Can The U.N. Bring Peace?

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September 20, 2006

IDF tackling Iran's WMD threat
With Iran racing to obtain nuclear weapons, the IDF Home Front Command (HFC) has shifted its focus since the war in Lebanon and is now investing most of its efforts in confronting the threat of non-conventional weapons of mass destruction (WMD), a high-ranking officer revealed Monday.

Bush to engage skeptical U.N. on Mideast
NEW YORK - President Bush is trying to persuade skeptical world leaders to embrace his vision for the Middle East in a speech before the United Nations on Tuesday where he is calling on the world to "stand up for peace" in the face of violent extremism.

White House to Palestinians: First recognize Israel
American president set to meet with Abbas Wednesday, will stress that Washington will not recognize unity government if Hamas does not recognize Israel and its agreement with it. Another condition – renouncing terrorism

Israel to withdraw all troops by weekend
JERUSALEM - Israel's military chief told lawmakers Tuesday that it plans to withdraw all its remaining troops from Lebanon by this weekend, meeting a key requirement of a cease-fire that ended the 34-day war against Hezbollah guerrillas.

Israel says it wants permanent channel of dialogue with Abbas
Khaleej Times
Tue, 19 Sep 2006 5:30 AM PDT
JERUSALEM - Israel wants to reopen a serious dialogue with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and work with him to establish a Palestinian state, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said on Tuesday.

FATAH-HAMAS MILITIA WAR RENEWS
Middle East Newsline
Tue, 19 Sep 2006 1:22 AM PDT
GAZA CITY [MENL] -- Fatah and Hamas have renewed their militia war in the Gaza Strip. After a lull of several weeks, suspected Hamas gunmen killed five Palestinian Authority security officers linked to Fatah. The casualties included a senior PA General Intelligence officer.

Shalit Stands Between Israel and Palestinians, Israel Says
Crosswalk.com
Tue, 19 Sep 2006 5:00 AM PDT
Jerusalem (CNSNews.com) - Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni stated Monday that there could be no meaningful progress towards peace between her nation and Palestinian Arabs until terrorists affiliated with the ruling Hamas faction freed an abducted IDF soldier.

Muslims want further apology from pope
ANKARA, Turkey - Muslims in Turkey, Iraq and the Palestinian territories demanded Tuesday that Pope Benedict XVI make a clear apology for his remarks on Islam, instead of saying only that he was "deeply sorry" that Muslims had taken offense.

Report: Israel's Jewish Majority Declined in Last Five Years
Israel’s Jewish majority has declined over the past five years, according to the latest numbers released by Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) in honor of the Rosh HaShanah holiday.

Israel cluster bomb use in Lebanon "outrageous": UN
BEIRUT (Reuters) - Israel dropped at least 350,000 cluster bomblets on south Lebanon in its war with Hizbollah guerrillas, mostly when the conflict was all but over, leaving a deadly legacy

Comments
President Bush is set to meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday and said he would bring the message that the U.S. will not recognize the new Palestinian unity government unless they recognize Israel, honor past agreements and denounce terrorism.  

This is a tall order for both the Hamas and Fatah terrorist organizations, but in the end, I do believe they will at least on paper recognize Israel.  The big question is whether this will lead to peace and by whom.  If peace does come, it will be temporary (6-12 months) and will be followed by a storm Israel will not be able to overcome.  That's when the Lord will step in and miraculously destroy their enemies.  Some believe the rapture may also take place at this time.  

If you haven't heard, Pope Benedict XVI has been under fire by the Muslim world for remarks he made about Islam.  

"On Tuesday, Benedict, quoting from an obscure Medieval text, cited the words of a Byzantine emperor who characterized some of the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, Islam's founder, as "evil and inhuman."  http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/09/16/europe/EU_GEN_Vatican_Pope_Muslims.php

He did apologize and said that he deeply respects Islam but many Muslims say it isn't enough.  In fact, he has received multiple death threats and has been told that if he wants to save his life he must convert to Islam.  I don't see that happening.

I received a recent email sent to me from one of my readers who asked if this clash between the Pope and Muslim extremists has any prophetic significance?  Some prophecy experts say that it does.  Personally, I feel it's more of a direction the world is heading.  When I say direction I mean that other religions such as Christianity will be forced to become more tolerant and respectful toward other religions.  The world will no longer tolerate one religious body disrespecting another no matter how vague it may be.

Some believe this is just another step toward the prophesied one world religious system that will come in the last days.  I am not one of those who believe the Bible supports a one world religion outside of the worship of the antichrist.  I do believe, however, that there will come a day when religious tolerance will be the norm were different church bodies will work together to find common ground.  But the true one world religion will not come until the antichrist declares himself to be God.

A few weeks ago I addressed the question of whether Jesus could come a hundred years from now as opposed to this generation (see Article# 575:Where Is The Coming Of The Lord?).  I presented a number of reasons why I felt this would be the last generation.  Today, I read an article that stated Israel's Jewish majority has declined over the last five years by almost two percent.

"According to Central Bureau of Statistics data published on Tuesday, the population of the State of Israel at the end of 2005 was comprised of 6,990,700 people, of which 5,313,800 were Jewish (76 percent of the entire population), and 1,377,100 were Arab (19.7 percent) according to data published by the Central Bureau of Statistics. 

The data also showed that since 2000, the Jewish population has decreased by 1.8 percent, while the Muslim population has increased during the past five years by 1.1 to 1,140,600."  http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3305668,00.html

You might say these numbers aren't that significant but there's also another factor that must be considered.  The Jewish birth rate in Israel has declined by four percent over the last two years as well.  Unfortunately, the article did not include whether the Arab-Israeli birth rate had increased or declined.

Whether these demographic fears are real or not is debatable but they could certainly lead to further Israeli land disengagements.  One things for certain, the Israeli Jewish population can not afford to be close to or a minority in its own land...that would be suicide.  

Today the U.N. will discuss the state of the Middle East and what can be done to bring about peace.  

"Jordan's King Abdullah II said that until Israel ends its occupation of Palestinian lands and gives Palestinians their rights, the cycle of violence will continue in the region and its effects will be felt throughout the world."

"I come before you today with a deep sense of urgency," Abdullah told the assembly. "Never has it been more important for the world community to act decisively for peace in my region."  

"Pakistan's President Gen. Pervez Musharraf, a staunch U.S. ally who spoke shortly after Bush, urged the world to confront the plague of terrorism head-on and end conflicts in the Islamic world to eliminate the "desperation and injustice" that breed extremism."

"Unless we end foreign occupation and suppression of Muslim peoples," he said, "terrorism and extremism will continue to find recruits among alienated Muslims in various parts of the world," he said, and the top priority should be ending "the tragedy of Palestine."  http://www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_story/0,3566,214646,00.html

The truth is, these peace talks will continue to spin in circles until the Lord is ready to allow peace.  I don't believe that will happen until after the rapture takes place.  

Of course, some are saying that the peace agreement with Israel is around the corner when the ENPI takes affect in 2007 (see Article# 390: ENPI Seven Year Plan).  Certainly, it has some of the ingredients of the peace plan foretold in the Bible with a seven year length (2007-2013) and it is a peace agreement with many (Daniel 9:27).  But there are issues that must be met on the other side of the coin.  One, when will we see the two witnesses appear (Revelation 11:3-13).  It is believed that they will appear in Jerusalem at the beginning of the tribulation period.  And two, we still need to see the Jewish temple built.  As you know, the antichrist will desecrate it midway through the tribulation period (Matthew 24:14-16).  

I guess we'll have to wait and see how the Lord causes things to unfold.

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

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Pastor Malone