Narrowing Windows

It is becoming more obvious that Iran is trying to provoke Israel to attack them. There is a report that they believe Russia will deliver their advanced antiaircraft missile system within a couple of months. And Iran is also claiming that they plan to build 10 new uranium enrichment plants. This must mean that Iran's rearming of Hezbollah, their proxy in Syria and Lebanon must be just about complete.

The radical Islamist leaders of Iran seek to provoke an attack by Israel to justify attacking them through Hezbollah. An Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear facilities will give Hezbollah legitimacy to attack Israel with the missiles they have been stockpiling. The Iranian Mullahs are also hoping that such a conflict between nations will spark the emergence of the Mahdi, the leader that will unite the world under Islam.

Russia pretty much confirmed to Israel that they would move forward in supplying their S-300 antiaircraft system to Iran claiming it was for defensive use only and that Iran was less of a nuclear threat than North Korea or Pakistan. So the fact that Iran will soon have a beefed-up antiaircraft missile system gives Israel a narrowing window in which to do something about Iran's nuclear program. Any action Israel takes would have to be mostly dependant on their air force and an operational S-300 system in Iran would reduce their effectiveness.

I also found interesting a story about an 18th Century Jewish Sage predicting that the Third Temple in Jerusalem would begin to be built immediately following the third completion of the Hurva Synagogue in Jerusalem. Given that this synagogue is scheduled to be completed on March 15, 2010, Haaretz.com surmised that construction will begin on the Third Temple on March 16, 2010. Of course such an event is politically impossible today so for that to happen, the situation in Israel would have to change dramatically.

I think that a very likely scenario is for an attack on Iran to dealing with their nuclear weapon ambitions will trigger a massive assault on Israel by Syria and Hezbollah. Now that Hezbollah has improved, longer range missiles, the impact on Israel will be deadly forcing Israel to do something drastic to stop the carnage of their people. This is where I think it is likely that Israel will use a nuclear weapon on Damascus; "Behold, Damascus will cease from being a city, and it will be a ruinous heap" (Isaiah 17:1, NKJ).

That the Mideast conflict could escalate to such an extent is intolerable to the world and the situation will be ripe for a leader to emerge that brings peace to Israel. Of course this will be a temporary peace but it enables Israel to build the Third Temple in Jerusalem. Could all this happen by March? Well it would be pretty amazing if it did. Indeed, it would be pretty amazing if it happened any time in 2010. But we know that these events will transpire very rapidly once they get started. As Daniel 9:26 says, "the end of it shall be with a flood" (NKJ).

And of course we know that the Rapture of the Church will occur prior to the revealing of the world ruler that enables Israel to build the Third Temple. "For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming" (2 Thessalonians 2:7-8, NKJ). The Holy Spirit is restraining through the Church the lawlessness that will spawn the Antichrist. Thus the Antichrist can not come to power on the world scene until God removes the followers of Jesus.

The idea that the Rapture really could happen soon should get us to make good use of the time we have left in our mortal bodies. As Jesus said, "I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work" (John 9:4, NKJ).