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http://rapturewatch.wordpress.com/2011/04/25/israel-a-burdensome-stone/
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Israel A Burdensome Stone
By Mike Taylor

The nation of Israel is in the forefront of the news continually. Although we have many end time events happening all around us, Israel remains the focus of the coming New World order. To the mind of the elite that are clamoring to solidify their complete power, Israel stands in their way when it comes to the vast riches to be found in the Middle East. The unrest from an age old hatred between half brothers continues to simmer and is fast approaching the boiling point when the lid will be blown off the region and this area of the world will be thrown into a major war.

In the book of Zechariah, the prophet gives a look into our future when nations think they can impose their will onto God’s land and His chosen people:

12:3 And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.

The Palestinian Authority, led by the terrorist in a suit, Mahmoud Abbas, calls for the recognition of a Palestinian state without Israel’s participation or consent. This rabid Anti Semite would impose the will of the world on a tiny nation that he feels could not resist the dictates of a world body called the United Nations that is filled with the Israel hating countries in their majority. It’s a shrewd move of a wily old fox who plays the game of political chicken with the world. Already this terrorist in a suit has petitioned third world countries to recognize the formation of a Palestinian state on the pre 1967 borders as early as this September, that will include East Jerusalem. The push and political pressure is growing on Israel and its duly elected leaders.

How long will Benjamin Netanyahu stand against this type of pressure from within and without? I think the world underestimates this man’s resolve to not give up ground to terrorist whose only goal is to destroy his nation and push them into the Mediterranean Sea. As a statesman, he is playing his diplomatic cards close to his chest and will “negotiate” for as long as he can. But there will come a point soon, when the cards will have to be laid out to play. Will he honor the world body who tries to impose a Palestinian state to the security risk ofIsrael? Will the Prime Minister of Israel and his party in control allow the danger that is lurking at every direction and is on every border surrounding them, to be also, the fox in the henhouse? I believe he will not, as he knows the outcome.

Then what will happen when he refuses to remove all Jewish people from the lands of Israelthat God gave them, and refuse to surrender the West Bank which includes Judea and Samariato these Jew Haters? Abbas demands that the area be “Jew free” and will feign oppression and human rights violations. I believe you see the precursor of that response now being played out as test run in Libya. The international community has staged a “Defacto war” on the forces of Omar Kadafi in the name of the protecting the “human rights of the people of Libya”.

ABBAS AND THE ARABS PROMOTE WAR BY DECEIT



When the leaders of this newly recognized government complain to the world, and the UN of perceived atrocities, either real and fictitious, (it doesn’t matter), then will the world respond as they have in Libya? Zechariah prophecies that all Judah will be a cup of trembling, to all who comes against Jerusalem:

12:2 Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem.

12:4 In that day, saith the LORD, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness.

12:5 And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the LORD of hosts their God.

12:6 In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even inJerusalem.

12:7 The LORD also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify themselves against Judah.

12:8 In that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the LORD before them.

12:9 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.



THE GOG-MAGOG INVASION

Are we now, today setting up the Gog-magog invasion of the nation of Israel? Most commentators point to Russia as the leader of an invasion, with Iran and the outer ring of Muslim nation heading up the invasion. It gives me pause to think, in this time when there is only one superpower, who seems to be involved in any human rights endeavor, whether it’s in its best interest or not, is the United States of America. In times past, I would not have dreamed or the thought come into my mind, because the USA was Israel’s staunchest ally…at least until the present administration. Our current president has made so many overtures of sympathy to the Muslim world to appease them, to give them hope for the removal of their enemy Israel, that one has to wonder, “would Obama, ‘the one”, defend Israel during this invasion?” or would he be a co-conspirator or complicit led by a commander of our armed forces that is more apologetic to the Muslim cause than to our oldest ally in the region?

The idea makes me shudder to think that it could be true. Whether is be true or not, let me point to one area of prophecy concerning this invasion that bears scrutiny for every freedom loving citizen in the Americas. When you read the 38th chapter of Ezekiel starting in verse 1, you read down to these verses:

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.

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?


WHO ARE THE MERCHANTS OF TARSHISH?

The merchants of Tarshish is a reference to sea traders from the West, including the Europeans countries, such as Spain, Portugal, the British Isles, and spreading to the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA as their discoveries of our land in days past.

Set in the backdrop of the end-times’ Gog-Magog War, America’s possible role in any Middle Eastern conflict becomes all the more significant in that its impact upon “Democratic Globalism” and the Commercial Empire would be overwhelming. Naturally, it is impossible to avoid either Antichrist, or the pre-positioning of his military in the Holy Land, as it is prophecied to come to pass, but with the climate of pro-Arab, pro-muslim policies being proliferated by our present governmental agencies, the implication is that we will sit idly by, or be indirectly involved. Another possibility, is that America will be so weak militarily that we won’t be able to stop any invasion from happening. Time will tell. For our abandoning Israel, could there be judgment for our inaction and our throwing Israel to these dogs?

“These Merchants of Tarshish, whose primary concerns regarding this pending invasion of the Beautiful Land, are centered on the commercial impact to their own prosperity—prosperity which would adversely be affected by such an incursion into the Glorious Land (not that they care for Israel). Therefore, and by the time this tome is completed—special interest should be shown by the United States of America, as well as the UK, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Canada—all the young lions” (Tribulation-network) Could it be spelled out in one word, OIL?

Will our troops be part of the invasion? I pray that we are not as there is no indication from scripture that we are involved directly, but the following verses give the people of the free world reason to be anxious:

Ezekiel chapter 39:

39:2 And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel:

39:3 And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand.

39:4 Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands, and the NATIONS that is with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be devoured.

This passage shows that God will destroy this invaded army leaving only 1/6 left alive. That means that almost 85% of this army will be fed to ravenous birds of their flesh and blood after being destroyed. You might as well, say that they were wiped out. And when this army is destroyed, will God follow the limping few making their way back to their homeland for further destruction.? The following passage alludes to it, especially if the exchange is nuclear in respect to contamination or God’s judgment coming to their homelands.

Ezekiel 39:21-24

“I will display my glory among the nations, and all the nations will see the punishment I inflictand the hand I lay upon them. From that day forward the house of Israel will know that I am the LORD their God. And the nations will know that the people of Israel went into exile for their sin, because they were unfaithful to me. So I hid my face from them and handed them over to their enemies, and they all fell by the sword. I dealt with them according to their uncleanness and their offenses, and I hid my face from them.

ONE OR TWO GOG-MAGOG WARS?

Some feel that there is only one Gog-Magog battle and it is connected with Armageddon, but it’s apparent that there are two separate wars when God deals with the heathen that come against His people. Why do I say that? Because when Jesus Christ is setting His foot on theMount of Olives as written in Zechariah, then He would be revealing Himself in the first person to His people. This previous war reveals God Jehovah to His people and they clamor for the rebuilding of the temple and the re-institution of animal sacrifice. These are two completely different wars approximately 7 years apart. One war is after the Tribulation starts, and the last at the glorious appearing of our Lord Jesus with His saints riding on white horses.





WHAT TIME IS IT?

How soon will this prophecy be fulfilled? I believe it could happen rapidly. As we have studied on this site, a war of the surrounding Arab nations that touch the border of Israel will be forthcoming, and it could be soon with all the unrest in the region. When Israel defeats them by divine intervention and takes the land promised to them by God to Abraham, then there will be several reasons for this coming Gog-Magog invasion.

First is economic. Israel is reported to be on a huge reserve of natural gas that will make them independent of other countries for this energy and possibly an exporter of this gas to other countries. It is also reported that Israel is sitting on a vast reserve of light sweet crude that is comparable to what Saudi Arabia has in reserve, but it is of the light sweet crude variety, not the heavy tarry stuff the Saudi’s sell. This type of oil is easily refined into gasoline and other petroleum products. It will be the enticement that greedy men cannot ignore.

The second, and the most important, is religious. The muslim world thinks that Allah is with them, and they must force the appearance of their 12th imam by spilling innocent blood ofIsrael. These nations have been preparing for an invasion for many years. Since the last Lebanese/Israeli war, they have been stockpiling advanced weaponry on all of Israel’s borders. The stock pile is not for defense on their part, but invasion and the next strategic war. You can read about this coming war in Psalm 83. It is, I believe, the next war on the horizon and just out of view. With Egypt as Israel’s only assurance of a treaty to her south evaporating with the departure of President Mubarak and the seeming overtaking of the political scene by the Muslim Brotherhood, then the stage is being set. When this coalition is soundly defeated, as prophesied it will be, then and only then will the following scripture be found as true:

Get ready; be prepared, you and all the hordes gathered about you, and take command of them. After many days you will be called to arms. In future years you will invade a land that has recovered from war, whose people were gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate. They had been brought out from the nations, and now all of them live in safety. You and all your troops and the many nations with you will go up, advancing like a storm; you will be like a cloud covering the land. (Ezek. 38:7-9)

Israel for the first time, will live in what they believe is safety…this could be translated, “carelessly”. As they will let their guard down because of the commanding defeat of the Psalm 83 coalition, and sets up the Gog-Magog battle.

The conditions grow more apparent and ripe for coming to pass. Some say, maybe this year, or sometime in 2012, but the point is, the scenario and the players are in position. War could be plastered all over your TV screen tomorrow or the next. As the world settles into an ever increasingly alarming set of events, the world apart from the believers who have faith in Jesus Christ, are growing more fearful. They wring their hands without a clue on solving the earth’s problems, let alone it’s political ones. People without the assurance of a God who is in control are running to and fro trying to set up “world peace”. There will be no world peace, as man is prone to sin, greed, and the lust of the flesh. It is spelled out in your bible, and we are living it right in front of our eyes daily.

As the time of the end of days grows more pronounced with each passing event reported in the news, then what is a person to do with all these events spiraling out of control? As you may have discovered, the Church with its saints will not be a witness to these events. When will that time be, and how much will we see? It is not revealed, but scripture points to a sudden interruption in human events that makes the world stand on its head. It is the greatest, most spectacular event in all of human history. What is that event? It is the coming of our Lord to remove the children of God out of the way of His coming wrath. As Jesus said in Revelation chapter 3:10:

3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

War and tribulation is coming. The world feels it and every human being is holding their breath wondering what will happen next. Unfortunately, most in our world have no hope, but in themselves. But we have hope and a source of strength and a promise of future glory:

1st Thessalonians 4:16-17

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

WHAT IS YOUR DECISION?

My reader, what are you going to do when the hour, the Day of the Lord is upon this earth? When wrath comes, Israel is vindicated and saved, and the ungodly thrown into the lake of fire at the Great White Throne Judgment?

Remember, all the preceding events could happen quickly and the door of salvation be closed to all who wish to be counted amongst the saints of the Church. Israel is the door to the timing of end time prophecy, and Jerusalem is the key. Time is drawing down and the time for decision is at hand. Will you be cast head long into the Great Tribulation or meet Jesus in the air? You decide. Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.


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Zechariah 12:3,9:
And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people; And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
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