Quick Thoughts on the Kenya Terror Attack, The Watchman with Erick Stakelbeck

I'm on the road at the moment but wanted to offer some quick thoughts on the Kenya mall massacre carried out by the Somali terror group, Al Shabaab.

--Al Shabaab is a violent al Qaeda-linked group that shares AQ's ideology—that includes hatred for the West, specifically America and Israel.

--Al Shabaab controls large swaths of Somalia. It is the perfect al Qaeda breeding ground—there has been no functioning central government there since 1991 and terrorists can train and operate with impunity.

--The most dangerous aspect of al Shabaab, from an American standpoint, is that dozens of Somali-Americans—U.S. citizens—have traveled to Somalia over the past few years to train and fight with the group. Minneapolis/St. Paul in particular has a huge Somali population that has seen a bunch of young men go to Somalia and die. As a matter of fact, Somali-Americans have actually carried out suicide bombings there, as I documented in my first book, The Terrorist Next Door.

--Could these al Shabbab recruits return home and carry out deadly attacks here on U.S. soil? Remember, these guys have U.S. passports and are citizens, so they can move freely around the country. The nightmare scenario is that a bunch of them decide to carry out a Kenya (or Mumbai) style attack here, possibly hitting the Mall of America in Minneapolis or a similar target.

--This again proves that President Obama's statements that al Qaeda is on the run and nearing defeat are a joke. The AQ hierarchy may have been weakened in Pakistan, but AQ, its allies and affiliates are spreading like wildfire elsewhere, especially in Africa.

--This also shows, like Benghazi, that the jihadists aim to hit Western/Israeli targets around the world, and not just on our soil.

MOVING FROM ROUGH TIMES TO PERILIOUS TIMES

 “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.”         

2 Tim. 3:1-2
 

     Christ was ministering in the lower Galilee when he and his disciples sailed across the lake to one of the cities of the Decapolis.  Passing a grave yard, a man who had experienced a mental breakdown and had become possessed by about two-thousand spirits met Christ. The Bible says he was “exceedingly fierce” (Matt. 8:28). In this narrative the word fierce in Greek is chalepos, meaning to‘reduce strength; to become difficult and dangerous.’  He was not just a rough fellow having a hard time, since the spirits within him could break chains and wooden fetters. He was dangerous to anyone who encountered him.

     When Paul spoke of the last days he introduces the signs of the last days (verses 2-6) by saying times would become perilous. The Greek word here for perilous, is the same word chalepos, used for the demon possessed man!  Paul is using this word to show how fierce and dangerous it will be when we come to the time of the end.

     Every generation of believers has dealt with their own forms of dangers. In the past believers were severely persecuted unto death, such as the martyrs in the early church (Stephen, James etc.)  This persecution moved from death and persecution of leaders to death and persecution of common believers.  From the eighth century A.D. forward, there were conflicts between the Christian faith and other world religions that initiated wars and death across Europe and the Middle East, including the Crusades – the Christians fighting the Muslims.  In the 19th century there was a surge in Alcoholic beverages and even the introduction of Cocaine, which was called, “Nose powders that could relieve headaches.”   

     Today, the danger has moved from persecution against believers to national and international dangers. There are plagues beginning to be monitored in China and Arabia, some which are causing death.  There is a continual threat of war in numerous countries, the war on terror in America, and stockpile of chemical and nuclear weapons as we see in a small location like Syria– where a government kills its own people.

     The talking heads of politicians claim to be making things better for Americans by signing bills into law before they ever read the bill they signed – an example being the Affordable Health Care headed up by Obama, which was promised to be a solution for all health care ills. But the bill is so “popular” that 40,000 Longshoremen left the AFL-CIO recently because they did not want to be under the new health care mandates.

     In light of these dangerous times, we must all remember that God allows individuals to be born at different times and seasons to fulfill specific assignments in those seasons. God needed a John Hus, a Martin Luther, a John Wesley, and an Oral Roberts: not at the same time, but in specific seasons when the word of God required restoration and renewal among the masses.   When I think of God’s people in this generation, I am reminded of the words spoken to Esther in her generation: “…you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14).  The Lord knew each of us before our birth and has given us each a specific assignment (Jer. 1:5); but we must follow him to do His will.  We are moving from rough times in the world to perilous times. However, we must always remember that God is directing our path.

Perry Stone, Jr.

Thousands of Jews are planning to enter the Temple Mount as Muslims stand ready to stop them

The Feast of Tabernacles is a pilgrim feast day when Jews are to come to the Temple Mount area in Jerusalem. There are major plans for Jews to enter the Temple Mount during the seven day Feast of Tabernacles. My broadcast partner Yoel Keren has more on that story.

Rabbi Yoel Keren: Pretty much every holiday, specifically Passover and Sukkot because those days are seven day holidays so they are those intermediate days when people are off work and a lot of people have the opportunity to come to Jerusalem and they do, they come and thousands of people come wanting to go up to the Temple Mount. The Muslims know this and they figure that all they have to do is throw a few rocks and the government will close down the Temple Mount to Jews and they won't have to see these thousands of Jews coming up to try to reclaim the place where God put His name forever.

That's what they do and that's what they're up to this time. They're even more frightened this year because of what the Temple Institute is planning. I don't know if you've seen but there's an absolute media blitz. There's advertising everywhere, "Come, come up to the Temple Mount", beautiful photographs and everything, they've really done a nice campaign and I guarantee you thousands and thousands of people are going to come. It's all going to come down to whether the government says enough is enough and they are going to implement and enforce Jewish sovereignty on that Temple Mount and let people come or they're going to give in to the threats and the violence again.

Jimmy's Prophetic Prospective on the News

Jews wanting to enter the Temple Mount during the Feast of Tabernacles has a historic significance, but it also is a part of the prophetic scenario for the future.

God told the Jewish people through the prophet Moses that three times a year all male Jews were to go up to the Temple to worship there in Jerusalem, Deuteronomy 16:16. This command was to be fulfilled on the three pilgrim feast days: Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles.

The Temple Institute, those people preparing to build the next Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem have put together a plan for all Jews to be obedient to this Jewish law to visit the Temple Mount and especially during the Feast of Tabernacles. However, there will be a move by the Muslims to stop the Jews from entering the Temple Mount. Nobody knows yet, but the Muslims may well win and stop the Jews from entering the Temple Mount this time, but in the future Kingdom Period when Jesus Christ will rule and reign from a Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, everybody in the world will go up to Jerusalem at the Feast of Tabernacles, Zechariah 14:16-19.

Whatever happens at the Temple Mount at the Feast of Tabernacles this year, in the future, Bible prophecy will indeed be fulfilled.

Jews in Jerusalem and around the world mark Judaism's holiest day, Yom Kippur September 13, 2013

As Jewish people in Jerusalem and around the world stop for a fast day to mark Judaism's Holiest Day, Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, Israel shuts off the Palestinian territories and at the same time remembers the surprise assault by Egypt and Syria that sparked a war some years ago.

The entire nation of Israel shuts down for the twenty-five hour fast as the Jews seek forgiveness from God for the last years transgressions, using the fast day in lieu of the Yom Kippur sacrifice at the temple since there is no temple in Jerusalem.

Jimmy's Prophetic Prospective on the News

Yom Kippur, the Jewish Holy Day of Atonement, looks back to Biblical times. It also has a prophetic significance, that is according to Bible prophecy.

As Jews in Jerusalem and around the world stop to observe the Jewish Holy day of Yom Kippur, they are reminded how the High Priest at the temple in Jerusalem would enter into the Holy of Holies with the sacrificial blood to pour it on the Mercy Seat of the Ark of the Covenant.

During the ten days leading up to Yom Kippur, starting on Rosh Hashana, Jews were to seek forgiveness from family, friends, loved ones and neighbors for any trespass over the last year.

This act of seeking forgiveness is a part of the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, as the Jews seek to be included in the Book of Life and during temple times their sins would be covered for one year, until the next Yom Kippur.

Now without the Temple, Jews give money, do good deeds and pray, along with the twenty-five hour fast on Yom Kippur. Jesus Christ, the Jewish Messiah, will in the future fulfill the prophetic aspect of Yom Kippur as He did the other Jewish Feast Days, in the spring, 2,000 years ago.

Jesus was crucified on Passover, buried on Unleavened Bread, and rose from the dead on the Feast of First Fruits. Jesus, in the future, will come back to earth on Rosh Hashana, and ten days later will enter the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur, for the purpose of giving salvation to all Jews at that time, Zechariah 3:9 and Ezekiel 43:1-7. Indeed Bible prophecy will be fulfilled.

One of the advisors to the Pentagon tells me there will be another attack on America similar to the one that took place on 9-11 2001 sometime in the future

Col. Bob Maginnis, a broadcast partner with us here at Prophecy Today is at the site of the Pentagon 9-11 Memorial. I asked Bob to reflect on that horrific attack on the US in September 2001.

Col. Bob Maginnis, "Well in fact it was surreal Jimmy, it was a beautiful day here in Washington, a cool September morning and clear skies, I had been working on this guy called Osama Bin Laden and writing articles, but nobody was listening up until that time and subsequently, I eventually got home that night at about midnight and as I went down I-95 South there was nobody on the road I passed here at the Pentagon and the fire was burning and there were all sorts of fire trucks and of course when I got home the jets were flying over head."

Jimmy, "Bob tell me, has America learned anything from that attack?"

Bob, "I think we've learned, but we also have forgotten."

Jimmy, "Bob, I know you are a strategic planner by trade.  How likely is it that we will have another strike on America? On a scale of 1-10 where would you put it?"

Bob, "We're going to have another strike. It's a matter of how and when. So it's a 10. It's a matter of how bad it's going to be and that's my concern. All you have to do is get places like Syria, Iran, North Korea, China, Russia and then of course our adversaries in the terrorist realm. They've been clamoring for these agents for a long time so we know the threat, we have to be vigilant,  you never know when they're going to strike or how they're going to strike. I think most of the time, 99% of the time we're going to be able to beat the offense but it only takes a couple of times to get through and many people could die."

Jimmy's Prophetic Prospective on the News

The statement by a military strategic planner that there will be another 9-11 type strike on America is evidence that Bible prophecy will be fulfilled.

Jesus Christ, in His Olivet Discourse 2000 years ago there in the city of Jerusalem, said there will be wars and rumors of wars, nations will rise against nations, kingdoms against kingdoms, Matthew 24:6-7. The ancient Jewish prophets, Daniel, Ezekiel, Joel and John the Revelator also foretold of the last days and all the wars that will be a part of the seven year Tribulation Period yet in the future.

As we stop to remember the horrific attack on America, September 11, 2001, let it remind us that Bible prophecy will indeed be fulfilled.

Some see biblical visions of doom in Syria trouble

Some are pointing to Old Testament passages that predict the destruction of Damascus and a civil war in Egypt.

Correction: This story has been updated to correct the examples of religious congregations that trace their roots to the "Great Disappointment" of 1844.

,MELBOURNE, Fla. -- The deadly violence percolating half a world away in Syria and the warnings of a possible U.S. attack have some people not only looking ahead to what might happen in the coming days — but also looking backward into ancient, apocalyptic prophecies in the pages of the Old Testament.

In recent weeks, some dire prophecies have turned up on websites, in book stores, as the subject of Bible studies and in sermons by some Christians and others who see a link between the old passages and modern-day events in Egypt, Libya and Syria.

"Behold, Damascus is about to be removed from being a city, and will become a fallen ruin," reads Isaiah 17, a passage some Christians say they believe details a horrific event that leaves the city uninhabitable and leads to worldwide tribulation and the second coming of Christ.

Damascus is the Syrian capital and one of the world's oldest cities.

Another passage in Isaiah 19 deals with civil war in Egypt and the rise of a "fierce king."

Talk of those prophecies has intensified as President Barack Obama considers a U.S. military strike on Syria in response to what Washington says is evidence that the Syrian leadership used chemical weapons against its own people. In turn, Syria vows to retaliate against neighboring Israel if the U.S. strikes.

"The prophecies are not new to our group because we do (Bible) studies every Friday night. We have looked at that prophecy, but one of the things I try not to do is make a big assumption. That can be dangerous," said Pastor Gary Cristofaro of the First Assembly of God in Melbourne. "We try to find balance by immersing ourselves in prophecy rather than being affected by it."

"The situation in Syria as it relates to scripture could be something that we're witnessing, but we should be cautious. What prophecy really is about is the faithfulness of God's word.''

Prophecy has long played a role in the formation of American faith and, even, politics.

A number of congregations including the Seventh-day Adventists can trace their roots to the "Great Disappointment" of 1844, a year when a preacher named William Miller moved thousands of Christians to give away their possessions with prophecies detailing what he thought would be the second coming of Jesus Christ.

Millions of Americans also listened as Herbert W. Armstrong, a warbled-voice minister belted out dire prophecies of famine, war and pestilence in the late 1930s – during the Dust Bowl drought and just before the onset of World War II. President Harry Truman, an avid student of the Bible and its prophecies regarding the return of Jews to the Holy Land, was the first world leader to recognize Israel in 1948, a moment some Christians believe began a new prophetic era for events in the Middle East.

Tom Lombardo, a San Franscico-based author and researcher of end time beliefs, believes that the Syrian prophecy is the latest example of some Christians turning to ancient biblical writings to make sense of a modern, complex world.

"Interpreting events doesn't lead to an understanding of what's going on. I believe it actually clouds the understanding," said Lombardo, whose novel American Underground touches on religious themes, political divisions and geopolitical conflict.

Lombardo said followers of prophecy tend to look at world events and search through biblical prophecies for what he calls clues on the timing of the events. "You have some prophecy teachers that argue that the tribulation has begun now. So every time something happens, it has to fit into the narrative," he said.

Christian bookstores such as Family Christian Ministries in West Melbourne report that book sales of prophecy-themed works by charismatic minister Perry Stone, Pastor John Hagee and novelists such as Joel Rosenberg have increased in recent weeks since tension in Syria and Egypt escalated.

"We sold a lot of Perry Stone books, and he's really good with the end times. A lot of our customers say their churches are doing something on prophecy," said Kaylee Snodgrass, assistant manager at Family Christian Ministries.

Some, though, like Pastor Ralph Nygard of Eau Gallie First Baptist Church in Melbourne, urge caution about any speculation and say the prophecies of the bible must be seen in their historical context.

"All I've been teaching recently has been the Book of Revelation and sharing information about the time in which it was written," Nygard said.

"What you have to decide is whether the prophet Isaiah was dealing with the ancient nation of Israel or foretelling the future. You can have a dualistic approach and see the way it was written and the time," and what it may mean for the future, he said.

Allen West interview with Erick Stakelbeck, Extreme information about the Muslim Brotherhood you must know about!

http://www.nextgeneration.tv/?cmd=mpg&load=8800&mpid=517

Please take the time to watch and listen,only 11 minutes and it will open your eyes even more about what is happening,he has information not 1 news media has ever talked about and it will shock you to know.Check this out for yourself,please and lets talk about it as it does have to do with prophecy,right!!

The Middle East nation of Iran has stepped up its crackdown on Christians, September 03, 2013

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard has stepped up its campaign on Christians in its nation and Iranian Christians are in a dire situation concerned that this militant Muslim army will close down their churches and even imprison or kill the Christians living in this Islamic republic.

In Iran, the death penalty is imposed on those who convert from Islam to Christianity and those who embrace Christianity are targeted for persecution and even death.

Jimmy's Prophetic Prospective on the News

The crackdown on Christians in Iran, and in fact across the entire Middle East, is only the tip of the iceberg as it relates to believers in Christ being persecuted in the last days according to Bible prophecy.

There have been a number of reports coming out of the Middle East that there has been an increase in the attacks on churches and Christians in this region of the world. A high ranking Muslim cleric in Saudi Arabia recently issued a fatwah calling for Muslims to attack all churches, kill Christians and in fact rid the Middle East of Christianity. Now, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, the militia of the supreme council of Iran, has increased their persecution of Iranian Christians and the closing down of churches in Iran.

The biblical book of Revelation written by the Apostle John records prophecies of the martyrdom of believers in Christ during the seven years of great judgment on the earth called the Tribulation. When Satan and his evil angels are thrown out of Heaven, Revelation 12, the Devil will try to eliminate all of those who stand for Jesus Christ. At the end of the Tribulation, to enter the Kingdom and rule and reign with Jesus Christ, Revelation 20:4. In addition, Jews who believe in Jesus Christ will be the focus of Satanic persecution as well during that period of time referred to as the Time of Jacob's Trouble, Revelation 12:13-17.

Iranian persecution of Christians is indeed setting the stage for Bible prophecy to be fulfilled.

The US and Russia may be plunging into a new Cold War September 02, 2013

A report from a Russian expert reveals that the US and Russia are plunging into a Cold War as Washington's policies towards Moscow are the blame for the growing tensions between these two global superpowers, but Russian President Vladimir Putin's pent up anti-American sentiment may be coming to the surface as well as these tensions increase.

The so-called reset between the two nations is dead as the Obama administration has never truly cooperated with Moscow, but instead they keep pushing the same policies imposed on the Russians for the last twenty years.

This US policy of advancing NATO towards Russia's borders, building missile defense systems on Russia's borders, and interfering in Russia's internal politics have brought about these tensions that have plunged the two nations into another Cold War.

Jimmy's Prophetic Prospective on the News

As the US and Russia move into another Cold War, the end of times scenario found in God's prophetic Word also comes much better into focus.

The battle between the US and Russia over adoption of Russian babies by American families is only the tip of the iceberg and evidence that these two superpowers are not getting along, this surfaced recently in the media. The supposed reset of relationship between the US and Russia did not work for whatever reason and now every issue gets bigger and bigger. The tensions between these two have intensified also because of the concerns that Russia is trying to regain its superpower status by making decisions that fly in the face of what is best for America. This said, any student of Bible prophecy has known for years that Russia plays a significant role in the last days.

Ezekiel 38:2 is where you find the name Magog which will be the nation mentioned as the leader of an alignment of nations that will move to destroy the Jewish state of Israel. Magog dates back 4500 years ago to right after the Flood when God gave Noah and his sons the responsibility of re-peopling the earth, Genesis 9:1. In Genesis 10:1-2, Japheth has a son named Magog who raised his family, taught them a new language, and moved to a geographical location just North of the Caspian and Black Sea, a place called Russia today, Genesis 10:3-5. Ezekiel 38:12 foretells that Russia will be the leader of many nations who will attack Israel to annihilate the Jewish state.

Russia is indeed that nation and Bible prophecy will indeed be fulfilled.