The Middle East To Erupt Like A Volcano?

courtesy by Michael G. Mickey

(1-17-08)

Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad believes Middle East countries are going to follow the Islamic Republic of Iran's lead, causing the Middle East to "erupt like a volcano" against the nation of Israel due to Israel's 'oppression' of the Palestinian people, according to a Ynetnews.com article.

Interestingly, Ezekiel 38-39 predicts that Iran, modern day Persia, will be among a number of nations in the region which will engage in a surprise attack on the nation of Israel with the backing of Russia. We commonly refer to this event as the battle of Gog-Magog or the Gog-Magog invasion attempt.

In God's Word we find that five out of six of the attacking forces of those who will make this bold military move will be destroyed as a direct result of Almighty God's intervention when this prophetic event takes place in the future.

I would point out, to those familiar with Ezekiel 38-39, that Israel will perceive itself to be safe at the time when this prophesied event actually takes place. How Israel will come to believe itself safe is debatable in light of threatening comments like this latest one being made by Ahmadinejad. The menacing threat posed by modern day Persia to Israel leads me to suspect it is a possibility the Gog-Magog attack will occur in the early Tribulation Period after the Antichrist, a leader of Roman descent, has confirmed (or made strong) a seven-year covenant of peace in the Middle East in fulfillment of Daniel 9:26-27. I'm not dogmatic in stating that but clearly something has to change in the region for Israel to perceive its borders to be safe from invasion. I don't, in any manner, foresee Iran, at least under the leadership of Ahmadinejad, picking up an olive branch to hand to Israel or anyone in Israel believing him even if he does so given the outrageous, provocative and threatening nature of comments he has made in the recent past and continues to on a regular basis.

The West, in spite of Iran's rhetoric, seems hopeful, as I have documented recently on a number of occasions, that peace may be possible in the Middle East as soon as within a year from now - an optimistic goal to say the least, barring some sort of outside support mechanism being placed in the region to contain Iran and other forces in the region bent on Israel's destruction.

Time will tell how it will all play out but isn't it exhilarating to watch Bible prophecy continue to stand the test of time? While we can't see, at this present moment, how all the pieces of the puzzle are going to be assembled, we can see that the necessary pieces for prophetic fulfillment to occur are mostly, if not completely, within view.

As long as Bible prophecy continues to be fulfillable - and we know it will be - we can be sure that Christ's return, as well as our redemption, remains in the works and our God is still in control! That's comforting, even inside the eye of the storm we presently find ourselves in here in these last days.

Maranatha!