Then said Jesus unto him, “Put up again thy sword into his place, for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Matthew 26:52
Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar eliminated incidentally by a mortar shell fired at 3 terrorists one of which happened to be Yahya. On the body, the IDF found fake passports and lots of cash money as he was about to run from Gaza on his last leg to cross into Egypt and disappear. A miracle indeed!
The current conflict with Israel is the catalyst that eventually will lead to the 3rd world war of Gog and Magog.
For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up. Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! the word of the LORD is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant. Zep 2:4-5.
In this passage the word ‘Cherethites’ = “executioners”. All of the cities mentioned were the ancient cities of the Philistines. They were ferocious men as King David even used them to serve as bodyguards.
We will come back to this passage, but first a little history. Jeremiah 46 began the section of Jeremiah’s prophecies against the nations surrounding Judah. Jeremiah 47 is the record of this prophecy against the Philistines, the ancient enemies, and rivals of Israel.
The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet against the Philistines, before that Pharaoh smote Gaza. This prophecy was given before Pharaoh attacked the city of Gaza around 609 B.C.
2 Thus saith the Lord; Behold, waters rise up out of the north, and shall be an overflowing flood, and shall overflow the land, and all that is therein; the city, and them that dwell therein: then the men shall cry, and all the inhabitants of the land shall howl. Later, from the north, the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar would conquer all of the cities mentioned in Zep. 2:4-5 including the Egyptian occupation of Gaza sparing none.
3 At the noise of the stamping of the hoofs of his strong horses, at the rushing of his chariots, and at the rumbling of his wheels, the fathers shall not look back to their children for feebleness of hands;
4 Because of the day that cometh to spoil all the Philistines, and to cut off from Tyrus and Zidon every helper that remaineth: for the Lord will spoil the Philistines, the remnant of the country of Caphtor. Tyrus and Zidon were Phoenician (Lebanese) cities allied to the Philistines but were cut off and unable to help them. Understand that the Philistines came from Caphtor. Today it is called Crete an island off the coast of Greece. There is zero DNA connection between the ancient Philistines and today’s Palestinians as the Philistines were completely wiped out. ‘Palestine’ came from the word Philistine during the Roman occupation of Jerusalem. It was a Roman insult to the Jews knowing the Philistines were their ancient enemy.
5 Baldness is come upon Gaza; Ashkelon is cut off with the remnant of their valley: how long wilt thou cut thyself? One that has their head shaved will eventually grow their hair back. Keep this in mind.
From Jeremiah 47, we see how the prophecy of Zep, 2:4-5 would be fulfilled. Now let’s look again at Zephaniah. By the way, if you did not already know, violence in the bible is the Hebrew word Hamas.
For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up. Remember in Jeremiah 47 the baldness? Could it be eventually this strip of land would once again contain ferocious men capable of unspeakable evil? That is what we saw on October 7th as these executioners came flying and driving into Israel killing anyone alive. This verse also says Gaza shall be forsaken or meaning to leave without intending to return. That is exactly what is happening today with Hamas. They are either captured or killed by the IDF or forced to flee south to the Rafa border with Egypt while the IDF utterly destroys Gaza infrastructure.
5 Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! the word of the Lord is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant. All were destroyed except a few women that married into the Jewish population (Neh 13:23).
Benjamin Netanyahu is the current PM of Israel and possibly also a prophet. I have read many of his statements concerning this war and many seem to be prophetic utterances. He has repeatedly stated they will not stop until Hamas is totally demolished. Here are his latest statements.
“We will not withdraw the Israel Defense Forces from the Gaza Strip and we will not release thousands of terrorists. None of this will happen,” Netanyahu told students and staff during a visit to the Bnei David pre-military academy in Eli in Samaria’s Binyamin region.
“I hear talk about all kinds of deals. I would like to make it clear: We will not conclude this war without achieving all of its goals. This means eliminating Hamas, returning all of our hostages and ensuring that Gaza never again constitutes a threat to Israel,” the premier said.
I highly recommend reading again the 3 chapters of Zephaniah. It is a very intriguing book. There may also be another theme that is presented in this book. We know the biblical number 7 refers to the program of God on behalf of man, like the 7-day week, 7-year tribulation, Noah was on the Ark 7 days before the rain came, on the 7th day Noah sent out a dove, and again 7 days later. The ark rested in the 7th month. You get the idea hopefully. There are numerous examples that one can find.
So, why the 7? Because “the day of the Lord(s)” is mentioned 31 times in the KJV and exactly Seven times within the book of Zephaniah alone. Is it a theme suggesting we need to be ready when the ‘executioners” strike Israel, for the Day of the Lord is near???
Tens of millions of dollars have been transferred to Hamas for the rebuilding of tunnels destroyed by Israel last summer, the Sunday Telegraph reports.
Turkey and Saudi Arabia, two nations with a long history of rivalry, are in high-level talks with the goal of forming a military alliance to oust Syrian President Bashar Assad, according to sources familiar with the discussions.
Moscow starts oil-for-goods swap with Tehran, demonstrating Kremlin’s determination to boost economic ties with Islamic Republic.
Sources told Reuters more than a year ago that a deal worth up to $20 billion was being discussed with Tehran and would involve Russia buying up to 500,000 barrels of Iranian oil a day in exchange for Russian equipment and goods.
The official noted that cooperation between Russia’s state nuclear company, Rosatom, and AEOI is proceeding well. In November, Tehran and Moscow struck a deal under which Russia is to build eight new nuclear reactors in Iran.
According to the agreement, four of the planned reactors are to be constructed at the Bushehrnuclear station, already the site of one Russian-built reactor. The remaining four are to be built elsewhere in the Islamic republic, though the exact location has not yet been determined.
The World is changing fast and is about to change again in the Middle East.
22 member Arab League nations called Monday for combating Islamic State extremists, acting to join forces against the terror threat as President Obama continues to forge his own coalition for battling the extremist group.
It’s not clear to what extent the Arab League and western allies are coordinating……The Arab League resolution calls for immediate measures to combat the group on the political, defense, security and legal levels.
One of Islam’s most revered holy sites – the tomb of the Prophet Mohamed – could be destroyed and his body removed to an anonymous grave under plans which threaten to spark discord across the Muslim world.
A senior government official in Jerusalem on Sunday told the Israeli press that Hamas is already digging new terror tunnels and smuggling a new stockpile of missiles into the Gaza Strip in preparation for its next war against the Jewish state.
The recent conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip has changed the opinions of certain global players who now wish to hold dialog with the group, senior Hamas member Mahmoud al-Zahar said Saturday, according to Ynet. Al-Zahar said nations – he did not give specifics – which had previously regarded his organization as a terrorist group had now undergone a change of heart.
General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, proposed to Mahmoud Abbas a far-reaching plan. According to this plan, Egypt will provide a 1,600 square kilometer area near the Gaza Strip, an area that will make the Strip five times its size today, there shall be established a Palestinian state under the total control of the Palestinian Authority. The Palestinian refugees would return to this country and it would be demilitarized.
Iran’s supreme leader underwent prostate surgery on Monday at a government hospital in Tehran, state media said in a rare report on the state of health of the country’s top cleric.
The 75-year-old Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters in Iran and has been the country’s top leader since 1989, was reported to be recovering.
As of yesterday, a new ceasefire agreement has been accepted by Israel and Hamas. Is the war over and did Israel get the victory?? The re-opening of the Gaza border crossing is the Rafah crossing that Egypt has been guarding against terrorist entering into Gaza and Israel via the Sinai Peninsula.
The battered residents of southern Israel were clear: “Israel surrendered to terror” by failing to destroy Hamas and accepting a truce that left the terrorists fully armed. The next Gaza war is only a matter of time, they insisted.
Israeli government officials tried to put a positive spin on the situation, noting that Hamas, and Gaza as a whole, had suffered a major blow.
………………..
………. members of Israel’s security cabinet, who were furious that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had agreed to the Egyptian-brokered ceasefire without first seeking their input.
The terms of the deal Netanyahu accepted were these:
Both sides will immediately implement an open-ended ceasefire (which they did on Tuesday afternoon);
Gaza border crossings will be opened for the import of humanitarian aid and supplies for reconstruction;
Gaza’s fishing zone will be extended further into the Mediterranean.
The Hamas demands that did not make the final cut were:
The development of sea and air ports in Gaza;
The release of Hamas terrorists arrested in Judea and Samaria over the past two months;
The transfer of salaries to Hamas officials in Gaza.
The Israeli conditions removed from the final draft included:
The demilitarization of Gaza;
A mechanism to prevent Hamas from rearming;
The return of the bodies of fallen IDF soldiers taken by Hamas during the Gaza war.
OPE now in its 48th day, continues to drag on. Hamas has admitted to kidnapping of the three teens that started this war and has broken 6 consecutive cease-fires. Israel has lost at least 64 soldiers and 4 citizens while the number of dead in Gaza has reached over 2000 with at least 900 of those deaths as militants.
It has also been known for some time now that ISIS has a presence and strong influence in the Gaza Strip.The tone in Israel has been one of frustration against the Prime Minister and Defense Minister’s lackadaisical approach to completing the job and ending the war. But, that may have changed – a little…
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu Sunday issued new directives to Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon: Strike every source of terrorist attack from the Gaza Strip. “No more immunity” for sectors or respect for borders or even civilians. Opening the weekly cabinet meeting, Netanyahu and Yaalon said: ”We will continue to hammer Hamas – by air, for now. The world is beginning to grasp that Hamas is ISIS and ISIS is Hamas. Israel continues to stand by the civilized world.” Ya’alon aimed for national consensus when he said: “We stand by our policy of avoiding direct confrontation with Hamas or a decisive end to the war; preferring diplomatic closure.”
Recently Israel has targeted Hamas military leaders, killing at least 4 high ranking members. In return for supposed betrayal of Palestinian spying for Israel, Hamas has executed 27 Palestinians.
Hamas has now executed 27 Palestinians accused of spying for Israel, after killing another four Saturday. Seven were shot dead in a public square outside a Mosque after Friday prayers. The victims’ heads were shrouded in hoods and their hands tied behind their backs. The executions were taped and released for publication.
Meanwhile in the backdrop of ISIS, and the Israel/Hamas conflict, Libya spirals into a larger civil war.
Five weeks of bombardment by grad rockets have devastated parts of the capital, which is suffering cuts to power, water and petrol. Hospitals are running short of vital drugs and thousands are fleeing the city as fighting rages on.
The battle leaves Libya in a state of civil war, with fighting also raging between Islamist brigades and nationalist forces of a former general, Khalifa Hiftar, raging 400 miles away in the eastern city of Benghazi. There were reports that jets from Hiftar had struck and sunk a ship from Misrata trying to bring ammunition to Islamist brigades in the city. – See more at: http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/politicians-and-militia-groups-vye-control-battle-torn-libya-99372368#sthash.y8wwvGR2.dpuf
The violence in the Middle East will continue to ebb and flow while ever gravitating to the flow culminating just before the beginning of the Tribulation – and then the world will change to that which has never been nor ever shall be again…..
Failing a Gaza seaport, the war goes on and thousands of Israelis will die
Hours before the 72-hour ceasefire was due to expire Friday morning, Aug. 8, the Palestinian Hamas’ military wing slapped down an ultimatum before Israel: Either allow the Gaza Strip to have an open seaport – which would be tantamount to lifting the Gaza blockade – or prepare for a long and brutal war of attrition with thousands of fatalities.
Hamas’ decision about extending the ceasefire was tensely awaited Thursday night after Israel’s acceptance. Instead, the Palestinian Islamists declared that the war would go on unless Israel bowed to their dictates.
Israel’s envoys had previously rejected their demand for a deep sea Gaza port in the talks taking place in Cairo under Egyptian auspices.
Abu Obeida, spokesman of Hamas’ military wing, Ezz e-Din Al-Qassam, also announced that his movement had acquired new rockets with larger warheads than the more than 3,000 fired against the Israeli population in the month-long conflict, and they would be aimed at Israel’s Ben Gurion international airport. Israel would be severed from its air transport ties with the outside world, he said.
“We demand our fundamental rights,” said the Hamas spokesman, in a statement that was broadcast live Thursday night. “We call on our envoys to the Cairo talks not to continue negotiations until Israel surrenders to our demand for a seaport. The war is not over until the siege of Gaza ends.”
Looking for that Blessed Hope! 