Chrystalwuzhere
02-04-2006, 02:48 PM
Posted: Sun Jan 01, 2006 8:06 pm by IntheWind:
Note: The first 2 posts in this thread were reposted from the old board by Chrystalwuzhere.
2005 and Bible Prophecy
Under the title, "The Year Ahead" on January 2, 2005, I wrote: "Although I am not a prophet and have no special insights apart from those available to anyone who cracks their Bible, I am going to go out on a limb and make a few predictions for 2005."
Allow me to reiterate; I am not a prophet and claim no special insights not available to anyone else with a Bible. That said, let's look at 2005 from the perspective of one year ago and see how close the Bible timeline is to our timeline.
Iraq
"Iraq will be a lot tougher nut to crack than was Afghanistan . . . Domestic support for the Iraq war will continue throughout the new year, provided US losses don't exceed the toll taken in America on September 11. If we lose more than that, expect to see the antiwar movement begin to mushroom."
Mixed review on this one. We were on the money about the difficulties of pacifying Iraq, but under-estimated the willingness of the Left to lose Iraq if it meant embarrassing the administration and picking up seats in the 2006 election.
The antiwar movement picked up more steam than anticipated, and the media campaign brainwashed more Americans faster than expected.
Iran
"Iran will not become a nuclear power in 2005, but will continue to be a regional problem. The mad mullahs in Tehran will face a growing insurgency of their own that will distract them from continuing their nuclear advance, at least in the short term."
Another mixed review. While Iran hasn't become a nuclear power yet, Israeli and Western intelligence sources believe that by March 2006, Tehran will have reached the point of no return.
But I admit to surprise at the election of such a hard-line revolutionary as Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The insurgency stalled in 2005, which appears to have speeded up the timeline more than anticipated. Without significant domestic opposition, Ahmadinejad appears determined to force a conflict with Israel and the West over its nuclear program.
I wrote last year; "If Iran is attacked by either the US or the Israelis, however, all bets are off, and it is possible, even likely, that we will witness the final details of the scenario envisioned in Ezekiel 38 begin to unfold before our eyes."
It is more likely than ever that Israel will be forced to launch airstrikes against Iran's nuclear facilities. Unless Moscow blinks and withdraws its support personnel, it may find itself drawn into a wider Middle East conflict against Israel -- almost as like it had a hook in its jaw, (to paraphrase Ezekiel), pulling Russia in, almost against its better judgment.
Israel
"Yasser Arafat's successor, Mahmoud Abbas, is exactly that. Arafat's successor. Any speculation about his bringing a 'new hope for peace' is an illusion."
If anything, Abbas has brought the conflict closer to open warfare. His lack of leadership gave Hamas a two-to-one advantage over his own party in Palestinian polls, and 2006 may see Israel forced to negotiate with a democratically-elected and terrorist-dominated government dedicated to its destruction.
I also noted last year that; "The US has begun distancing itself from the Israeli side and has begun courting the Palestinians, backing statehood for them, despite the fact they continue to be led by an unrepentant terrorist who is willing to share power with other terrorists like Hamas and the al Aqsa Martyr's Brigade. That sets the stage for Europe to take a greater role in the process."
The US began to cut the distance between itself and Israeli policies somewhat in the fall of 2005 when it became apparent that Hamas was going to sweep the Palestinian elections.
And, as I anticipated last year, the Europeans are continuing to expand their influence in the region.
Europe
I wrote at the beginning of 2005; "Europe's 'Euromed' policy puts them in a unique position to make their move in 2005. The Euromed policy envisions a massive free trade zone extending throughout the Middle East, and Israel is one of seven nations tapped for membership."
Europe appears to be right on schedule. I also noted last year, "The European Union has made no secret of its desire to replace the US as the principle peace broker between Israel and the Arab world, and the post-9/11 US is secretly welcoming the chance to let them try."
A headline from Jordan's December 21, 2005 Middle East North Africa Financial Network noted "The EU's Increasing Pro-Israel Tilt."
Finally, from last year, we observed; "The Israelis are ecstatic about being included and are willing to overlook Europe's resurgent anti-Semitism if it means a chance to live in peace."
The headline in Israel's National News on December 22, 2005 proclaimed: "Post-Gaza, Israel-EU Ties Getting Better."
Noted Arutz Sheva (one week ago); "Much activity in Israel-EU relations takes place within the framework of the Barcelona Process [The Euromed policy]. This process celebrated its 10th anniversary last month with a summit in Barcelona attended by high-level representatives from 35 countries."
The Church
From last year: "Christianity will continue to be the secondary target of choice [after Israel] in 2005, despite the new 'Red State/Blue State' dynamic created by the Election 2004 voter map.
Following Election 2004, America's 'Red States' were derisively dubbed 'JesusLand' by the secularists and everything America does in 2005 will be criticized as being religiously motivated.
Being a Christian in America in 2005 will be harder than it was in 2004, and being a Christian in the Third World will exact an even higher price than it did last year." .
2005 was a banner year for anti-Christian forces in America. Christian-bashing, particularly by the media became the year's newest sport. It became so openly contemptuous that American Christians were stirred to speak up, a rare event that stunned the critics.
It culminated in 2005's 'War on Christmas' when even the retailers that depended on last minute Christmas shopping for their year's profit margins began selling 'Holiday trees' and discouraging employees from mentioning Christmas.
When nobody bought 'holiday trees' or shopped where employees wished them "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas" retailers underwent a miraculous, albeit temporary, conversion.
One year ago, I wrote; "Watch for the administration making efforts to unlink America from its Christian identity in the hopes of mollifying our non-Christian erstwhile 'allies' during its next term."
This year, President Bush broke with tradition -- for the first time in his administration -- and sent out 'Christmas' cards that never mentioned either 'Christmas' or 'Jesus'. This year, the White House sent 'Holiday Greetings' on a card featuring the presidential pets -- two dogs and a cat -- frolicking on a snowy White House lawn.
But the White House's 'Ramadan Message' could have been scripted by a Muslim cleric:
"The month of Ramadan, which commemorates the revelation of the Koran to the prophet Muhammed, is the holiest month of the Muslim year. It is a special time of reflection, fasting, and charity. It is also a time of spiritual growth and prayer and an occasion to remember the less fortunate by sharing God's gifts with those in need. May this be a blessed Ramadan for Muslims in the United States and around the world."
President Bush, who shied away from wishing Americans a "Merry Christmas," closed his Ramadan message with the Islamic salutation, "Ramadan mubarak."
Persecution Abroad
In the small Eastern African country of Eritrea, 26 pastors and 1,700 evangelical church members are now in prison, with some of them even tortured by government military forces, according to reports.
In Indonesia, three Christian women remain in prison for running a "happy Sunday" program for kids. They were jailed after being accused of proselytizing Muslim children.
But they are lucky compared to the three Christian highschool girls beheaded by Indonesian Muslims in October. The heads of the girls were found in a plastic bag with a warning that read “100 Christian teenagers would be killed."
Among the nations that have been cited by the UN as having increased their persecution against Christians in 2005 are Indonesia, China, Uzbekistan, Iran and North Korea.
Summary Conclusion
One year ago, I wrote; "More so than in any previous year, 2005 looks like the year the Bible's prophecies will start to come together in a manner so obvious that only a blind man could miss them. But don't expect it to mean a sudden wave of conversions to Christ.
Proselytizing will become even more difficult in 2005, as unbelievers react to the unfolding of Bible prophecy the way Peter said they would.
"Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts." (2nd Peter 3:3)
Becoming a Christian in 2005 will mean marginalizing oneself outside the mainstream and joining an ideology that many blame for the war on terror.
The ACLU's efforts to deChristianize America will accelerate in 2005 and so will its victories in court, despite the current backlash against 'judicial activism.
Despite voicing all the gloom and doom, 2005 will again confirm that what looks like chaos to the world is proof positive that things continue to unfold according to a Divine Plan, that God remains on His Throne and remains intimately involved in the affairs of men.
2005 may or may not be the Year of the Trumpet, and I am not going to go so far out on a limb that I will predict the Rapture this year.
But I predict that I will be surprised to find myself writing a column making predictions for 2006."
I am somewhat surprised to see the dawn of 2006, but not disappointed. It means there is still time to reach those lost that we failed to reach in 2005.
(I didn't rehash all of my predictions for 2005 for reasons of space, but the only one left out that I felt I missed entirely was my prediction that the next Supreme Court Justice would be philosophically center-left. Chief Justice Roberts is more center-right. 2005 wasn't ALL bad.)
But the larger point is this. Since I am not a prophet, my predictions were nothing more than an educated guess based on where it appears we are on the Bible's timeline. And events appear to confirm that this is indeed the generation of whom Jesus was speaking when He promised:
"Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled." (Matthew 24:34)
I pray God will grant you a blessed and prosperous 2006, and keep you all. Until He comes.
http://www.hallindseyoracle.com/articles.asp?ArticleID=12267
Note: The first 2 posts in this thread were reposted from the old board by Chrystalwuzhere.
2005 and Bible Prophecy
Under the title, "The Year Ahead" on January 2, 2005, I wrote: "Although I am not a prophet and have no special insights apart from those available to anyone who cracks their Bible, I am going to go out on a limb and make a few predictions for 2005."
Allow me to reiterate; I am not a prophet and claim no special insights not available to anyone else with a Bible. That said, let's look at 2005 from the perspective of one year ago and see how close the Bible timeline is to our timeline.
Iraq
"Iraq will be a lot tougher nut to crack than was Afghanistan . . . Domestic support for the Iraq war will continue throughout the new year, provided US losses don't exceed the toll taken in America on September 11. If we lose more than that, expect to see the antiwar movement begin to mushroom."
Mixed review on this one. We were on the money about the difficulties of pacifying Iraq, but under-estimated the willingness of the Left to lose Iraq if it meant embarrassing the administration and picking up seats in the 2006 election.
The antiwar movement picked up more steam than anticipated, and the media campaign brainwashed more Americans faster than expected.
Iran
"Iran will not become a nuclear power in 2005, but will continue to be a regional problem. The mad mullahs in Tehran will face a growing insurgency of their own that will distract them from continuing their nuclear advance, at least in the short term."
Another mixed review. While Iran hasn't become a nuclear power yet, Israeli and Western intelligence sources believe that by March 2006, Tehran will have reached the point of no return.
But I admit to surprise at the election of such a hard-line revolutionary as Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The insurgency stalled in 2005, which appears to have speeded up the timeline more than anticipated. Without significant domestic opposition, Ahmadinejad appears determined to force a conflict with Israel and the West over its nuclear program.
I wrote last year; "If Iran is attacked by either the US or the Israelis, however, all bets are off, and it is possible, even likely, that we will witness the final details of the scenario envisioned in Ezekiel 38 begin to unfold before our eyes."
It is more likely than ever that Israel will be forced to launch airstrikes against Iran's nuclear facilities. Unless Moscow blinks and withdraws its support personnel, it may find itself drawn into a wider Middle East conflict against Israel -- almost as like it had a hook in its jaw, (to paraphrase Ezekiel), pulling Russia in, almost against its better judgment.
Israel
"Yasser Arafat's successor, Mahmoud Abbas, is exactly that. Arafat's successor. Any speculation about his bringing a 'new hope for peace' is an illusion."
If anything, Abbas has brought the conflict closer to open warfare. His lack of leadership gave Hamas a two-to-one advantage over his own party in Palestinian polls, and 2006 may see Israel forced to negotiate with a democratically-elected and terrorist-dominated government dedicated to its destruction.
I also noted last year that; "The US has begun distancing itself from the Israeli side and has begun courting the Palestinians, backing statehood for them, despite the fact they continue to be led by an unrepentant terrorist who is willing to share power with other terrorists like Hamas and the al Aqsa Martyr's Brigade. That sets the stage for Europe to take a greater role in the process."
The US began to cut the distance between itself and Israeli policies somewhat in the fall of 2005 when it became apparent that Hamas was going to sweep the Palestinian elections.
And, as I anticipated last year, the Europeans are continuing to expand their influence in the region.
Europe
I wrote at the beginning of 2005; "Europe's 'Euromed' policy puts them in a unique position to make their move in 2005. The Euromed policy envisions a massive free trade zone extending throughout the Middle East, and Israel is one of seven nations tapped for membership."
Europe appears to be right on schedule. I also noted last year, "The European Union has made no secret of its desire to replace the US as the principle peace broker between Israel and the Arab world, and the post-9/11 US is secretly welcoming the chance to let them try."
A headline from Jordan's December 21, 2005 Middle East North Africa Financial Network noted "The EU's Increasing Pro-Israel Tilt."
Finally, from last year, we observed; "The Israelis are ecstatic about being included and are willing to overlook Europe's resurgent anti-Semitism if it means a chance to live in peace."
The headline in Israel's National News on December 22, 2005 proclaimed: "Post-Gaza, Israel-EU Ties Getting Better."
Noted Arutz Sheva (one week ago); "Much activity in Israel-EU relations takes place within the framework of the Barcelona Process [The Euromed policy]. This process celebrated its 10th anniversary last month with a summit in Barcelona attended by high-level representatives from 35 countries."
The Church
From last year: "Christianity will continue to be the secondary target of choice [after Israel] in 2005, despite the new 'Red State/Blue State' dynamic created by the Election 2004 voter map.
Following Election 2004, America's 'Red States' were derisively dubbed 'JesusLand' by the secularists and everything America does in 2005 will be criticized as being religiously motivated.
Being a Christian in America in 2005 will be harder than it was in 2004, and being a Christian in the Third World will exact an even higher price than it did last year." .
2005 was a banner year for anti-Christian forces in America. Christian-bashing, particularly by the media became the year's newest sport. It became so openly contemptuous that American Christians were stirred to speak up, a rare event that stunned the critics.
It culminated in 2005's 'War on Christmas' when even the retailers that depended on last minute Christmas shopping for their year's profit margins began selling 'Holiday trees' and discouraging employees from mentioning Christmas.
When nobody bought 'holiday trees' or shopped where employees wished them "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas" retailers underwent a miraculous, albeit temporary, conversion.
One year ago, I wrote; "Watch for the administration making efforts to unlink America from its Christian identity in the hopes of mollifying our non-Christian erstwhile 'allies' during its next term."
This year, President Bush broke with tradition -- for the first time in his administration -- and sent out 'Christmas' cards that never mentioned either 'Christmas' or 'Jesus'. This year, the White House sent 'Holiday Greetings' on a card featuring the presidential pets -- two dogs and a cat -- frolicking on a snowy White House lawn.
But the White House's 'Ramadan Message' could have been scripted by a Muslim cleric:
"The month of Ramadan, which commemorates the revelation of the Koran to the prophet Muhammed, is the holiest month of the Muslim year. It is a special time of reflection, fasting, and charity. It is also a time of spiritual growth and prayer and an occasion to remember the less fortunate by sharing God's gifts with those in need. May this be a blessed Ramadan for Muslims in the United States and around the world."
President Bush, who shied away from wishing Americans a "Merry Christmas," closed his Ramadan message with the Islamic salutation, "Ramadan mubarak."
Persecution Abroad
In the small Eastern African country of Eritrea, 26 pastors and 1,700 evangelical church members are now in prison, with some of them even tortured by government military forces, according to reports.
In Indonesia, three Christian women remain in prison for running a "happy Sunday" program for kids. They were jailed after being accused of proselytizing Muslim children.
But they are lucky compared to the three Christian highschool girls beheaded by Indonesian Muslims in October. The heads of the girls were found in a plastic bag with a warning that read “100 Christian teenagers would be killed."
Among the nations that have been cited by the UN as having increased their persecution against Christians in 2005 are Indonesia, China, Uzbekistan, Iran and North Korea.
Summary Conclusion
One year ago, I wrote; "More so than in any previous year, 2005 looks like the year the Bible's prophecies will start to come together in a manner so obvious that only a blind man could miss them. But don't expect it to mean a sudden wave of conversions to Christ.
Proselytizing will become even more difficult in 2005, as unbelievers react to the unfolding of Bible prophecy the way Peter said they would.
"Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts." (2nd Peter 3:3)
Becoming a Christian in 2005 will mean marginalizing oneself outside the mainstream and joining an ideology that many blame for the war on terror.
The ACLU's efforts to deChristianize America will accelerate in 2005 and so will its victories in court, despite the current backlash against 'judicial activism.
Despite voicing all the gloom and doom, 2005 will again confirm that what looks like chaos to the world is proof positive that things continue to unfold according to a Divine Plan, that God remains on His Throne and remains intimately involved in the affairs of men.
2005 may or may not be the Year of the Trumpet, and I am not going to go so far out on a limb that I will predict the Rapture this year.
But I predict that I will be surprised to find myself writing a column making predictions for 2006."
I am somewhat surprised to see the dawn of 2006, but not disappointed. It means there is still time to reach those lost that we failed to reach in 2005.
(I didn't rehash all of my predictions for 2005 for reasons of space, but the only one left out that I felt I missed entirely was my prediction that the next Supreme Court Justice would be philosophically center-left. Chief Justice Roberts is more center-right. 2005 wasn't ALL bad.)
But the larger point is this. Since I am not a prophet, my predictions were nothing more than an educated guess based on where it appears we are on the Bible's timeline. And events appear to confirm that this is indeed the generation of whom Jesus was speaking when He promised:
"Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled." (Matthew 24:34)
I pray God will grant you a blessed and prosperous 2006, and keep you all. Until He comes.
http://www.hallindseyoracle.com/articles.asp?ArticleID=12267