Time's Up on the Middle East Powder Keg?

By Justin Edwards

Looking at the Drudge headlines over the last hour makes it clear that war is brewing on the near horizon in the Middle East. The headlines read like a road map to war rather than any sort of road map to peace like  Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is hoping for next month.

This week's developments leave the watchman on the wall with no doubt that events are converging to an all out war in the Middle East that is sure to rock the global economy, send the price of oil sky-rocketing, potentially ignite a swarm of suicide bombings within the United States, and usher in World War III. Drudge's headlines follow throughout the post:


Hours Away from Nuclear - Iran Prepares to Start Up First Nuclear Reactor

From the report,

"Iranian and Russian nuclear technicians made final preparations to start up Iran's first reactor on Saturday after years of delays, an operation that will mark a milestone in what Tehran considers its right to produce nuclear energy."

As  if they had any chance of working, UN sanctions against the Islamic regime proved meaningless as they have from the beginning. Now Western nations find themselves in a greater predicament as Iran has continued its uranium enrichment and plans to build 10 more nuclear reactors in Iranian mountain regions.

A day after the United States "persuades" Israel that Iran's nuclear threat is not imminent (as an effort to postpone and Israeli preemptive strike against Iran's nuclear reactors) and a day before Iran goes nuclear, the Iranian military boasts a test launch of a surface-to-surface missile: Iran broadcasts missile launch on state television. At the end of the video chants of "Allahu Akbar" (Allah is Greatest) can be heard, and what's more, the side of the Qiam missile was tattooed with the inscription "Ya Mahdi", which is a reference to Shia Islam's end-time savior. It should be noted that Iranian President Mahmood Ahmadenijad believes it is his divine mission to usher in the "12th Imam" by starting the apocalypse.

Coincidentally, a new Gaza aid flotilla is being reported to leave from Lebanon this weekend as Israel vows to the UN it will stop any attempts to violate the naval blockade. A second ship is awaiting clearance from Lebanese authorities with the same intentions. Whether this will result in a confrontation is yet to be seen, but it is certain that Israel will not allow the ships to port in Gaza. Could these be coordinated efforts to instigate war with Israel? 

Even Al qaeda is preparing and hoping to exploit a war between these nations.

One thing is clear: there will not be peace in the Middle East this side of Christ's return. All things considered, a war seems nearly imminent whether it starts between Israel and her immediate neighbors or Israel and Iran. Either case, it will be a regional war to include all of these countries including Syria with its advanced chemical warfare program. Scripture says Russia will eventually lead a coalition that will come against Israel only to be utterly destroyed by the hand of God.  Preempting the Russian-led war coalition, we could very well see the fulfillment of Isaiah 17 which may be the result of a Israeli nuclear strike against the Syrian capital of Damascus for a potential WMD attack against Israeli cities. Whether these recent events will tip the first domino is yet to be determined, but there can be no doubt that this is a "rumor of war" that very well could lead to a war that will surely thrust us into the beginning of sorrows.

Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near. - Luke 21:28

Maranatha!