France Flip-Flops On U.N. Resolution To End Fighting; Still No Solution In Sight!  

Iranian cataclysm forecast Aug. 22 Islamists seeking heaven could spark apocalypse, Princeton expert warns
A top expert on the Mideast says it is possible Iran could pick Aug. 22, the anniversary of one of Islam's holiest events, for a cataclysm Shiite Muslims believe will forever resolve the battle between "good" and "evil." 

U.S., France at odds over Lebanon demand - Wrangling continues after U.S. rejects latest rench proposal on cease-fire
UNITED NATIONS - The United States and France appeared at odds Wednesday over Arab demands to change a U.N. resolution they are co-sponsoring to call for a complete cessation of Israeli-Hezbollah hostilities and withdrawal of Israeli forces, diplomats said.

UN considers session to condemn Israel
Canada.com Wed, 09 Aug 2006 5:05 AM PDT
The United Nations Security Council holds a meeting on the situation in the Middle East at U.N. headquarters in New York, Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2006.  

World Church Bodies Unite in Call for Peace in Lebanon
Leaders from three of the largest church bodies in the world have come together to call for an end to violence in the Middle East.

The World Council of Churches (WCC), the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) have called “upon Israel and Hezbollah to end the fighting in Lebanon" and "upon the United States, the European Union, and the Arab States to exercise their influence toward this end".  

Comments
In an opinion piece written by Princeton University Professor Bernard Lewis, who is a leading Mideast expert, he stated that August 22^nd is a very significant day for Muslims.  He stated it is a day the rest of the world should take notice of because it’s possible Iran could pick this day, the anniversary of one of Islam’s holy events, to start the war of wars. 

The speculation began when Ahmadinejad rejected a U.N. deadline to respond to a resolution aimed at halting his nuclear program by mid-August.  He countered by saying he will respond by the end of the Iranian month of Mordad which is August 22^nd.  But why August 22^nd?

It’s no secret that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is a strong believer in what he believes will be the soon return of the Muslim messiah.   He fully believes that when his messiah does appear he will convert the entire world to Islam.  But it must first start with an apocalyptic cleansing.  

Many experts, including Lewis, question this date.  This is what he had to say in a recent Worldnetdaily.com interview. 

“Lewis, joining several other Mideast experts who have expressed similar concerns, said Aug. 22 corresponds to the 27th day of the month of Rajab of the year 1427.

"This, by tradition, is the night when many Muslims commemorate the night flight of the prophet Muhammad on the winged horse Buraq, first to 'the farthest mosque,' usually identified with Jerusalem, and then to heaven and back," Lewis wrote.

In Islam, as in other religious, certain beliefs describe the "cosmic struggle" at the end of time. For Shiite Muslims, Lewis wrote, this will be "the long awaited return of the Hidden Imam, ending in the final victory of the forces of good over evil."

The significance, he said, is that there's a "radical" difference between Iran and other governments with nuclear weapons.

"This difference is expressed in what can only be described as the apocalyptic worldview of Iran's present rulers," he wrote. Iran's leaders now "clearly believe that this time is now, and that the terminal struggle has already begun and is indeed well advanced."  http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=51445

These dates usually turn out to be meaningless but you never know what the Lord is doing behind the scenes.  I’d put this day on your watch list just in case.

Speaking of not knowing what the Lord is doing behind the scene…just when it looked like a world international force was going to be placed in southern Lebanon France has done an about face on the issue.

Now France and the United States are at odds on the U.N. resolution with France now siding with the Arab League to force Israel to withdraw.   They want Israel out with Lebanese forces controlling southern Lebanon.

But both the U.S. and Israel have enough commonsense to realize that this would only serve to re-arm and re-position Hezbollah.  Besides, the Lebanese army is no match for Hezbollah and is in fact working in tandem with them.  It would be very foolish for Israel to agree to such a resolution that would only lead to more of the same.

What do I see for the future?  I truly believe that the groundwork is being laid for the rapture of the church and the start of the tribulation period…and it could be any day now! 

I look for many changes in direction between now and then.  Even though the basic Biblical prophecy format of the end times will come as written, how we get there will encounter many twists and turns.  I don’t think anyone saw the death of Yasser Arafat and Ariel Sharon coming nor the battle that Israel is presently in.

Personally, I look for a new leader to soon immerge out of the E.U. that will do what no present leader could accomplish…bring peace to the Middle East.  But I don’t see his arrival coming until after the rapture takes place.

I hope this has brought to mind some of the directions the future could take, but we should realize by now that God can change things and put people in power in a very short amount of time.

Are you ready to meet the Lord?  If not, your time is running out!

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Pastor Malone