 |
In the prophetic future, we know that a number of battles are going to take place predicted in Bible prophecy. Can we see foreshadowing, perhaps even glimpses of those wars to come in the news of our world around us? I believe so.
Turkey and the battle of Gog-Magog
Turkey, as I have pointed out for years, is going to have a change of heart in relation to its long-standing relationship with the West (as a NATO member no less) and, subsequently, change teams to an extent, joining Russia, Iran and a Muslim confederacy that will attack Israel in the last days. The battle is referred to by most as the battle of Gog-Magog and is prophesied in Ezekiel 38-39. The winds of change that will lead to Gog-Magog coming about are blowing today, gently at times, intensely at others but blowing nonetheless in my opinion.
A short time ago I documented that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan reacted very angrily to Israeli President Shimon Peres at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland recently concerning the Israeli-Hamas conflict in the Gaza Strip and subsequently returned to a hero's welcome in Ankara.
Not only has Turkey's Prime Minister shown anger at Israel and the Turkish people shown some pleasure in it, efforts are currently underway within Turkey to have Israeli leaders brought up on charges of crimes against humanity - war crimes - for taking on the terrorist infrastructure of Hamas in Gaza. An AFP report on that topic states the following, in part:
A Turkish prosecutor has launched an investigation into whether Israel committed genocide and crimes against humanity in its offensive in Gaza, his office told AFP Friday.As all of this is going on, as reported by Ria Novosti, Turkish President Abdullah Gul will next week become the first Turkish head of state to pay an official visit to Russia. Prophetic posturing? Yes. Dramatic prophetic posturing!
The investigation follows a complaint lodged by the Islamist-leaning human rights association Mazlum-Der against several Israeli officials, including President Shimon Peres, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, Defence Minister Ehud Barak and army chief of staff Gabi Ashkenazi.
"Every complaint merits an investigation," the spokesman said when asked whether a probe had been launched into Mazlum-Der's complaint.
Under Turkish law, prosecutors are obliged to look into all complaints to determine whether there are grounds to initiate a full-scale investigation that could lead to formal charges.
If the prosecutor decides the complaint does not merit a case, it will be dismissed.
In its petition, Mazlum-Der accused Israel of carrying out "direct attacks on civilians with the aim of annihilating them" and employing internationally-banned weapons in the process.
"The suspects, who wanted to wipe out the Palestinian people through systematic attacks, have committed genocide and crimes against humanity," it said, demanding that the suspects be detained if they enter Turkey.
The mighty army of Antichrist
In the Tribulation Period, the prophesied Antichrist to come is going to control the world for the most part. He is going to do so religiously through his one-world religion with him as its god, economically through his one-world currency (the mark of the beast), and militarily, the latter being less-than-easy for some to see today as they look at the revived Roman empire of Bible prophecy we commonly refer to as the European Union.
As for me? I've never struggled to see how the Antichrist, upon gaining control of the West, including the European Union especially, will quickly assemble the world's most powerful military and have it at his disposal. Both the European Union and NATO call Brussels home. They're next door neighbors, literally, so it isn't hard, for me at least, to see them uniting under the Antichrist's flag, especially in the wake of him bringing the hope of peace to the troubled Middle East.
Here's my theory (KEYWORD: theory): At the time of the Antichrist's rise to global power, NATO and the European Union at the very least will see a NATO-European Union-wide military alliance as exactly what is needed to face the challenges the regime of Antichrist will claim exist, the few remaining preventing the world from living in the peace and harmony only he and his Beast government can make a reality - or so it will be believed.
Assuming for a moment my theory is correct, would the following headline make sense as a forerunner of that coming to pass? "France and Germany call for stronger EU-NATO ties"
The EU Observer is reporting the following, in part, under that headline:
"Real co-operation" between the European Union and NATO, as well as a closer EU – US coordination on security issues and improved relations with Russia are needed in order for Europe to better face "current challenges," the leaders of France and Germany have said.Glimpses of wars to come? Prophetic posturing? The winds of change blowing toward prophetic fulfillment and the return of our Lord Jesus Christ for His Church? Oh yeah. That's what I'm seeing.
In order to respond to the "demands of the future," some areas – such as EU – NATO co-operation – are key, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel wrote in a joint column entitled "Security – our common mission" and posted on the website of French newspaper Le Monde on Tuesday evening (3 February).
"To our great regret, the ‘strategic partnership' between NATO and the EU is not living up to our expectations, due to disagreements which persist between certain nations," the leaders of the EU's two biggest nations wrote.
"We think that this must change. We must go toward a real cooperation, founded on a necessary complementarity," they went on.
How about you?
