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Commentary on Current Middle East Situation
Maurice Sklar
Aug 03, 2006

All of us have been watching the news concerning Israel’s offensive against Hezbollah into Lebanon and to the south against Hamas in Gaza. Our government can’t really say anything to Israel considering our presence in Iraq. For the first time, the United States has actually encouraged Israel in its’ war against militant Arab Islamic terror. This is a major shift in our foreign policy which has polarized world opinion even more between those who love Israel and those who hate her very existence.

In making our stand solidly with Israel, we have honored God and He will bless the United States for it. However, it also will isolate us further from the arising antiMessiah spirit in the nations all over the world. The rest of the world has a very warped view of Israel and the Jewish people. In the late 1980’s we began to hear the phrase “the New World Order”, referring to an alliance of the post-Soviet-era democratic nations that promote free trade and the victory of capitalism, etc. We now call it the “G8” nations or “the economic community of nations”.

This will eventually become the ten toes of Daniel’s image – the ten kings that will rule the world under the antiMessiah to come. At this time, they are exerting enormous pressure to unite the world economically, culturally, and even religiously. The Bible prophets refers to this end time economic system as a revived form of ancient Babylon, also including aspects of ancient Tyre, Greece, and Rome: for it operates in rebellion against God in the same Satanic spirits as these ancient empires did.

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What are Satan’s goals through this end-time Babylon system? They are:

1. To unite and ultimately enslave all of the world through computer and internet technology, electronic surveillance, trade and commerce, and the power of mammon through debt and unjust interest.

2. To unite and ultimately enslave all of the world through false religion, spiritual deception, and seduction. The Bible calls this “The Whore of Babylon” or “Mystery Babylon”.

She has risen up and drinks the blood of millions of souls through militant religions built on hate and murder (such as in radical Islam and others); false “new age” religions that counterfeit the gospel and are being preached in many pulpits in so-called Christian churches today; the approximately 40 year reign of secular humanism in our political and social public arenas; the militant rise and acceptance of witchcraft, occult practices, and other ‘supernatural’ demonic phenomena, and the saturation of sexual perversion, lust, homosexuality, abortion, greed, drug and alcohol abuse, and hedonism that popular music, the mass media, and the internet are constantly spewing at us.

The television, movies, music, and our educational systems have been the hypnotic teachers and carriers of all of these demonic spirits by their constant reinforcement/brainwashing of these lies into our minds and hearts: starting from the earliest days of our childhood. Mystery Babylon - this great whore - has caused the epidemic of the breakdown of families and the destruction of much good in our society, especially since World War II.

Millions of souls are now burning in hell because of her deception. Many more millions will follow them into hell in the days to come. We must work in the Gospel fields while it is still day and rescue as many as we can. The night comes soon, in which no man can work.

3. To unite and ultimately enslave all of the world by destroying all who are opposed to it. There are three groups of people that will never accept the antiMessiah and the Babylon system: The Arab Muslims and fundamental Islamics, the true Christian Church, and the Jewish people/the nation of Israel. Why? - Because all three believe in absolutes concerning God and truth.

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The radical Arab Muslims and all who fully believe in Islam say that they are right and they have to destroy all who disagree with them. The Church will never embrace the antiMessiah system because they believe that Yeshua (Jesus) is the only Messiah and the only path to the salvation of mankind. The Jews believe in the One God who is the Almighty and they (as a whole) will worship no other. They are waiting for the true Messiah. So, there are specifically laid plans to consecutively destroy these three peoples and their “intolerance” by Satan and his Babylon war machine.

The first group is now being openly target ed: the Arab Muslims are the most dangerous and must be destroyed for there to be “peace and safety” in the whole world. That is why we are in Iraq and Afghanistan and fighting our war on terrorism. That is why for the first time, the United States and the “community of nations” are not forcing Israel to stop this time in Lebanon and Gaza. That is why even the news media are being allowed to side against “the Arab terrorists” and public opinion is somewhat favorable here in the west.

Of course, it is right to fight and do our best to destroy this evil before there are even more innocent deaths through acts of terror. They WILL be removed for the most part (as far as their ability to control and manipulate through terror), although they will not be totally eliminated. There will continue to be more and more bombings and other violence from these militant groups in the days to come, in spite of all of the efforts to stop them.

The true believing Church of Yeshua the Messiah (those who are born again spiritually and are living with Yeshua as Lord) will never accept that there is another way to God. This is directly contrary to the agenda of Mystery Babylon which wants everyone to be included by combining and homogenizing all religions into one “faith” that accepts all and doesn’t “judge” others. That is their thinking.

Actually, however, it is a spiritual battle. The Church, through her prayers and intercession, is holding back this system from totally taking over until the harvest of the Gospel is completed. The Great Commission of our Lord must be fulfilled by the Gospel being published into every nation. Then this Babylon antiMessiah spirit will be allowed to take over everything for seven years until the Messiah comes and sets up His Kingdom by taking up His throne in Jerusalem.

We have not felt the sting of persecution yet here in the West (although in China and many other nations it is happening), but it is certainly coming! When the fanatic Muslims and the nations that support them are subdued and brought under control for the most part, then Babylon will turn on the believers in the Church.

Our rights and privileges that we currently enjoy will be taken away. We will see open persecution, unjust imprisonment, confiscation of our wealth and property, and even torture and martyrdom here in America before it is over. It will be accompanied, however, by great revival and glory from the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in signs, miracles and wonders that the earth will marvel at.

This will bring in millions of souls for God’s Kingdom, for they will see the truth of the resurrected Messiah Yeshua in the faithful suffering, the agape love, and the miracles of the true Church. But for now for a short time longer, we can still enjoy our freedom and blessings. Then our turn will come.

First, Babylon will deal with Islam and then turn on us. Satan will surely attack the church to try to destroy her in open persecution in the days and years ahead. Thank God, we can remain strong because of Yeshua’s promise that the gates of hell will NOT prevail against the Church of the living God! Those that endure to the end shall be saved!

Finally, there will be an all out war to once and for all destroy the nation of Israel and the Jewish people. The prophetic time clock just shifted forward when we entered the second half of 2006. God had mercy and He withheld many “birthpangs” of nature and war in the earth. In the first half of this year, we didn’t experience as much of these judgments.

Many in the church prayed and interceded, and the Lord allowed for more time to let the nations repent and turn to Him. Many did. Praise the Lord! This is a great time for the Gospel! Millions are being saved! To God be the glory!

But when July came, the Lord spoke again to me and said, “I am now moving the clock forward. I am accelerating time itself. I will wait no longer. I must allow for these birthpangs to increase, for as soon as Zion travails, she brings forth to birth.” Then a few days later, the trains were bombed in Mumbai, India. There was another massive earthquake in Indonesia, which created a Tsunami that killed many. North Korea and Iran are brazenly and defiantly rattling their nuclear sabers at the world.

Even Pakistan is trying desperately to get on the nuclear bandwagon. Then Hamas and Hezbollah, under the command of Iran and Syria, provoked Israel by kidnapping three Israeli soldiers and began firing rockets at them from both sides. Israel went to war shortly after.

The outcome of this war will be the defeat of Hezbollah and Hamas. They will be crippled and be out of commission for a season. However, there will be a united war that will come in response to this victory by Israel. Ezekiel 38-39 describes this sudden and massive attack that will come against Israel; it will be a united Arab invasion in alliance with the Russian Islamic nations.

It will be led and commanded by a military leader that the prophet Ezekiel calls “Gog” from the land of the north. He is very specific in identifying by the ancient tribes that settled in present day Russia, both this leader and the nation that he comes from.

It is an alliance that includes the African nations of Libya and Egypt along with a nation he calls Ethiopia. It will be an all-out invasion into Israel to once and for all destroy her. Even though this military general, Gog, is of Russian descent and “Magog’s” mighty army includes some nations that were once in the Soviet Union but are now only loosely associated with Russia, this will be primarily an Arab Muslim confederacy of nations.

It will be overwhelming for little Israel, but God Himself will intervene and this huge army will be completely wiped out. It is written that it will take seven months to clean up all the mess and bury the dead.

There will be much more land taken from this war by Israel. Actually, it will be God who gives it back to them. The whole world will know that this was a supernatural victory. The living God will be vindicated by all the nations and His Name will be feared as never before. From the spoils and victory over Gog and Magog, Israel will experience the greatest season of prosperity she has ever known. The temple will then be rebuilt.

However, the world will turn against Israel and the Jews. It will be even worse than the hatred in Nazi Germany and it will be worldwide. The Jews will be envied, hated and persecuted once again. They will thrown out of many nations. But the Spirit of God will fall upon them then and they will see clearly that Yeshua is indeed their Messiah.

From the combination of anti-Semitism even here in the west against the Jews and the economic shaking to come, Jews from New York, Los Angeles, and many other cities and nations will no longer prosper in comfort as they once did. Even they will then desire to return to Israel.

So, as the Bible says, all Israel will be once again gathered into their ancient homeland. Most will not return until it gets so bad that they are compelled to leave. This will surely happen for the Bible declares that God will gather His people from the four corners of the earth. He will bring them home to the land that He promised to Abraham and his children. They shall dwell there forever in peace and prosperity.

As for the current crisis in the Middle East, we will see a further division and war between the Arab Muslims themselves. This is occurring in Iraq right now. The Sunnis and the Shiites are not very fond of each other, to say the least. Also, the most militant terrorists are being spawned, supported and trained in Iran and Syria: not Iraq. They REALLY hate Israel and the Jews. They actually WANT to die in a holy war murdering them. They are consumed by this hatred and they feed on it day and night. This is so sick!!

Not all Arab Muslims are like this, however. Many are very tolerant of each other. They are open to western ideas. Many are coming to the Lord Yeshua in all of this turmoil in Iraq and throughout the Middle East. This has created a great division between the moderate Arabs and the radical fundamentalists. The more moderate Arab nations of Saudi Arabia, Jordan etc. (and even many of the Lebanese) do not like the fanatic Moslems any more than the west does.

There is only one thing that they ALL seem to agree about: they hate Israel and the Jews and want to drive them into the sea. This will be the fuel that will ignite the coming war described in Ezekiel 38-39. It isn’t that far away, you know.

Get ready! The Lord could return for His Bride at any moment in this midnight hour. Keep your lamps burning brightly! Watch and pray as you see these things come to pass!

Look up, for your redemption draws near! The Bridegroom is coming soon! Amen.

Love in our Messiah,

Maurice Sklar

Maurice Sklar Ministries, Victorville, CA

www.mauricesklar.com

Ezekiel 38
1And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

2"Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him

3and say, `Thus saith the Lord GOD: Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.

4And I will turn thee back and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armor, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords;

5Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them, all of them with shield and helmet;

6Gomer and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters and all his bands -- and many people with thee.

7"`Be thou prepared and prepare for thyself, thou and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.

8After many days thou shalt be visited. In the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste; but it is brought forth out of the nations and they shall dwell safely, all of them.

9Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm. Thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou and all thy troops, and many people with thee.

10"`Thus saith the Lord GOD: It shall also come to pass that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought;

11and thou shalt say, "I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, who dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls and having neither bars nor gates"--

12to take a spoil and to take a prey, to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited and upon the people who are gathered out of the nations, who have gotten cattle and goods, who dwell in the midst of the land.

13Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, "Art thou come to despoil us? Hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey, to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?"'

14"Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, `Thus saith the Lord GOD: On that day when My people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it?

15And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company and a mighty army.

16And thou shalt come up against My people of Israel as a cloud to cover the land. It shall be in the latter days; and I will bring thee against My land, that the heathen may know Me when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.

17"`Thus saith the Lord GOD: Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old times by My servants the prophets of Israel who prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them?

18And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, that My fury shall come upon My face.

19For in My jealousy and in the fire of My wrath have I spoken: Surely on that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel,

20so that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at My presence; and the mountains shall be thrown down and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.

21And I will call for a sword against him throughout all My mountains, saith the Lord GOD. Every man's sword shall be against his brother.

22And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him and upon his troops and upon the many people that are with him an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.

23Thus will I magnify Myself and sanctify Myself, and I will be known in the eyes of many nations; and they shall know that I am the LORD.'

Ezekiel 39
1"Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy against Gog and say, `Thus saith the Lord GOD: Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.

2And I will turn thee back and leave but a sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north parts and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel;

3and I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand.

4Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou and all thy forces and the people that are with thee. I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort and to the beasts of the field to be devoured.

5Thou shalt fall upon the open field, for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.

6And I will send a fire on Magog and among them that dwell confidently in the isles; and they shall know that I am the LORD.

7"`So will I make My holy name known in the midst of My people Israel, and I will not let them pollute My holy name any more; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.

8Behold, it is come, and it is done, saith the Lord GOD. This is the day whereof I have spoken.

9"`And they that dwell in the cities of Israel shall go forth, and shall set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and the bucklers, the bows and the arrows, and the javelins and the spears; and they shall burn them with fire seven years,

10so that they shall take no wood out of the field, neither cut down any out of the forests. For they shall burn the weapons with fire, and they shall despoil those that despoiled them, and rob those that robbed them, saith the Lord GOD.

11"`And it shall come to pass on that day that I will give unto Gog a place there of graves in Israel, the valley of the passersby on the east of the sea; and it shall stop the noses of the passersby. And there shall they bury Gog and all his multitude; and they shall call it the Valley of Hamongog [that is, The multitude of Gog].

12And seven months shall the house of Israel be burying them, that they may cleanse the land.

13Yea, all the people of the land shall bury them; and it shall be to them a day of renown the day that I shall be glorified, saith the Lord GOD.

14And they shall separate out men for continual employment, passing through the land, to bury with the passersby those who remain upon the face of the earth to cleanse it. At the end of seven months shall they search.

15And the passersby who pass through the land, when any seeth a man's bone, then shall he set up a sign by it till the buriers have buried it in the Valley of Hamongog.

16And also the name of the city shall be Hamonah [that is, The multitude]. Thus shall they cleanse the land.'

17"And, thou son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD: Speak unto every feathered fowl and to every beast of the field: `Assemble yourselves and come. Gather yourselves on every side to My sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, even a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, that ye may eat flesh and drink blood.

18Ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty and drink the blood of the princes of the earth, of rams, of lambs and of goats, of bullocks, all of them fatlings of Bashan.

19And ye shall eat fat till ye be full and drink blood till ye be drunken of My sacrifice which I have sacrificed for you.

20Thus ye shall be filled at My table with horses and chariots, with mighty men and with all men of war,' saith the Lord GOD.

21"And I will set My glory among the heathen, and all the heathen shall see My judgment that I have executed and My hand that I have laid upon them.

22So the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day and forward.

23And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity. Because they trespassed against Me, therefore hid I My face from them and gave them into the hand of their enemies; so fell they all by the sword.

24According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions have I done unto them, and hid My face from them.

25"Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD: Now will I bring back the captives of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for My holy name

26after they have borne their shame and all their trespasses whereby they have trespassed against Me, when they dwelt safely in their land and none made them afraid.

27When I have brought them back from the people and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations,

28then shall they know that I am the LORD their God, who caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen. But I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there;

29neither will I hide My face any more from them, for I have poured out My Spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD."

Easy-to-understand version

Ezekiel 38
Words Against Gog
1 The Word of the Lord came to me saying, 2 "Son of man, look toward Gog of the land of Magog, the leader of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and speak against him. 3 Tell him, 'The Lord God says, "I am against you, O Gog, leader of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal.

4 I will turn you around, put hooks into your mouth, and bring you out with your whole army. Your horses and horsemen will be dressed for battle. The army will be very large, with all the men holding battle-coverings and waving swords.

5 Persia, Ethiopia, and Put will be with you, all with battle- coverings and head-coverings. 6 There will be Gomer with all its army, and Beth-togarmah from the farthest parts of the north with all its army. Many nations will be with you.

7 "Get ready and keep ready, you and all the armies gathered around you, and watch over them. 8 After many days you will be called. In future years you will come into the land where people have been gathered from many nations and have lived without fear of war. You will come to the mountains of Israel, which had been a waste land for a long time. But its people were brought out from the nations, and all of them are living without fear.

9 You and all your army will come up against them like a storm. You will be like a cloud covering the land. Many nations will be with you."

10 'The Lord God says, "On that day, thoughts will come into your mind, and you will make a sinful plan. 11 You will say, 'I will go up against the open country, where people are quiet and live in peace. They live in villages without walls and have no iron pieces or gates.'

12 You will go to rob the land and fight in the waste places where people now live. You will go up against the people who were gathered from the nations and are rich with cattle and good things and who live at the center of the land.

13 Sheba and Dedan and the traders of Tarshish and all its villages will say to you, 'Have you come to take prizes of war? Have you gathered your army to carry away silver and gold, cattle, good things, and many prizes of war?' " '

14 "So, son of man, speak in My name and tell Gog, 'The Lord God says, "On that day when My people Israel are living in peace and without fear, will you not know it? 15 You will come from your place in the far north, and many nations will be with you. All of them will be riding on horses, a large and powerful army.

16 You will come up against My people Israel like a cloud covering the land. In the last days, O Gog, I will bring you against My land, so that the nations may know Me when I show Myself holy through you in front of their eyes."

17 'The Lord God says, "Are you the one I spoke of in the past, through My servants of Israel who spoke in My name? At that time they said for many years that I would bring you against them.

18 "On the day when Gog comes against the land of Israel, I will become very angry," says the Lord God. 19 "In My jealousy and in My burning anger I have said that on that day the earth will shake in the land of Israel.

20 The fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the wild animals of the field, all the animals that move upon the earth, and all the men on the earth will shake before Me. Mountains will be thrown down, the mountain sides will fall, and every wall will fall to the ground. 21 I will call for a sword against Gog on all My mountains," says the Lord God. "His men will turn their swords against one another.

22 I will punish him with disease and with blood. I will send down a hard rain, hailstones, fire and sulphur upon him and his army and the many nations with him. 23 I will show the many nations that I am great and holy. And they will know that I am the Lord."

Ezekiel 39
Gog's Armies Are Destroyed
1 "Son of man, speak against Gog, and tell him, 'The Lord God says, "I am against you, O Gog, leader of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal. 2 I will turn you around and drive you on. I will bring you from the farthest parts of the north and lead you against the mountains of Israel. 3 I will knock your bow out of your left hand, and knock your arrows out of your right hand.

4 You will fall dead on the mountains of Israel, you and all your army and the nations who are with you. I will feed you to every kind of meat-eating bird and wild animal of the field. 5 You will fall dead in the open field, for I have spoken," says the Lord God. 6 "I will send fire upon Magog and upon those who think they are safe in the islands. Then they will know that I am the Lord.

7 "I will make My holy name known among My people Israel. I will not let My holy name be made unclean any more. And the nations will know that I am the Lord, the Holy One in Israel. 8 It is coming, and it will be done," says the Lord God. "This is the day I have spoken of.

9 "Then those who live in the cities of Israel will go out and make fires to burn up the objects of war. They will burn battle-coverings, bows and arrows, heavy sticks, and spears. For seven years they will use them to make fires. 10 They will not take wood from the field or from among the trees to burn. For they will make fires with the objects of war. And they will rob those who robbed them," says the Lord God.

Gog Is Buried
11 "On that day I will give Gog a place in Israel for burying his dead. It will be the valley of those who travel east of the sea. And it will close that road to travelers, for Gog and all his people will be buried there. They will call it the Valley of Hamon-Gog. 12 It will take the people of Israel seven months to bury the dead and make the land clean again.

13 All the people of the land will bury them, and they will be honored for this on the day that I show My greatness," says the Lord God. 14 "At the end of seven months, they will choose men to pass through the land to look for bodies that may be left on the ground. And the bodies will be buried to make the land clean.

15 Those who pass through and see a man's bone will set up something to mark the place, until it is buried in the Valley of HamonGog. 16 (There will be a city called Hamonah there also.) And so they will make the land clean." ' "

17 "Son of man, the Lord God says, 'Speak to every kind of bird and to every wild animal of the field. Say to them, "Gather together and come. Come together from every side to the special supper I have made for you. Much food has been killed for you on the mountains of Israel. You will eat flesh and drink blood.

18 You will eat the flesh of powerful men, and drink the blood of the leaders of the earth. It will be as if they were rams, lambs, goats, and bulls, all of them fat animals of Bashan.

19 You will eat fat until you are filled, and drink blood until you are drunk, at the special supper I have killed and made ready for you. 20 You will be filled at My table with horses and horsemen, with powerful men and all the men of war," says the Lord God.

The Land Is Given Back To Israel
21 "I will show My greatness among the nations. All the nations will see how I have punished Israel and My hand which I have laid on them. 22 Then the people of Israel will know that I am the Lord their God from that day on. 23 The nations will know that the people of Israel were taken from their land because of their sin, because they were not faithful to Me. So I hid My face from them and gave them over to those who hated them, and they died in battle.

24 I punished them because they were unclean and sinful, and I hid My face from them." ' "

25 So the Lord God says, "Now I will return the people of Jacob to their land and show loving-kindness to all the people of Israel. And I will be jealous for My holy name. 26 They will forget their shame and how unfaithful they were to Me, when they live in peace on their own land with no one to make them afraid. 27 I will bring them back from the nations and gather them from the lands of those who hate them. In this way I will show the many nations that I am holy.

28 Then they will know that I am the Lord their God, because I sent them away into the other nations and then gathered them again to their own land. And I will not leave any of them there any longer. 29 I will not hide My face from them again, for I will pour out My Spirit on the people of Israel," says the Lord God.