It is widely believed that this action against Israel by Hezbollah was carried out at behest of Iran and Syria, who are known suppliers and supporters of the guerilla group. Interestingly, the missiles that hit Haifa were both supplied by Iran and some speculate that it may have been Iranianss stationed in Lebanon who launched it. Hezbollah has previously not had the military capability to launch these longer range Iranian missiles by themselves.
It's easy to imagine how this confrontation could escalate into a regional war. I've heard some analysts speculating that because of it's current tensions with Iran, the U.S. could potentially be drawn into the conflict.
It's a scary time. It also may be a prophetic time. This is the first time that rockets with this kind of range have been fired at Israel, hitting a city deep within it's borders. It's interesting to note that this occurred on the anniversary of the date that Rome breached the walls of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.
If this confrontation does escalate into a larger war I believe it will be the culmination of a series of events that began on 9/11, when two towers fell at the hands of terrorists in the chief international economic center on the planet, New York City. The U.S. is just waking up to the realization that our war in Iraq is actually a war with extremists across the entire middle east who see the war with Israel and the war with America as one and the same. It's becoming clear that as long as Syria and Iran supply money and arms to terrorists fighting our troops and those fighting Israel, democracy, or peace for that matter, can never be established in the region. A direct confrontation with Iran and Syria seems inevitable.
Now for a little wild prophetic speculation:
A prophecy in Revelation 14:8 goes like this: "And another angel followed, saying, 'Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.'" I'm no expert on prophecy but there is something in the wording of this one that gives me pause, particularly the use of the word "fallen". Could this possibly be a prophetic reference to 9/11? Not that I feel America is Babylon by any means. The Babylon of Revelation does not necessarily refer to any one nation, but an economic system that transcends borders. Isn't it true that the current international heart of that worldwide system is New York and prior to 9/11 the two towers of the World Trade Center specifically? It's interesting and disturbing to contemplate.
If 9/11 was the beginning of a chain events that will ultimately lead to the fall of this worldwide Babylonish economic system, then we are in for some turbulent times ahead. We'll have to wait and see. All eyes are on Israel.
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"I will meditate on Your precepts, and contemplate Your ways. I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word." Psalms 119:15 - 16
Hi Tony,
ReplyDeleteLike you, I don't go much for the speculation side of things.
Several of us in our assembly have spoken in years past about how the US is the (current) core of an economic system that is global and seems to bring the worst elements of western culture to other nations (while spiralling ever downward itself). In that light, we've discussed (speculated) what the term "image" of the Beast means. There's more than one or two historical echoes of Rome in our system of law and way of life.
Never have taken it beyond that as only time will tell how it's all to play out.
Glen