & Weimar-Style Hyperinflation in the U.S.
Two of the biggest stories in the United States over the past few weeks have been the battle over the federal government’s budget and the U.S. government’s mounting debt. This past week these issues gained further attention when Standard and Poors (S&P) assigned a “negative outlook” on the U.S.’s AAA Credit Rating, which serves as a warning that they may downgrade the U.S.’s credit rating in the next one or two years.
- The impact of downgrading a country’s credit rating is akin to your credit score being lowered. The lower your credit score is the more costly and difficult it is for you to borrow money from others. Thus, it would become more expensive for the U.S. government to borrow money from others if its credit rating receives a downgrade...
Yesterday, Boston University economics professor Laurence Kotlikoff stated on U.S. television that he believes that the U.S. bond market could crash at “any day now” and warned that the U.S. would see something akin to a Weimar Germany-style hyperinflation if/when it transpires. The reason behind Kotlikoff’s forecast is that the U.S. has too much debt and too many obligations that it cannot realistically payback or meet without having to resort to large-scale money printing, which devalues the U.S. dollar. The following video is Professor Kotlikoff’s appearance on U.S. television yesterday.
- If you are somehow unable to see the video below, you can access the video at the following link
I share this particular interview for a couple of important reasons.
1. Professor Kotlikoff is one of the leading experts on the U.S.’s debt and fiscal woes. In fact, the St. Louis branch of the Federal Reserve enlisted Kotlikoff to study whether the U.S. was bankrupt a few years ago. Kotlikoff stated in that report that the U.S. is effectively bankrupt:
"the US government is, indeed, bankrupt, insofar as it will be unable to pay its creditors, who, in this context, are current and future generations to whom it has explicitly or implicitly promised future net payments of various kinds''.
2. Professor Kotlikoff took a different tone in this interview than in past interviews I've heard which feature him.
- Kotlikoff has warned about the U.S.’s debt problem and unfunded liabilities problem for the past several years, but he has often expressed some optimism/hope that the U.S. can avoid disaster when discussing these issues with the media. I did not detect any real optimism from Kotlikoff in this interview. He sounded fairly certain that the U.S. is in big trouble...
A U.S. bond market crash and/or Weimar Germany-style hyperinflation in the U.S. would be very destabilizing to the global economic and financial system. The resulting global economic and financial instability could easily lead to tremendous global political change and global chaos-the type that would enable an Antichrist-type of figure to eventually arise…
Has the European Union’s Boundaries Finished Expanding?
Another question I posted in last week’s article is whether the European Union has finished expanding. The question is important to consider because there are some people who believe the European Union will serve as a “revised Roman Empire” during the End Times.
- If the European Union has finished expanding then its current boundaries may serve as the boundaries of a potential “revised Roman Empire”.
- If the European Union has not finished expanding then the start of the End Times may be delayed at least until the time when the remaining countries are finally integrated into the European Union.
If you examine a current map of the European Union you’ll notice a few things:
- The European Union has expanded to the edge of Eastern Europe
- Switzerland and Norway are two significant Western European countries which have not joined the European Union.
- The European Union has not yet expanded into the Western Balkans, which include Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, and Kosovo.
The following map displays the current members of the European Union in light blue and non-members in grey. If you’re unable to see the map below, you can access the map at the following link
European Union officials believe that there is room for expansion into the Western Balkans and have even stated publicly that European “reunification” (interesting word choice…) will not be completed without the incorporation of the Western Balkans. For instance, current European Commission President José Manuel Barroso recently stated:
"The reunification of Europe will not be completed without the Western Balkans as part of the European Union...But each of these countries holds its European future in its hands. And the pace of accession depends on progress on key reforms. They have to deliver on their commitments"
In addition, the current President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek recently stated:
"The European Parliament remains strongly committed to the European future of the Western Balkans"
The European Union’s enlargement website lists the countries that are currently candidates to join the European Union and the countries that have been promised the opportunity to join the European Union when they are ready or “potential candidates”. The following is a current list of candidate countries and potential candidate countries, including (where available) an estimate of when each country may become a member of the European Union:
Candidate Countries
- Montenegro 2016 (at the earliest)
- Macedonia: 2012 (at the earliest)
- Croatia: 2012 (Likely)
- Iceland (Unclear, but could be soon)
- Turkey: 2020 (at the earliest)
- Albania: 2015 (at the earliest)
- Bosnia Herzegovina: 2015 (at the earliest)
- Serbia: 2015 (at the earliest)
- Kosovo (N/A)
- One potential detail to consider when gauging the relevance of the Western Balkans is that the Western Balkans were a part of the Roman Empire. If the European Union is a revised Roman Empire-as some believe-then one would think that the Western Balkans will probably be incorporated into the European Union’s boundaries eventually...
I hope today's article is helpful and informative in some way for you.
Is Russia’s Military Ready for Middle East Conquest Now?
In my last article I posted several questions that I believe are important to consider when assessing where we are in relation to the End Times. One of the questions I posted related to whether Russia’s military is ready for Middle East conquest now.
- There are some people who believe that the Antichrist is likely going to emerge from Russia. If the Antichrist emerges from Russia he would most likely need the Russian military prepared for Middle East conquest at some point in time.
- The extent that the Russian military is currently prepared or unprepared for Middle East conquest is likely a good indicator of how soon a leader from Russia could engage in Middle East conquest.
Today I share an article which provides some insight into the current state of the Russian military.
Some Important Questions to Consider When Assessing Where We Are in Relation to the End Times
I am going to do something much different than usual today. Today I post several questions that I believe are important to consider when assessing where we are in relations to the End Times. The main purpose of these questions is to help people think about where they stand on several issues that potentially impact where we are in relations to the End Times.
- Determining where we are in relation to the End Times is not a simple matter. There are many things to consider. I hope the questions listed in this article not only help people to think about these issues but to also illustrate how complicated it is to assess whether we are ready to see the start of the End Times.
- I may have already shared some of my own views about some of these questions in past articles, but I pose these questions again for the purposes of this article.
Assessing the Impact of the U.N.’s Report on Palestinian Statehood on the Israeli/Palestinian Conflict
Yesterday a United Nations report entitled “Palestinian State-building: A Decisive Period” was released. The report claimed that the Palestinian Authority is ready to run a Palestinian-controlled state, but would be unable to make further institutional progress due to Israel’s actions.
Regardless of whether the Palestinian Authority is ready to run a state or whether the Palestinians should have a state, the United Nations report is likely going to have some impact on the Israeli/Palestinian issue over the course of the next several months:
- The United Nations is seen by many diplomats and world leaders as having at least some measure of respectability. Therefore, the U.N.’s assessment that the Palestinian Authority is ready to run a state likely provides the Palestinian Authority’s argument that they can run a state a measure of legitimacy in the eyes of many diplomats and world leaders. As a result, we could see more calls for the creation of a Palestinian state by different diplomats and world leaders in the future.
- Unsurprisingly, the U.N.’s report has emboldened the Palestinians. At least a few news outlets are now reporting that the Palestinians could push the U.N. General Assembly this September to recognize a Palestinian state.
- Today U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that Barack Obama will soon renew efforts to get peace talks between the Palestinians and Israelis going again. I would not be surprised if this announcement came as a reaction to yesterday’s U.N. report. I cannot imagine the U.S. wanting to be forced to address the issue of Palestinian statehood this September at the United Nations with the world watching…
Over the next few months I would monitor the effectiveness of the U.S.’s renewed efforts to revive peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians. If the U.S. is able to bring Israel and the Palestinians back to the bargaining table for productive peace talks there is a chance that the Palestinians may not actually push the U.N. General Assembly to address the issue of Palestinian statehood this September. However, if the U.S. fails to revive meaningful peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, we could have a very news-filled September with the Palestinians perhaps pushing the U.N. General Assembly to deal with the issue of Palestinian statehood.
In the long-run, I would look out for the potential of an escalation in Israeli/Palestinian Conflict. The U.N.’s findings strengthen the Palestinian leadership’s sense that they can run a state now and perhaps give them the expectation that they can now rally enough support in the international community to create one (this is perhaps why they reportedly could push the U.N. to recognize a Palestinian state in September).
- The potential for an escalation in the Israeli/Palestinian conflict comes if the Palestinian leadership is unable to secure a Palestinian state soon. The Palestinian leadership may become disenfranchised with the diplomatic process and may consider conflict with Israel as a viable way to compel the international community to settle the issue of Palestinian statehood once and for all (the international community could be compelled to seek a way to settle the issue in hopes of stopping further violence).
- In such an event, I would not be surprised if other Mideast countries were to get involved to support the Palestinians and escalate the Israeli/Palestinian Conflict into a significant Middle East war. Middle East leaders could claim that they’re helping the Palestinians fight against Israel because they want to help the Palestinians create the state that the U.N./international community said they are capable of running but would not grant them under peaceful terms.
Eventually, I think it is probably going to be Antichrist who finds a way to resolve the issue of Palestinian statehood with "the covenant with many" (Daniel 9:27). In the meantime, we may be watching events that may eventually lead to a Mideast conflict that necessitates someone like the Antichrist to step in.
Some Important Issues that Need to be Addressed When Analyzing Ezekiel 38 and Ezekiel 39
I’ve been studying the Bible these past few days almost nonstop in an attempt to gain further understanding of the prophecies concerning Egypt and Libya.
- Again, the idea is that understanding the prophecies concerning Egypt and Libya could potentially enable us to gain some further understanding of what’s happening in these countries now and in the future.
A couple of days ago I realized that I will inevitably need to address the topic of Ezekiel 38 and Ezekiel 39 to fully account for the prophecies concerning Libya.
For those new to Bible prophecy, Ezekiel 38 and Ezekiel 39 are perhaps the two most discussed and debated Bible prophecy chapters today among students of Bible prophecy. Ezekiel 38 describes a massive invasion led by an entity named Gog into the land of Israel. Gog’s invasion force will include several nations including “Libya” (verse 5).
- Eze 38:2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him,
- Eze 38:3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:
- Eze 38:4 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:
- Eze 38:5 Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:
- Eze 38:6 Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee.
- Eze 38:7 Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.
Ezekiel 38:8-16 provides us details concerning Gog’s invasion of Israel:
- Gog’s invasion of Israel will come at a time after the people of Israel are gathered from the nations, at a time when the people of Israel live in their land with a feeling of security, and at a time when Israel is a land that lacks security barriers like walls or gates.
- Gog’s invasion is described in Ezekiel 38:16 as coming in the “latter days”.
- According to Ezekiel 38:11-13, Gog’s and his forces’ main objectives are to attack the land, attack the people of Israel, and plunder the land and its people.
- Eze 38:8 After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.
- Eze 38:9 Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee.
- Eze 38:10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought:
- Eze 38:11 And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,
- Eze 38:12 To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.
- Eze 38:13 Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?
- Eze 38:14 Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it?
- Eze 38:15 And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army:
- Eze 38:16 And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.
Ezekiel 38:17-23 and Ezekiel 39 describe God defeating Gog and his forces.
Issues that Need to Be Addressed:
There are several issues that need to be addressed before a full understanding of Ezekiel 38 and Ezekiel 39 can be achieved. Here are six major issues relating to Ezekiel 38 and Ezekiel 39 that I believe need to address:
How do Ezekiel 38 and Ezekiel 39 fit in context of other chapters in the Book of Ezekiel like Ezekiel 37 and Ezekiel 40? I’ve read some people who teach that the events in Ezekiel 38 and Ezekiel 39 occur before Ezekiel 40 and after Ezekiel 37.
How many invasions of Israel are described in Ezekiel 38 and Ezekiel 39? The opinions I’ve seen on this question range from one invasion to three invasions.
When do the events of Ezekiel 38 and Ezekiel 39 transpire? This is the most difficult question to answer and probably the most debated issue relating to Ezekiel 38 and Ezekiel 39. The opinions I’ve seen range from just prior to the start of the End Times to after the end of the millennium (Revelation 20:8-9). The question becomes even more complicated when considering the possibility that Ezekiel 38 and Ezekiel 39 may describe multiple invasions by Gog.
Is Gog the same individual as the Antichrist? Many believe that Gog is the same individual as Antichrist. However, some argue that Gog may be another entity who engages in a power struggle with Antichrist.
Which countries comprise Gog's invasion force and which countries do not? There is a lot of debate about which countries will comprise Gog's invasion force. I think we may gain some additional understanding by looking at which countries do not join Gog in his invasion of Israel.
I am attempting to address each issue at the moment because I need to fully account for Ezekiel 38 and Ezekiel 39 before I can continue the study of the prophecies concerning Egypt and Libya. Recall, Libya is mentioned in Ezekiel 38:5 as a participant in Gog’s invasion force.
This is a very challenging topic to undertake because there are several issues that need to be addressed and there are many Bible verses to consider.
- For instance, I have a Word Document that has at least 10 pages of Bible prophecy verses that could potentially be used to locate the timing of the events described in Ezekiel 38 and Ezekiel 39.
This topic is likely going to require a multiple part study over the course of several days and weeks. If anyone knows of any Bible verses that might provide insight into understanding the events of Ezekiel 38 and Ezekiel 39 I would appreciate it if you shared them.
Reflecting on the First 98 Days of 2011 and the Passage of Time
The first 98 days of 2011 have been incredible in terms of what has taken place. The following is a list of some major events that have taken place so far this year:
- Regime change in Egypt
- Near regime change in Yemen
- Civil war in Libya with NATO Intervention
- The return of the Israel-Palestinian Conflict to the Forefront
- Bahrain destabilizes to the extent that Saudi Arabia and other Gulf States intervene militarily
- The biggest challenge to the Syrian government’s rule in several decades.
- A 9.0 magnitude earthquake in Japan and a devastating tsunami
- A level 6 nuclear event on a 1 to 7 Scale (Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant)
- An emerging global food price crisis
- An over 20% increase in the price of oil ($90 to $111)
If you guaranteed to me at the beginning of 2011 that two or three of these events would take place by April 8 I would have told you that the pace that we are approaching the End Times is picking up. It’s amazing that so much has happened in such a short period of time-it’s like five years worth of significant events have taken place in a little more than 3 months…
I occasionally think about the world fifteen years ago and compare that world to what the world is like today. Fifteen years ago I was a kid who thought computers were evil, had no conception of what the Internet was, and thought the world was a fairly peaceful place to live in. The world fifteen years ago was so different than the world today that it seems like it was a lifetime ago…
The world is changing so quickly that five years ago seems like a long time ago…
- I occasionally ask my dad, who has studied Bible prophecy since the 1970s and has followed the news very closely, whether he could have ever envisioned what has taken place recently just five or ten years ago. He has repeatedly told me that he could never envision the world being like it is today five or ten years ago despite what he knows about Bible prophecy. He’s gone as far as to tell me that he would think that I was crazy if I traveled back in time five years and told him about the events that have transpired recently. Five years ago he could not envision what has transpired in the past five years taking place.
The world today is even a lot different than it was a year ago. This time last year the B.P. Oil Spill, one of the most widely-covered news events in 2010, had not even started yet. Could you have ever imagine that the world would be like what it is right now just one year ago today?
Given how fast the world is changing, it’s hard not to see how we are on the path towards living in a world that is much different than the one we live in today in the near future. Many of the events this year have the potential to reshape the Middle East and reshape the world soon.
- Time is passing as it normally has done throughout history-there are still approximately 365.24 days in a year, there are still approximately 24 hours in a day, and there are still approximately 60 minutes in an hour. However, what has transpired around the world in a short amount of time recently is what is incredible about the time period we live in.
It’s not easy to envision what might be taking place in the world five years from now given how quickly the world is changing. Nevertheless, we should remember that God is in control and that He has a plan that will continue to unfold over the next several days, weeks, months, and years whether we arrive at the start of the End Times soon or not. I believe we are getting closer to the start of the End Times as time passes, but God is the One who truly knows what His timing is.
Al-Qaeda Looks to Gain from the Changing Mideast & North Africa Environment
As we watch regimes in the Middle East and North Africa destabilize, we should be cognizant that terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda are looking forward to the changing political environment of the region.
A recent Reuters article focused on how one influential member of Al-Qaeda saw a major opportunity for the organization and like-minded organizations to have more influence in the region in the future.
- The article is available at this link
The article quotes Anwar al-Awlaki, Al-Qaeda’s most influential English-speaking preacher, senior recruiter, and motivator, who proclaimed recently:
"Our mujahideen brothers in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and the rest of the Muslim world will get a chance to breathe again after three decades of suffocation,"
"We do not know yet what the outcome would be (in any given country), and we do not have to. The outcome doesn't have to be an Islamic government for us to consider what is occurring to be a step in the right direction,
I think the quotes above might provide us with some insight into the current thinking of Al-Qaeda’s leadership.
- Many authoritarian regimes in the Mideast and North Africa have repressed religious groups and militant organizations as part of an overall effort to prevent people from organizing to challenge their rule over the past few decades. With the potential fall of many of these regimes, Al-Qaeda is anticipating an opportunity to operate in an environment where they are not persecuted as much by the new regimes that take power.
- Al-Qaeda does not need the establishment of theocratic regimes like in Iran throughout the region to benefit from the change in the region. Al-Qaeda benefits from a decline in persecution of it and like-minded groups. With less persecution Al-Qaeda and other like-minded groups may be able to recruit more members, acquire more sophisticated weaponry, organize more elaborate terror schemes, etc.
ElBaradei Claims He Would Declare War Against Israel if Gaza is Attacked as Next President of Egypt
Many of you who monitor the news probably know by now that Mohamed ElBaradei, the former Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency and a candidate in the upcoming Egypt presidential election, gave an interview where he proclaimed that there would be war if Israel were to ever to attack Gaza under his watch as President of Egypt. Here is some of what ElBaradei said in case you are unaware of what he said:
“If Israel attacked Gaza we would declare war against the Zionist regime."
"In case of any future Israeli attack on Gaza - as the next president of Egypt – I will open the Rafah border crossing and will consider different ways to implement the joint Arab defense agreement."
The Rafah border crossing is an international border separating Egypt from Gaza at the city of Rafah. The opening of the Rafah border crossing is a concern for Israel because it can be used as a place to bring weapons into Gaza from Egypt when it is opened.
I suspect the joint Arab defense agreement that ElBaradei referred to is an agreement made by several Arab countries in early 1950s called the “Joint Defense and Economic Cooperation Treaty Between the States of the Arab League”. ElBaradei talked about seeking different ways of implementing the agreement if Gaza is attacked. I suspect ElBaradei is focused on exercising Article 3 of the agreement, which says the following:
“At the invitation of any one of the signatories of this Treaty the Contracting States shall hold consultations whenever there are reasonable grounds for the belief that the territorial integrity, independence, or security of any one of the parties is threatened. In the event of the threat of war or the existence of an international emergency, the Contracting States shall immediately proceed to unify their plans and defensive measures, as the situation may demand”.
Egypt’s Participation in Libya & One Potential Future Outcome of this Participation
An article over the weekend reported that Egypt is quietly playing a role in supplying the anti-Gaddafi forces with weapons and training.
- Egyptian Special Forces and U.S. Special Forces are reportedly training anti-Gaddafi forces in a secret facility in eastern Libya and weapons are reportedly being transferred to the anti-Gaddafi forces from Egypt.
This report is noteworthy because Egypt recently had its own leader ousted from power after a popular uprising. Egypt is now helping people in another country oust an unpopular leader.
- This raises the question: “Why is Egypt involved in providing support to the anti-Gaddafi forces?”
I do not think that the Egypt is simply helping the anti-Gaddafi forces without some sense that they’ll get something in return eventually. I suspect Egypt might be exploiting an opportunity to support the poorly-equipped and poorly-trained anti-Gaddafi forces in hopes that they can shape a post-Gaddafi Libya to its benefit if the anti-Gaddafi forces win and form a new post-Gaddafi government in Libya.
- Egypt likely sees Gaddafi’s departure as inevitable since there are several, powerful Western countries that want to see Gaddafi gone to the extent that they pursued military intervention (i.e. the air strikes on Libya last month). Egypt probably finds it best to support the side that is most likely going to win in the long-run so that it can reap some benefits from a victory.
- Egypt probably hopes that they will eventually have a say in how a post-Gaddafi government in Libya functions and may be able to garner favors from a post-Gaddafi government since they assisted the anti-Gaddafi forces in their time of need. A post-Gaddafi government would almost be obligated to listen to Egypt’s requests/demands since their existence would not be possible without Egypt’s assistance.
I’m still studying the prophecies concerning Egypt and Libya. Although I'm not done yet, I think it is important to note now that Ezekiel 30:4-5 mentions that Egypt and Libya are going to be defeated together in a future conflict.
- Eze 30:3 For the day is near, even the day of the LORD is near, a cloudy day; it shall be the time of the heathen.
- Eze 30:4 And the sword shall come upon Egypt, and great pain shall be in Ethiopia, when the slain shall fall in Egypt, and they shall take away her multitude, and her foundations shall be broken down.
- Eze 30:5 Ethiopia, and Libya, and Lydia, and all the mingled people, and Chub, and the men of the land that is in league, shall fall with them by the sword.
The idea that Egypt and Libya will fight together in the future suggests that their respective foreign policies will be aligned in some meaningful way in the future.
- Countries generally do not agree to fight together without first having some common foreign policy goal…
Egypt’s support of the anti-Gaddafi forces now is something that could someday lead to a future where Libya and Egypt agree to fight together if the anti-Gaddafi forces win and later form a new, post-Gaddafi government in Libya.
- Egypt could become such close allies of a post-Gaddafi Libya that both countries agree to come to each other’s defense in an event of an attack on each other’s sovereignty.
- Egypt’s support of the anti-Gaddafi forces now could later be reciprocated by a post-Gaddafi Libyan government. A post-Gaddafi government could agree to help Egypt in its time of need to repay Egypt for assisting the anti-Gaddafi forces in their time of need.
It’s still uncertain whether the anti-Gaddafi forces can defeat the pro-Gaddafi forces and form a post-Gaddafi government in Libya, but what I’ve discussed today is something to watch for if the anti-Gaddafi forces do succeed...
Some Bible Prophecy Verses Relating to Egypt in the Day of the Lord
I recently demonstrated that Jeremiah 25:15 onwards is a prophecy that concerns an invasion of Jerusalem and the subsequent slaughter of the nations during the Day of the Lord. The entire punishment is depicted by the nations and kings drinking from the wine cup of the Lord’s fury.
I noted that several nations and kings are listed in Jeremiah 25:18-26. One of the nations that will drink from the wine cup of the Lord’s wrath is Egypt:
- Jer 25:15 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel unto me; Take the wine cup of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it.
- Jer 25:16 And they shall drink, and be moved, and be mad, because of the sword that I will send among them.
- Jer 25:17 Then took I the cup at the LORD'S hand, and made all the nations to drink, unto whom the LORD had sent me:
- Jer 25:18 To wit, Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, and the kings thereof, and the princes thereof, to make them a desolation, an astonishment, an hissing, and a curse; as it is this day;
- Jer 25:19 Pharaoh king of Egypt, and his servants, and his princes, and all his people;
Egypt’s listing in Jeremiah 25:19 alone suggests that Egypt is going to be punished during the Day of the Lord. This prompts the question: “Are there other Bible verses which suggest that Egypt will be attacked during the Day of the Lord?”
- Today I address this question with some preliminary research findings.
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