FROM THE PREACHER'S LENSES

Sam AwedaTuesday, October 14, 2014
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USA

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END OF AGE-DRAWING CLOSE?
ISIS, AL-QAEDA, BOKO HARAM ETC IN BIBLE? (PART 5)
Is there anything any one can do to prevent the Occurrence of the Tribulation Period?


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Continued from Part 4

y guess is that there is nothing we can do to prevent it. God had allowed the devil to have it that way.

In fact any attempt to prevent the prophecies from been fulfilled will simply fasten the occurrence.

For instance, the attack of Iraq/Saddam Hussein in 2003 has hastened the close of age.

Saddam Hussien had attempted annexing of Kuwait with Iraq in 1990.

America's President of the time, George W. Bush thought that his removal will lead to some level of peace in the region. But actually, the fear of Bush was that if He allowed Hussein to have his way by annexing Kuwait, Saddam Hussein might as well annex Saudi Arabia. And that would have led to a serious loss in trade by America in that region.

Anyone who has lived in the Middle East will appreciate the extent of the trade that goes on between America and that part of the world and no American President will cross his legs and watch Saddam destroy it.

Does anyone remember the reply of Bush Snr., President of the United States in 1990 when he was being asked by his critics, what his business was for trying to route Saddam out of Kuwait? He did not mince words saying "I am not going in the interest of Kuwait nor Saudi Arabia, I am going in the interest of America"

Bush jnr levied Saddam Hussein with other allegations including development of nuclear weapons, which he (Bush) thought was a threat to his (Saddam) neighbours and the world at large. This could however not be proved in spite of the enormous amount of money spent on the project.

But I personally feel that Bush felt that America has over built the military strength of Saddam (Iraq) when it sided with Iraq in the Iran-Iraq war of the early 80's and the power must be repossessed in the interest of America in the region. I hope someone is able to perceive what I think.

But the death of Saddam Hussein has succeeded largely in strengthening Iran, arch enemy of Saddam Hussein. Iran became the beneficiary of America show of strength against Saddam/Iraq.

After the destruction of Iraq, Iran became the America of the region, whereas before the destruction of Iraq, Iraq could fairly contain or check Iran's excesses. Iran had some level of fear for Iraq.

Saddam Hussein's death dealt blow to the Iraqi Christians because during his reign, he did not persecute Christians. Christians in Iraq had some level of freedom of worship. Saddam's deputy, Tariq Aziz was a Christian. But

After the demise of Saddam, the government of Iraq fell into the hands of Shia Muslims, whose tolerance of Christians is worse than the Sunni Moslems. It should be remembered that Iran is majorly Shia Moslems and it is normal that the two countries would now be friendly since they have a common faith.

This did not go well with the Sunni Moslems in Iraq who hitherto had the upper edge in Saddam's government. Saddam was himself a Sunni Muslim. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, etc are majorly Sunni Muslims. This might have led to the creation of Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) to wage war on the Shia government in Iraq and the government of Bashar al-Assad in Syria and at the same time wreaking terror against Christians and others who are not Muslims.

This has led to a colossus disruption and loss of lives such that as of writing, America and allied forces have to return to the region. It is suspected that ISIS is funded by the Sunni governments.

The region has never been so disorganized this way. Human suffering has never been so much in Syria and Iraq. A shadow of the tribulation period predicted by the Lord Jesus is certainly being witnessed in that part of the world meanwhile.

Though the allegation by George W. Bush that Saddam was developing nuclear weapon could not be proved, he brought down Saddam because prophecy must be fulfilled and something must occur to fulfill it.

Saddam's error was his determination to re-build the old world city of power called Babylon, whereas God has said the following:

19 And so Babylon, the most glorious of kingdoms, the flower of Chaldean culture, will be as utterly destroyed as Sodom and Gomorrah were when God sent fire from heaven; 20 Babylon will never rise again. Generation after generation will come and go, but the land will never again be lived in. The nomads will not even camp there. The shepherds won't let their sheep stay overnight. 21 The wild animals of the desert will make it their home. The houses will be haunted by howling creatures. Ostriches will live there, and the demons will come there to dance. 22 Hyenas and jackals will den within the palaces. Babylon's days are numbered; her time of doom will soon be here (Isaiah 13:19-22)

Jeremiah wrote on a scroll all the terrible things God had scheduled against Babylon and gave the scroll to Seraiah and said to him, "When you get to Babylon, read what I have written and say, 'Lord, you have said that you will destroy Babylon so that not a living creature will remain, and it will be abandoned forever.' 63 Then, when you have finished reading the scroll, tie a rock to it, and throw it into the Euphrates River, 64 and say, 'So shall Babylon sink, never more to rise, because of the evil I am bringing upon her.'" (Jer. 51:60-64)

2 Tell all the world that Babylon will be destroyed; her god Marduk will be utterly disgraced! 3 For a nation shall come down upon her from the north with such destruction that no one shall live in her again; all shall be gone-both men and animals shall flee (Jer.50:3)

39 Therefore this city of Babylon shall become inhabited by ostriches and jackals; it shall be a home for the wild animals of the desert. Never again shall it be lived in by human beings; it shall lie desolate forever. 40 The Lord declares that he will destroy Babylon just as he destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring towns. No one has lived in them since, and no one will live again in Babylon (Jer. 50:39-40)

Then, after these years of slavery are ended, I will punish the king of Babylon and his people for their sins; I will make the land of Chaldea an everlasting waste (Jer 25: 12).

A similar situation has occurred after the destruction of Jericho. After the defeat of Jericho, a Canaanite city by the children of Israel and it was burnt down, Joshua, Israel captain invoked this curse

"26 -- a terrible curse upon anyone who might rebuild Jericho, warning that when the foundation was laid, the builder's oldest son would die, and when the gates were set up, his youngest son would die (Joshua 6:26).

Let us see what happened to the person who laid the foundation of re-build of Jericho and the person who did the fencing of the re-build of the city:

"It was during his reign (Ahab) that Hiel, a man from Bethel, rebuilt Jericho. When he laid the foundations, his oldest son, Abiram, died; and when he finally completed it by setting up the gates, his youngest son, Segub, died. For this was the Lord's curse upon Jericho as declared by Joshua, the son of Nun (1kings 16:34)

So Saddam Hussein dug his own grave as he was executing what he thought was a lofty project for Iraq.

Bush's allegations against him were unfounded but the Scripture must be fulfilled and something must work it out at its appointed time. And not only this, it has propelled the close of age.

Next: My Regret

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