Quote: "Eyal Arad, one of Sharon's close advisors, said to Ynet on the connection between the dates, "I don't believe in the irony of history; we are looking for connections, but they're not there. We aren't going back to Gaza, just like how in Operation Defensive Shield we didn't return to Hebron. Sharon intended to leave Gaza once and for all, but the Disengagement wasn't a contract with God – that everything you do will hold forever. If they shoot at as, are we going to turn the other way and say that they're not?"

Sharon never wakened from his medically-induced coma. His experience was perceived by religious Jews as Divine retribution for dividing God's land. At the time I mentioned verses in the Scriptures that my friend Lawrence Russell often quoted in relation to Ariel Sharon, even before the Israeli Premier fell ill.

Isaiah 29:1-4, 9-10, 15-16
Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt! add ye year to year; let them kill sacrifices. Yet I will distress Ariel, and there shall be heaviness and sorrow: and it shall be unto me as Ariel. And I will camp against thee round about, and will lay siege against thee with a mount, and I will raise forts against thee. And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust...
Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink. For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered...
Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us? Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding? 

These verses seem to accurately describe someone who has suffered a stroke and is in a coma, who has a spirit of deep sleep and who's speech is badly slurred. While they appear to be personally applicable to Ariel Sharon, they can also be applied to the political and religious rulers of the nation, who are seeking to divide Ariel (Jerusalem) in the hope of gaining peace with their enemies. The tying together of all these dates in relation to the division of God's land may prove to us that we are now living in the last days. But that is not the only noteworthy thing concerning these remarkable events. A Jewish Kabbalist Rabbi by the name of Yitzchak Kaduri, who revealed to his stunned followers the true name of the Messiah of Israel following his own death, also predicted that the Messiah would not come until Ariel Sharon died. Is it possible that we are this close to the fulfilment of end time prophecies? Could the last chapter of man's history be nearing completion? As I said in the last article, I think the signs of the times would indicate that. The time is short. "It is time to seek the LORD", Hosea 10:12. Do you know the true Messiah? I'm not talking about just knowing His name. Do you know Him as your personal Saviour? He died for you, so that your sins might be forgiven. Trust in Him for salvation today. 

Source YNet News

Quote: "He continued that the meetings between Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Olmert and negotiations conducted by the Palestinian negotiating team and Israel, which said it addressed the issues of the final stage has resulted in the agreement "and the demand for clarification, said that both sides refrain from talking about it openly, referring to the That it is the other take the same position not disclosed.

Personally, I don't know how much stock to put in this announcement. I do believe both sides are close to an agreement, but the Israeli and Palestinian Authority negotiators have stated that "nothing is agreed until everything is agreed". This news does follow recent positive statements made by President Bush, hailing the progress made in the talks. Bush met with Prime Minister Olmert and President Abbas on Friday for what is expected to be the last time during his presidency. One year ago President Bush launched the Annapolis peace process with the goal of establishing a Palestinian state in Judea, Samaria and east Jerusalem before the end of his term in office. In his latest statement he praised the 'irreversibility' of the Middle East peace process, a process that many Christians believe will result in the fulfilment of ancient prophecies that the Bible foretold were to occur during the last days. 

Quote: "Speaking on Friday after what is likely to be his final official meeting with Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, Bush said: "People must recognise that we have made a good deal of progress." Bush acknowledged that the Middle East peace talks were a difficult but "irreversible" process, and said that Abbas had "done a lot of important and hard work in helping the region understand the importance of two states living side by side in peace". "I was pleased to note that the United Nation's Security Council passed a resolution which confirms that the bilateral negotiation process is irreversible and it is a path to a Palestinian state and a path to peace in the Middle East," he added. 

It's difficult to know what will happen over the next few weeks. This past few months I have felt as if, prophetically, everything has been put on hold so to speak. Very little appears to be happening in relation to the peace process at present. A couple of years ago we witnessed the efforts by the international community to establish a Palestinian unity government, with the goal of bringing about a peace agreement between Israel and the Arabs. I thought this could have been it, but the unity government quickly collapsed, and along with it any real chance for peace. This year we have witnessed another seeming 'false alarm'. Bush's efforts to bring about the establishment of a Palestinian state have failed, largely thanks to the Palestinians themselves. But President Bush is right about one thing, this process is irreversible. For the Bible predicts that a ruler of the revived Roman Empire will come, and he will strengthen an agreement that will see God's land re-divided for a three and a half year period (Daniel 11:39, Zechariah 11:2, 14:2, Revelation 12:2). It will happen. But the division of the land will not bring peace. As you can see from today's news, the time of fulfilment for these prophecies is drawing near. I personally believe that those who have trusted in Christ for salvation must leave this planet before such an agreement can be put in place. For the one who will strengthen the agreement will be the Antichrist himself, and I believe the working of the Holy Spirit through the Church is what hinders his arrival (2nd Thessalonians 2:7-8). That may be the reason why, despite everybody's efforts, peace has not yet been found. The question is, are you ready to meet God? Don't be looking for a peace agreement in the Middle East to appear before deciding to trust Christ for salvation. You may just be too late. Today is the day of salvation (2nd Corinthians 6:2). Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved (Acts 16:31).

Source Al Quds, Al Jazeera

Quote: ""The Quartet...underlined its commitment to the irreversibility of the bilateral negotiations," it said.

It seems that despite the best intentions of the international community, the Israeli government and the Palestinian leadership, the prospect of the establishment of a Palestinian state is still some way off. In fact we can be sure that a Palestinian state will not be established this year, next year, or even within the next few years. How do I know that? The Bible states that during the tribulation period, it will be the Antichrist who will divide the land for gain (Daniel 11:39). And only for the last three and a half years of Daniel's seventieth week, will Israel's enemies rule over Judea and east Jerusalem (Zechariah 12:2, 14:2, Revelation 11:2). Of course there will be a peace agreement that will be sponsored by the Antichrist - the leader of the revived Roman Empire, and a brief period of peace will come (Daniel 9:27). But the covenant that the Antichrist will make with Israel's enemies will not be irreversible. In fact his covenant will be declared by God to be null and void, because the tenant has no legal right to sell property that is owned by the landlord. The Jewish people have no right to negotiate over something they do not own (Leviticus 25:23). But during the tribulation period, a mighty angel will set his feet upon the land and upon the sea, and read aloud the title deeds that belong to Earth's true Owner - Jesus Christ (Revelation 10). What a wonderful day that will be, when the Lord will come to reclaim His creation from the hands of the evil one (Luke 4:6). What about you? If you are not saved, then the Bible says you are at the mercy of Satan (John 8:34). But his ownership of you through your rebellion to your Creator can be annulled, by putting your faith in the covenant made with the blood of the Lamb (Matthew 26:28).

Zechariah 9:11
As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water.

Jesus Christ came to set the prisoners free (Isaiah 61:1). Turn away from your sins, and trust in Jesus Christ for salvation today. 

Source Jerusalem Post

Sorry I haven't updated the site very much this week. I haven't felt much like commenting on any news recently. But I have been doing well. Many of you may have heard how I lost my job a few months back. I was an IT Technician at Discount Window Systems for 8.5 years, before the company closed down due to financial difficulties. I didn't feel that I wanted to go back into secular employment again. I wanted to use my talents for the Lord. Well I have been keeping busy, and tomorrow I go to start part time in a Christian bookstore. So please pray for me. I have also been helping my grandfather give out Gospel tracts on the streets in our town every week. That was something I never felt I would be able to do, but many people have been taking the tracts and reading them. And I met one particular man who knows he needs to be saved, and I believe desperately wants to be saved, but perhaps doesn't feel worthy of being saved. Please pray for him.

Javier Solana, the High Representative for the European Common, Foreign and Security Policy, has arrived in Damascus on the second leg of his five day tour of the Middle East. His latest tour is expected to include visits to the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, where he is likely to discuss issues such as the Iranian nuclear crisis, the Middle East peace process, and broadening relations between the European Union and the Arab world. In regards to the Middle East peace process, Solana stated that the European Union has the persistent aim of achieving a comprehensive peace agreement in the Middle East, and that the Europeans are seeking to play an instrumental role in the process.

Quote: "'We have a long-standing position that aims at reaching a comprehensive peace process in the region, the Europeans would like to have vital role in this process,' said Solana, whose last visit to Damascus was in March 2007.  

His remarks follow similar statements made by French President Nicholas Sarkozy during a recent visit to Jordan, in which both Sarkozy and Jordanian Monarch Abdullah II agreed the centrality of the European Union in the Middle East peace process. It is also not the first time Solana has called for Europe to play a "significant role" in resolving the Middle East conflict. His comments come as Israeli President Shimon Peres embarks on a state visit to Egypt. Israeli politicians, including Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and former Prime Minister Ehud Barak, have been discussing the possibility of abandoning the unfruitful Palestinian track in favour of achieving a broader peace agreement with the Arab world. Peres is expected to discuss the possibility of Israel negotiating with the Arab League on the Saudi Initiative, an plan which promises recognition for Israel in return for all land captured during the Six Day War and a "just solution" for the Palestinian refugees. The Saudi Initiative was originally backed by the European Union when it was first presented, but the Israeli leadership feared the plan could result in the demographic destruction of the Jewish state through the influx of millions of Palestinian refugees. Some Arab ministers have stated that the Saudi Initiative could be modified, with Israel only having to provide compensation for Arab refugees.

Quote: "At the summit in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, the two leaders will "discuss, inter alia, advancing the peace process between Israel and its neighbors, strengthening ties between Israel and Egypt" and "a variety of other state and security issues," said Peres' office in a statement. In a more explicit manner, local daily Ha'aretz reported Wednesday that Peres is expected to present Mubarak with his proposal for reforming the way Israel and its Arab neighbors negotiate peace agreements.

Could this Saudi Initiative, which is backed by the European Union and the Arab League, be the one which the Antichrist will strengthen for a period of seven years (Daniel 9:27)? Could the division of Jerusalem and the disengagement from Judea and Samaria be the outworking of this plan (Zechariah 12:2, 14:2, Revelation 11:2)? I don't know the answer to that. I feel that the covenant that will be agreed with many must pave the way for the Jewish people to rebuild their Temple and recommence the sacrificial system. Until we have all the pieces in place, its difficult to see how this could all come about. There needs to be a Red Heifer to sanctify the Temple area before the sacrifices can commence. The Temple Institute claim they have cracked the DNA code for genetically producing a Red Heifer. There needs to be agreement in the Arab world to permit Israel to rebuilt the Temple (2nd Thessalonians 2:4). If Israel tried to rebuild now, there would be a third world war. There needs to be a benevolent European dictator in place (Daniel 9:26), who will unite the world under his authority and bring about peace in the Middle East. I personally feel that we are still some way off from all of this happening. But we can see the pieces of the puzzle falling into place. The question is, where do you fit in? When Christ returns for His Church, will you be caught up to meet the Lord in the air, or will you be caught out, without hope and without God in the world? God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2nd Peter 3:9). Why don't you trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation today (Acts 16:31). He will not turn you away (John 6:37).

John 12:46
I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

Source Monsters and Critics, China View