As of July, 2004 Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has been confined by Israel in the town of Ramallah for over two and a half years due to his proven complicity with terrorist activity against the Jewish state. On Jan. 3rd of 2002, fifty tons of munitions destined for the PLO were intercepted by the Israeli navy and the U.S. confirmed the Palestinian leader's direct involvement. Time after time since then Israel has warned that Arafat's days are numbered.
Bible prophecy foretells that an enemy king of Israel will be ruling out of Gaza in these last days and that he will perish during his rule.
God declares in Zechariah 9:7, "I will take away the blood from his mouth, and the abominations from between his teeth..." God does not reveal by what means this king will meet his end in verse 5, but the Lord is very specific that his demise will take place in Gaza. If Arafat is indeed this king being spoken of as I strongly suspect, then we can expect him to find his way back to his main headquarters in Gaza eventually.
In 1997 we did a RW message which dramatically parallels the ongoing situation in Israel in 2004 between Israel, Syria and the Palestinians titled, "Arafat Embraces Death."
Quoting this message in its entirety we read: "The Aug. 22 & 24th, ‘97 headlines of the Denver Post and the Colorado Springs Gazette read, "Israel turns up heat on Arafat," "Lebanon tensions mount" and "Palestinians clash with Israeli troops as tensions mount over blockade." The combined articles form a prophetic collage which is described in the Scriptures for the close of the age.
The reports revealed that while the Syrian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon is increasing its attacks on Israel, Palestinian President Yasser Arafat has been embracing radical leaders of Islamic terrorist organizations. These are the very same groups that Arafat had been expected to crack down on according to Israeli demands for the peace process to move forward and for Israel's lifting of its economic and travel sanctions.
Instead, Arafat publicly praised the Hezbollah's actions against Israel and called for unity among the Palestinian terrorist factions in preparation for an invasion by Israeli troops. This invasion could possibly become a reality since Israel reportedly suspects that Hamas masterminds are being hidden in Palestinian controlled areas. A dire picture of an orchestrated plan of terror against Israel is being seen formed between Lebanon, Syria and the Palestinians using the terrorist organizations of Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad and Arafat's Fatah movement. It was stated that Arafat is seeking "to build support among a broad spectrum of Palestinians."
Syria and Lebanon have repeatedly joined in efforts in the past to destroy Israel. The PLO also launched attacks from Lebanon with Lebanese and Syrian support. The situation continues to ripen for a devastating conflict. Lebanon, Syria and the Palestinians are set to form a prophesied alliance of death in these last days.
No matter what course the present situation takes, we know conclusively by God's Word that in the not too distant future, Syria and Lebanon, along with the Palestinians, will be engaged in another major war against Israel and will barely survive the outcome.
One revealing passage of Scripture which foretells the approaching judgment of these two countries along with the Palestinian authority headquartered in Gaza can be found in Zechariah 9:1-5.
In verses 1-4 we read of Hadrach, Damascus, Hamath, Tyre and Sidon and how God is against these ancient entities which are identifiable with modern-day Syria and Lebanon.
Verse 5 gives even greater insight when prophesying of the Philistines (i.e. Palestinians) who will put their hope in these combined nations to lead them to a victory over Israel when the Scripture references Ashkelon, Gaza and Ekron.
We are told that these Palestinian decedents of the Philistines will experience a massive defeat and witness the death of their king who will be residing in Gaza. Quoting we read, "The burden of the word of the Lord against the land of Hadrach and Damascus its resting place (for the eyes of men and all the tribes of Israel are on the LORD); also against Hamath, which borders on it, and against Tyre and Sidon, though they are very wise. For Tyre built herself a tower, heaped up silver like the dust, and gold like the mire of the streets. Behold, the LORD will cast her out; He will destroy her power in the sea, and she will be devoured by fire. Ashkelon shall see it and fear; Gaza also shall be very sorrowful; and Ekron, for He (that is God) dried up her expectation. The king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited."
We will refer to this war as the "final Syrian/Israel war" since Syria is the principal power broker in opposition to Israel in the region at present and is unquestionably recognized as the covert authority over Lebanon and the Iranian backed Hezbollah.
A more detailed look at Syria's prophesied defeat can be found in Jeremiah 49:23-27. We quote, "Hamath and Arpad are shamed, For they have heard bad news. They are fainthearted; There is trouble on the sea; It cannot be quiet. Damascus has grown feeble And turns to flee, And fear has seized her. Anguish and sorrows have taken her like a woman in labor. Why is the city of praise not deserted, the city of My joy? Therefore her young men shall fall in her streets, And all the men of war shall be cut off in that day," says the LORD of hosts. "I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus, and it shall consume the palaces of Ben-Hadad."
Reflecting upon Israel's past military action against Hezbollah in April of 1996, it is interesting to note that prophetically both Lebanon and Syria are to face trouble from the sea. Part of Israel's strategy was to utilize its powerful navy to set up a blockade which prevented crucial shipping to reach Lebanon's 3 major ports and to pound the Lebanese coast with naval fire.
It is my firm conviction from studying Psalm 83 that Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinians, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Iraq will go to war with Israel before the final prophesied 7 year covenant of Daniel 9:27 is put into affect.
Iraq will also launch a prophesied final assault against Kuwait during that time. Saddam Hussein has presently made great strides in realigning with Syria to restore the prophesied Assyria of Psalm 83.
None of these nations are listed in Ezekiel Chaps. 38 & 39 as being present with Magog (Russia) when it invades the Middle East, but yet all are clearly to be devastated during warfare with Israel. Since the Russian invasion must take place "after" Israel has obtained a recognizable though pseudo peace while recovering from war (see Ezek. 38:8), it is logical, in my estimation, to surmise that the final Syrian/Israeli war will take place before the delusive 7 year peace covenant of Dan. 9:27 is confirmed by the Anti-Christ. Seven years of increasing hell on earth will then follow before the return of Jesus Christ.
It is obvious when considering the tenants of Islam that no amount of signing of treaties can produce the tangible peace such as is described for Israel in Ezek. 38:8,11 & 14, let alone permit the soon rebuilding of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem as required by Bible prophecy.
Only a dramatic change in the mind set and overflowing arsenals of the Islamics negotiating peace will provide Israel with the prophesied confidence of having attained peace and security.
This impressive but short-lived peace must be established prior to the Russian invasion which takes place during the first 3 ½ years of the Anti-Christ's 7 year covenant. The peace must be of such great substance that according to Ezek. 38:11 the Israelis will be persuaded to live in unfortified cities.
In contrast, past treaty agreements with hostile, murderous and indifferent participants has produced the exact opposite effect and has generated an unbroken state of fear and insecurity. Fortifications and preparedness by Israel for a multiple front conflict are at the optimum.
This unavoidable Middle East war will prepare a fear based foundation in the region which will make the Anti-Christ's strengthened 7 year covenant accepted with little reservation by all parties involved.
This war of Psalm 83 could take place at any time and the king of the Palestinians will perish from Gaza as is written.
Since our 1997 message, and subsequent update in 2002, I have been collecting articles up through June 24th, 2004 that support the contention that Yasser Arafat may well be the king of the modern-day Philistines who is prophesied to perish out of Gaza in these last days. Even though Arafat has been confined in Ramallah for over 2 ½ years, the news items we are about to share show that if all goes as planned in the realm of Mid-East politics, he may soon be ruling once again out of his original Palestinian headquarters...his headquarters in Gaza city.
The picture has developed as follows: back in Dec. 22, ‘01 the Rocky Mountain News printed an article titled, "Islamists rapidly taking over Arafat's Palestinian Authority."
The article reported how Arafat's security forces in Gaza fought with members of Hamas and Islamic Jihad resulting in five deaths. To show himself as the supreme defender of the Palestinians, Arafat had his Palestinian Authority adopt Islam as its official religion, utilize shari'a Islamic codes, and even allowed officially appointed clerics to brand Christians (and Jews) as infidels in their mosques. Yet Arafat secluded himself in Ramallah from the powerful, growing Hamas and Islamic Jihad base in Gaza.
After Arafat was proven to have directly supported terrorism in December of 2001, Israel confined Arafat in Ramallah. This action gave him even greater esteem in the eyes of the Palestinians, and in turn has preserved him from assassination.
On Feb. 10, ‘03, Knight Ridder Newspaper reported in an article which headlined, "...Arafat goes after Saddam..." that Israel and the U.S. reached a secret agreement for ousting Yasser Arafat after the toppling of Saddam Hussein.
Arafat had continually proven to be untrustworthy and a liability to globalist peace efforts. Arafat then took an increasingly lower profile as the realization of his dire situation grew with repeated Israeli acts of demolition on his compound in Ramallah and the Israeli's bold, targeted assassinations of terrorist leaders. Israel's determination to assassinate all identified terrorist leaders has caused Hamas to conceal the names of any new leaders.
Meanwhile, Yasser Arafat grows more pronounced as the visible head over all Palestinians. So much so that the new "unofficial" leader of Hamas, Mahmoud Zahar has acknowledged Yasser Arafat's authority.
The April 23, ‘04 Denver Post article which headlined, "New Hamas leader.." reported that Zahar said, "Hamas would cooperate with Yasser Arafat and the Palestinian Authority to enforce law and order in Gaza after an Israeli pullout...Yes, Mr. Arafat, we have to cooperate in order to reconstruct our life..."
The picture develops further as pressure on Arafat to leave Ramallah continues according to a May 7, ‘04 Associated Press article which headlined, "Arafat tries to shield compound." The article reported that, "Israeli security officials said on condition of anonymity that Israel has a contingency plan for snatching Arafat and expelling him."
There was no mention in the report where Arafat would be expelled to, but an April 25, ‘02 New York Times article which headlined, "Saudis will warn Bush on Israel" reported that [Ariel] Sharon said in an interview...he would consider letting Yasser Arafat slip out of the Israeli siege in Ramallah and move to the Gaza Strip, to demonstrate whether he was willing to put his security forces there to work stopping Palestinian violence."
The conditions for Arafat to return to Gaza are almost all in place. A June 20, ‘04 article from the D.P. titled, "Militant factions showing interest in Gaza government" and a June 19, ‘04 Rocky Mountain News article which headlined, "Gaza power sharing agreement in works" reported that, "...Hamas and...Islamic Jihad, have begun drafting an agreement with Yasser Arafat's Palestinian Authority on how to run the Gaza Strip jointly after Israel's pullout...that is a sharp about-face for Hamas, which has been Arafat's biggest political rival...It insisted in recent years that it wanted nothing to do with Arafat's Palestinian Authority....Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia confirmed that the document is being written and said it would be completed after additional talks in Egypt."
Our last article from the June 24, ‘04 addition of the Denver Post, which headlined, "Mideast cease-fire floated for Sept. - Palestinians welcome Egyptian envoy's proposal..." makes an extremely fascinating conclusion to this message when keeping in consideration that Yasser Arafat may very well be the prophesied king of the Palestinian Philistines who is to perish in Gaza.
Quoting we read, "An Egyptian envoy presented a detailed timetable to Israeli and Palestinian leaders Wednesday on how to secure the Gaza Strip, including the calling of a cease-fire by Palestinian militants in September...Egypt has proposed allowing [Yasser] Arafat (who has been confined to his compound in Ramallah for more than two years) to move to Gaza, saying his presence there would help maintain order after an Israeli withdrawal."
Of added interest is the article's report that, "[Ariel] Sharon, meanwhile, said he has no intention of ever allowing Arafat to leave his West Bank headquarters. The [Israeli] prime minister told advisers in a closed-door meeting...that he will not allow Arafat, who is 74, to leave his office in Ramallah ‘for the next 45 years', participants said."
This is interesting because as we shared earlier in this message from the April 25, ‘02 New York Times article titled, "Saudis will warn Bush on Israel," Ariel Sharon himself is the one who proposed, "Yasser Arafat slip out of the Israeli siege in Ramallah and
move to the Gaza Strip, to demonstrate whether he was willing to put his security forces there to work stopping Palestinian violence." I propose there is more at work here than that which one hears or reads.
The Church's departure to heaven is imminent (near at hand) since Scripture reveals she is to be caught up to the Lord before the Anti-Christ is revealed at the start of the final 7 year covenant.
These are the last days and the time to put your complete faith in Jesus Christ the only Savior is now. All who call on the name of the Lord will be saved from the wrath to come.
Be washed clean of your sins by the blood of the Lamb before the days of the bride come to a close. (See I Thessalonians 4:15-18).