The fallout from the conflict between Russia and Georgia continued today, as NATO officials called for a freeze in relations with the former communist state. The conflict began after pro-Moscow militias clashed with Georgian troops in the break-away province of South Ossetia. The Georgian government responded with military force, which in turn triggered the Russian invasion of South Ossetia and Georgia as a whole. High Representative for the European Common, Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana, brokered a ceasefire between the Georgian and Russian forces, and has called on Western leaders to help rebuild the shattered country. But so far Russian forces have been reluctant to withdraw. Intelligence analysts believe that the Russian invasion of Georgia may be less to do with politics and more to do with who controls the oil and gas flowing through the country. While Georgia has little oil and gas supplies of its own, it is a key transit point for the transportation of oil from the Caspian Sea to Western nations. If Russia can control the state of Georgia, they can control the flow of energy through the region and thus the foreign policies of Western nations. The United States and Israel have pumped millions of dollars into equipping and training the Georgian military in order to secure these vital pipelines, and Israel's support for Georgia seems to have angered the Russian bear.

Quote: "More importantly and with immense strategic implications, Russia is also trying to send Israel a clear message that Tel Aviv's military support for Tbilisi in organizing, training and equipping Georgia's army will no longer be tolerated. Private Israeli security firms and retired military officials are actively involved in Georgian security. Further, Israel's interest in Caspian oil and gas pipelines is growing and Russia seeks to stop this activity at this time. Intense negotiations about current and future pipelines between Israel, Turkey, Georgia, Turkmenistan, and Azerbaijan are tied to receiving oil at the terminal at Ashkelon and on to the Red Sea port of Eilat. Finally, Russia is sending a clear message that it will not tolerate US influence in Georgia nor Tbilisi's interests - supported by the pro-US Georgian President Mikhal Saakashvili - in joining NATO. Overall, the military crisis will push Moscow to punish Israel for its assistance to Georgia, and challenge the US to do more than voice rhetoric.

And it's not just intelligence analysts that are warning of a conflict of interests between Russia and Israel. During a recent press conference, the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Russian military revealed the extent of co-operation between Israel and Georgia, claiming that Israel armed the Georgian forces.

Quote: "General Anatoly Nogovitsyn, deputy chief of staff of the Russian Military revealed Tuesday the extent of the military assistance Moscow claimed Jerusalem had given Georgia. "Israel armed the Georgian army," he told reported at a press conference held in the Russian capital. According to Nogovitsyn, Israel provided Georgia with "eight types of military vehicles, explosives, landmines and special explosives for the clearing minefields." Since 2007, he continued, Israeli experts have been training Georgian commando troops; and Israel had planned to supply Georgia with heavy firearms, electronic weapons and tanks, but that plan was eventually scrapped.

Despite the ceasefire, it is easy to see how this situation could grow out of hand. The Bible prophesies that during a future Arab conflict with Israel, the Chief Prince of Meshech and Tubal will make a move against the Jewish state with the goal of taking a spoil. 

Ezekiel 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,

Some Orthodox Jews have claimed that the Chief Prince of Meshech and Tubal is the most prominent leader of the world at any point in history. They interpret the names of Meshech and Tubal to be titles of this Chief Prince and not geographical locations over which he rules. And based on this interpretation they created the Megillat Bush - the Bush Scroll, which identified US President Bush as the Chief Prince who would come against Israel. But Bush cannot be the Chief Prince, because this prophecy is limited in scope to the "the land of Magog". Where is the land of Magog? According to Genesis 10:2 Magog was one of the sons of Japheth, and his descendents settled in the region now known as Russia.

Quote: "[1] Gomer - Progenitor of the ancient Cimerians and Cimbri, from whom are descended the Celtic family. [2] Magog - From Magog are descended the ancient Scythians, or Tartars, whose descendants predominate in the modern Russia. Ezek 38:2 39:6 Rev 20:8. [3] Madai - Progenitor of the ancient Medes. [4] Javan - Progenitor of those who peopled Greece, Syria, etc. [5] Tubal - Tubal's descendants peopled the region south of the black Sea, from whence they spread north and south. It is probable that Tobolsk perpetuates the tribal name. A branch of this race peopled Spain. [6] Meshech - Progenitor of a race mentioned in connection with Tubal, Magog, and other northern nations. Broadly speaking, Russia, excluding the conquests of Peter the Great and his successors, is the modern land of Magog, Tubal, and Meshech. [7] Tiras - Progenitor of the Thracians.

So as we can see, this conflict between Russia and Georgia, and Israel's involvement in it, could be one of the hooks that will bring the Russia nation against Israel in the latter days (Ezekiel 38:4). And as the price of oil continues to increase, so will the desperation of world powers to control the flow of energy in this world. Praise God that Christ's Kingdom is not of this world. We seek another country (Hebrews 11:4). A heavenly country for a heavenly people, where there is no more war, no more pain, no more tears and no more death. Do you seek such a country? The Bible declares that as Christians, we are ambassadors of this heavenly country, and we bring a message from the King of that country (2nd Corinthians 5:20). That message is, be reconciled to God. Jesus Christ loves you. He died for you on the cross so that your sins could be forgiven and you could have a home in heaven. He left earth to receive His Kingdom (Luke 19:12), and He is coming back again to establish it (Daniel 2:44). Turn away from your sins. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation today.

Romans 10:13
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Source YNet News, Earth Times, Daily Star, YNet News, Bible

The Iranian government have announced their intentions to put a satellite into orbit, following yesterday's successful launch of a rocket which is capable of carrying a payload into space. The news was met with criticism from Western nations, who believe that Iran could use the same technology to deliver a nuclear payload to another country such as Israel. Iran is facing a fourth round of economic sanctions after failing to abide by a United Nations resolution calling for a halt to its Uranium enrichment process. Israeli intelligence experts believe that Iran could possess enough Uranium to build a nuclear bomb as early as 2009 if the country is permitted to continue developing its nuclear programme. Israel recently carried out a massive air exercise in preparation for a strike on Iran's nuclear facilities. And last week the Iranian government announced that they had upgraded the range of their aircraft, bringing Israel within range of a possible counter-strike, although Israeli officials have downplayed those claims. 

Quote: ""The Safir (Ambassador) rocket was successfully launched. All its systems...are Iranian-made," Reza Taghipour, head of Iran's space agency, told state television, adding that a "test satellite was put into orbit." "We have paved the way for placing a satellite in space in future," state television said, showing images of the pre-dawn rocket launch which was attended by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Yesterday's launch of the Safir rocket also fell on the anniversary of the birth of the Imam Mahdi, who is said to have disappeared down a well in the 8th century and is prophesied to reappear as the Islamic messiah. President Ahmadinejad thinks it is his role to prepare Iran and the Muslim world for the appearance of the Mahdi, who he believes should arrive any time soon. Muslims believe that the Mahdi will appear during a time of great trouble on earth. According to Islamic tradition, the Mahdi is to come from a city in Iran, and will join an Islamic army that will march on Israel. The Mahdi will conquer Israel and many of the Jews will be killed. He will rise to prominence following a peace agreement between the Arabs and the West which will be mediated by a Jew, and he will rule over the world from his headquarters in Jerusalem for a period of seven years. 

Despite President Ahmadinejad's claims of peace, it is Islamic ideology that is the driving force behind Iran's development of nuclear power and its hatred for the Jewish people. And when the Antichrist does finally arrive on the scene, Muslims will welcome him with open arms, for he will appear to fulfill all their requirements. It's not that Islamic prophecies are accurate or should be trusted. These were originally Bible prophecies that Satan has twisted in order to deceive people into worshipping himself. When you examine the creation stories of other religions, you will find that in many cases the bad guy in the Judeo-Christian account becomes the good guy. Often you will find that the serpent that is honoured in these creation stories rather than being viewed as the deceiver. For example in Hinduism, there is Vishnu and the serpent, who helped to create the world. Likewise in modern gnosticism, it is Judas who is portrayed as the hero instead of the traitor. And it seems that in Islam, it is the Antichrist who is portrayed as the messiah figure rather than Jesus Christ. As you can see, the stage is being set for the appearance of the Antichrist. But we are not looking for him. We are waiting for Jesus Christ, who is coming to take all those who have trusted in Him for salvation, to be with Him in heaven. Are you ready to meet Him? Jesus Christ said that if we remain in our sins, where He is we cannot come (John 8:21). You need to have your sins forgiven if you ever intend to be in heaven. Jesus Christ bore God's punishment for your sins when He died upon the cross. And through His sacrifice on the cross, all who believe on Him for salvation can know the forgiveness of sins and have everlasting life. Trust in Jesus Christ for salvation today.

John 6:40
And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Source BreitBart, YNet News, Africa Asia, Answering Islam

Britain's Sunday Times newspaper has reported that Iran is making preparations for war with Israel in the event that a military strike is carried out on its nuclear facilities. According to defence sources quoted in the report, Iran is positioning its Shihab-3 missiles to be ready for launch, and that Israel's Dimona reactor is one of the prime targets that have been selected for attack. The chief of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards warned yesterday that Israel is within reach of Iran's Shihab-3 rockets, which have a range of around 1250 miles. He also said that one of Iran's first acts in response to the destruction of its nuclear facilities would be to seize control of the Straits of Hormuz, through which sixty percent of the world's oil is transported. A former head of Israel's intelligence agency Mossad remarked that Israel has just twelve months to deal with the Iranian nuclear problem or face the threat of a nuclear attack themselves.

Quote: "General Mohammad Ali Jafari, chief of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards, has issued a new warning against Israel not to attack it, saying the country is well within range of its missiles, the Iranian Jam-e Jam newspaper reported on Saturday. "This country (Israel) is completely within the range of the Islamic republic's missiles. Our missile power and capability are such that the Zionist regime, despite all its abilities, cannot confront it," he said. "There is the possibility that by attacking Iranian nuclear sites the enemy wants to delay our nuclear activities, but any interruption would be very short since Iranian scientific ability is different from that of Syria and Iraq."

Another Revolutionary Guards commander has stated that orders have been given to dig 320,000 graves in Iran in which to bury enemy soldiers. Brigadier General Mir-Faisal Baqerzadeh did not elaborate on which enemy would occupy the graves, but warned that he did not "wish the families of enemy soldiers to experience what Americans had to go through in the aftermath of the Vietnam War". While it's not clear how much of this is simply rhetoric designed to intimidate their enemies and how much is actual preparation for war in the Middle East, I thought the news concerning Iran apparently giving orders to dig the graves of enemy soldiers was extremely interesting. For the Bible states that this is exactly what will come to pass. Only it won't be Iran that is burying the bodies of their enemies following a foreign invasion. We know that the coming Israeli-Arab war mentioned in the book of Ezekiel will include Iran (Ezekiel 38:5). Prior to the Iranian revolution in 1980, Iran had relatively good relations with Israel. So it seems that only within the past twenty years could this prophecy have really been fulfilled. And President Ahmadinejad's repeated calls for the destruction of Israel adds further weight to that theory. But Iran's graves will lie empty, for it is Israel that will have to give Iran a special place in the land to bury their fallen... 

Ezekiel 39:11-16
And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will give unto Gog a place there of graves in Israel, the valley of the passengers on the east of the sea: and it shall stop the noses of the passengers: and there shall they bury Gog and all his multitude: and they shall call it The valley of Hamongog. And seven months shall the house of Israel be burying of them, that they may cleanse the land. Yea, all the people of the land shall bury them; and it shall be to them a renown the day that I shall be glorified, saith the Lord GOD. And they shall sever out men of continual employment, passing through the land to bury with the passengers those that remain upon the face of the earth, to cleanse it: after the end of seven months shall they search. And the passengers that pass through the land, when any seeth a man's bone, then shall he set up a sign by it, till the buriers have buried it in the valley of Hamongog. And also the name of the city shall be Hamonah. Thus shall they cleanse the land.

As you can see, all the signs of Christ's coming are falling into place. And that is why we go to the bother of commenting on these things. We don't rejoice at seeing calamity in the world, nor do we long for it as some claim. This isn't the way God intended for it to be. But we do rejoice in the fact that Jesus Christ is returning to make all things new. That is our "blessed hope" (Titus 2:13). Do you have a blessed hope? Or are you like most people in the world, their "hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth", Luke 21:26? Do not be afraid. You too can have peace of mind and know peace with God. Jesus Christ has already made peace between God and man through the blood of His cross (Colossians 1:20). He is our peace (Ephesians 2:14). Trust in Him for salvation today.

John 14:27
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Source YNet News, LA Times, YNet News

The New York Times reported today that the Israeli Air Force have undertaken a massive exercise to prepare themselves for the eventuality that military action against Iran becomes necessary. Around a hundred F-15 and F-16 fighter airplanes took part in the drill, which involved flying around 800 miles over the eastern Mediterranean Sea and Greece. The pilots practiced manoeuvres that would be used in a strike on Iran's nuclear facilities, including mid-air refuelling and flight tactics. Iran is located a thousand miles to the east of Israel, and Iran's nuclear facilities are spread across the country. Israeli officials declined to comment on the exercise, but US sources have stated that Israel is seeking to send a signal to America, Europe and Iran that they are prepared to take matters into their own hands if Iran cannot be persuaded to halt its nuclear programme.

Quote: "A Pentagon official who the Times said was briefed on the exercise, said one goal was to practice flight tactics, aerial refuelling and other details of a possible strike against Iran's nuclear installations and long-range conventional missiles. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said a second goal was to send a clear message that Israel was prepared to act militarily if other efforts to stop Iran from producing bomb-grade uranium fail. "They wanted us to know, they wanted the Europeans to know, and they wanted the Iranians to know," the Pentagon official said, according to the Times. "There's a lot of signalling going on at different levels."

When it comes to the proliferation of nuclear weapons, the tiny nation of Israel has saved the world many times over. On the 7th of June 1981, the Israeli Air Force sent six F-15 escort fighters and eight F-16 bombers to destroy the Osirak reactor in Iraq. And in September of last year, the Israeli Air Force sent a similar number of fighters into Syria to destroy a nuclear reactor in that country. Both governments have supported terrorist organizations that are bent on the destruction of Israel, and there is no telling what would have happened if these groups had managed to acquire nuclear weapons. Israeli intelligence experts believe that Iran will have nuclear weapons capability by 2009 at the latest. And with the Iranian President having repeatedly called for Israel's destruction, Israel is sending a message to the world that they are not prepared to stand idly by and watch that happen. But President Ahmadinejad has not counted on one thing. Israel may be a tiny nation, but they have a big God. The Mighty God of Jacob...

Genesis 49:22-26
Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall: The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him: But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:) Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb: The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.

And for those who have trusted in Jesus Christ for salvation, we can say the same. The God of the Old Testament is the God of the New. Jesus Christ is that Good Shepherd (John 10:11). He was the Stone that was rejected by the builders of the nation of Israel (Matthew 21:42). He is the One who was separate from His brethren. He bore the punishment for our sins upon the cross. Is He your Shepherd? Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved (Acts 16:31).

Source YNet News, Jewish Virtual Library