November 22, 2005

Mofaz OKs Lebanon Air Strikes
Air force launches offensive against Hizbullah posts in southern Lebanon, after defense minister approves air strikes in response to Hizbullah attack on northern Border Monday; Israel characterizes attacks as ‘hostile war acts by Lebanon,’ sends harsh message to Syria.

Ex-Speaker Latest Official To Raise Alarm On Threat Of Nuclear EMP Attack By Tehran
An attack by a single Iranian nuclear missile could have a catastrophic impact on the United States by causing an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) over a portion of the country," he said. "Such an attack could quickly turn a third or more of the United States back to a 19th century level of development. Electrical transformers and switching stations would fall. Without electricity, hospitals would fails, water and sewage services would fail, gas stations would be unable to provide petroleum, trucks would not be able to distribute food supplies, and essential services would rapidly disintegrate."

Israel, Palestinian Authority Reach Agreement On Gaza Border
Cleveland Jewish News Mon, 21 Nov 2005 9:53 AM PST
JERUSALEM (JTA) Israel and the Palestinian Authority reached an agreement on opening the Gaza Strip border. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was the chief mediator of the deal announced Tuesday, under which the Rafah terminal on the Gaza-Egypt border will open by the end of the month.

Sharon Reaches The Point Of No Return
AP via Yahoo! News Mon, 21 Nov 2005 8:33 AM PST
Ariel Sharon's slow metamorphosis from hawk to moderate reached a point of no return Monday when he quit Likud, the hardline party he helped found more than three decades ago. In the first meeting of his new centrist party, tentatively called "National Responsibility," Sharon said he'd stick to the U.S.-backed "road map" peace plan which would culminate in Palestinian statehood as part of a...

Comments
As many of you know, I believe that Mystery Babylon will turn out to be the United States.  This country is described in Revelation 18 as a very powerful end-time nation that will buy the world's goods and literally make them rich.  In fact, when Mystery Babylon is destroyed, the Bible says that the merchants of the world will cry bitterly because there will no longer be anyone to purchase their goods.  

"The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, and saying, alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!  For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, and cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, what city is like unto this great city!  And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate." (Revelation 18:155-19).

This will be a devastating loss for the merchants of the world.  

It's hard to imagine the United States of America going down in defeat in such dramatic fashion.  The Bible says that this nation will fall at the hands of the antichrist and his ten nation kingdom (Revelation 17:16-18), and it will be fast and decisive (Revelation 18:17).  This crushing defeat will literally shock the world!  

The Bible also says that it will be God ordained "For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will" (Revelation 17:17a) to destroy Mystery Babylon.  In my book I speculate that God will allow the antichrist to somehow shutdown or evade the sophisticated U.S. radar system.  In doing so, the enemy will be able to enter undetected and destroy the U.S.  You might ask, "How is this possible?"  Well, the short answer is this.  When God ordains something to happen, it's going to happen with precise and devastating results.  I can't tell you exactly how that may happen but I can give you a theory that has been smoldering for quite sometime.

How many of you have heard of an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack?    This type of attack is one of a small number of threats that poses a series risk to the U.S. that might result in defeat of our military forces.  This threat has been experimented with since before World War II but really came to light during tests leading up to the creation of the atomic bomb.  

This attack is generated when a nuclear weapon is detonated when it reaches an altitude of a few dozen kilometers above the Earth's surface preferably above the targeted area. The explosion, of even a small nuclear warhead, would produce a set of electromagnetic pulses that interact with the Earth's atmosphere and the Earth's magnetic field.  This would create a split-second electromagnetic pulse, similar to an extremely high-energy radio wave. "For example, a single nuclear weapon detonated at an altitude of 500 kilometers could produce an EMP that would blanket the entire continental United States, potentially damaging or destroying military forces and civilian communications, power, transportation, water, food, and other infrastructure essential to modern society." http://www.heritage.org/Research/NationalSecurity/bg1784.cfm

In a recent article titled "Electronics to Determine Fate of Future Wars," the journal contends that if a single nuclear warhead were to be detonated high above the central U.S. it would bring our nation to its knees.

"Once you confuse the enemy communication network you can also disrupt the work of the enemy command- and decision-making center," the article states. "Even worse today when you disable a country's military high command through disruption of communications, you will, in effect, disrupt all the affairs of that country. If the world's industrial countries fail to devise effective ways to defend themselves against dangerous electronic assaults then they will disintegrate within a few years. American soldiers would not be able to find food to eat nor would they be able to fire a single shot." http://seclists.org/lists/isn/2005/May/0000.html

During the cold war both the U.S. and Soviet Union were far and away the innovators of this type of nuclear warfare.  To protect themselves from this type of attack both had there essential command and control centers shielded.  On top of that, the normal response to such an attack would be an immediate nuclear retaliation.  That deterrent kept both countries from ever attempting such an attack. Since the U.S. had this understanding with Russia they didn't see the need of spending tens of billions of dollars to protect more than what was considered essential to national security.

Unfortunately, the U.S. is still unprotected and vulnerable to this type of attack.  What's worse there are now seven known nations with nuclear capabilities and three nations unacknowledged but suspected.  

This is what the Washington Times reported today regarding U.S. vulnerability to this type of attack:

"A single nuclear weapon carried by a ballistic missile and detonated a few hundred miles over the United States would cause "catastrophe for the nation" by damaging electricity-based networks and infrastructure, including computers and telecommunications, according to "War Footing: 10 Steps America Must Take to Prevail in the War for the Free World."

"This is the single most serious national-security challenge and certainly the least known," said Frank J. Gaffney Jr. of the Center for Security Policy, a former Pentagon official and lead author of the book, which includes contributions by 34 security and intelligence specialists.

An electromagnetic-pulse (EMP) attack uses X-rays and gamma rays produced in a nuclear blast in three separate waves of pulses, each with more damaging effects, and would take months or years to repair, the book states. The damage to unshielded electronics would be irreversible.

"Although the direct physical effects of EMP are harmless to people, a well-designed and well-executed EMP attack could kill indirectly far more Americans than a nuclear weapon detonated in our most populous city."
 http://www.washtimes.com/national/20051121-103434-8775r.htm

There's also fear that this type of weaponry could fall into the hands of terrorists.  It's well known that Al-Qaeda is actively seeking nuclear weapons.  EMP weapons can be fired from a freighter just off U.S. shores, sink the ship (evidence), and be gone without a trace before any retaliation can occur.  The worst part is, generally terrorists claim no affiliation to a country making it difficult to hold anyone responsible.

Is it possible that this could be the means by which God empowers the antichrist to destroy mighty Babylon?  It certainly is an option that we cannot overlook.  

As I was doing research I discovered that Russia has been the leader in this technology for decades.  Which brings to mind another question.  Will this be the means by which Russia and its Arab allies will use to render Israel defenseless during the attack described in Ezekiel 38 & 39?  If successful, this could completely shutdown all communication and military infrastructure leaving Israel at the mercy of the invading armies.  Only a supernatural miracle would be able to save them.  But just when things look impossible God will come on the scene in spectacular fashion and shock the world.

Of course, this is only speculation but is something that should be considered in these last days.  If you get a chance, do a little research on this topic.  I think you will agree this is a serious future threat that cannot be ignored.

Pastor Malone