The October 10, 2003 edition of the Denver Post, in an article which headlined, "Israel strikes alleged arms tunnels" it was reported that, "Israel sent dozens of tanks into a Gaza refugee camp early today to destroy tunnels allegedly used by Palestinians to smuggle weapons. Military officials cited warnings that militants were trying to acquire anti-aircraft missiles...In Gaza, witnesses said tanks and other armored vehicles entered the Rafah camp from two directions. They were joined by special forces, including units with dogs trained to uncover tunnels.
A military commander at the scene said weapons smuggled in from Egypt to Gaza eventually make their way to the west Bank, so "we had no choice but to strike deep against the tunnels"...Israeli military officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Israel had intelligence warnings that Palestinians were planning to use tunnels under the border to smuggle in weapons, and that the Egyptians were not taking steps to stop them."
Because of Egypt's continual virulence against Israel, massive military buildup, and its anti-Israeli war games, we felt we should update our Rapture watch Message titled, "Egypt's Betrayal & Tribulation.
In the past we have shared the Bible prophecies which reveal that Egypt would have to be restored to its former glory as the leader over the Arab world. Just as has been witnessed in current events, it was to be Egypt that Israel was to turn to in these last days in her attempt to secure a peace treaty with her surrounding enemies.
In the year 2001, Egypt once again rose to a position of supremacy over its Arab neighbors. This transpired even after having been cast off in the past as a pariah by the Arab Alliance, due to Anwar Sadat's signing of a pseudo peace treaty of convenience with Israel.
Egypt is to once more turn against Israel in these last days according to Bible prophecy. It has been abundantly evident for many years that Egypt has been building up its armaments at an incredible rate and training its military in maneuvers obviously designed to reflect a war against Israel.
In Nov., 2000 Egypt recalled its ambassador from Israel. Then in Dec., 2000 Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak leant his conditional nod against Israel in regard to a planned Arab League boycott against Israel when he asserted that every Egyptian had the right to boycott Israeli products.
As of 2003 Hosni Mubarak's repeated threat to tear up Egypt's ineffectual peace agreement with Israel if a submissive Israel peace treaty is not provided to the Palestinians remains a clear and present danger.
In the Old Testament Book of Jeremiah 30:6-7 it was prophesied that a horrible time will one day come upon the world, so horrible that the prophet declared, "Alas! For that day is great, so that none is lie it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble."
Turning to Ch. 12:1 of the Old Testament Book of Daniel we again find a similar descriptive passage of this horrible time. Daniel prophesied, "and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation."
Then quoting from the Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 24:21-22 we read, "For then shall be great tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved."
Reading the prophecies in their full scriptural context, two facts are abundantly made clear. First is that this time of trouble could only take place after Israel was once more a nation in its own land and secondly, that this time of great tribulation is specifically designated for the fruition of the destiny of the Jewish people in the day they once again possessed Jerusalem.
The Jews are now back in their land and took possession of Jerusalem in 1967. In Daniel 9:24 the angel Gabriel told Daniel that the final determination of his people, that is the Jews, and for the holy city of Jerusalem would not be seen until the conclusion of 70 weeks of years or 490 years. It was prophesied in Dan. 9:25 that 483 of these years would elapse until the day that Jesus Christ would enter Jerusalem and would be rejected by the Jews. This event transpired precisely 483 years later, just as was prophesied. See Rapture Watch Message, "483 Years & 7."
In Daniel 9:27 we are shown that the final 7 years will begin their countdown when the Jews trust in the coming false messiah (known to Christians as the Anti-Christ) as he strengthens a 7 year treaty between the Jews and many of their enemies. This man, according to the Hebrew pronoun for "he" in this passage, means "great one" and he is to come forth from the people who destroyed Jerusalem in 70 AD. These destroyers were the Romans.
This wicked prince will turn on the Jews halfway through the 7 years and will then perpetrate blasphemous abominations and initiate the horrible days of trouble and desolation prophesied of by Jesus, Daniel and Jeremiah.
This time of desolation for the Jews is further detailed in Daniel 11:31-37. First, this vile "great one" comes in as a peacemaker backed with great strength. After a foolhardy league is made with him, he turns upon the Jews 3 ½ years into the treaty. He will single out the true worshipers of God as the primary target of his hatred and will force the restored temple worship of the Lord to stop.
It is "he" who breaks the covenant, institutes the vile "abomination of desolation" that Jesus and Daniel prophesied of for the last days, and it is he that the Scripture uses to demarcate that the final 7 years of the age has come upon the world - "till the wrath has been accomplished" (Mk. 13:15 & Dan. 11:31-36).
Still on the immediate horizon is the event which we believe will trigger the meteoric rise to power of this vile "great one." Prophecy reveals that the trigger will be a Middle East war of frightening proportions. Signs of this approaching war have dominated our messages.
In Chuck Misslier's "Personal Update" of Feb., 1998 in an article by Avi Lipkin and John Loeffler titled, "The Mideast Threat" it was reported that prior to the Persian gulf War, "Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak signed an agreement with Saddam Hussein that Egypt would attack Israel two weeks after Iraq did, but Iraq miscalculated and mistakenly attacked Kuwait causing Egypt great political damage, thereby negating or disrupting the Iraqi Egyptian alliance to attack Israel at that time."
According to Psalm 83 where Assyria and the Hagarites are prophesied to someday join in an attack against Israel, this revelation confirms that Iraq (Assyria) and Egypt (Hagarites) are to still unite against Israel.
In our opening Scripture reference of the horrible time of "Jacob's trouble" we quoted from Jer. 30. Quoting now from Isaiah 30:1-2 of this time we read, "Woe to the rebellious children, saith the Lord, that take counsel, but not of Me; and that cover with a covering, but not of My Spirit, that they may add sin to sin: That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at My mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt!"
No other land, except for Israel, is mentioned more than Egypt in the Bible. From Abraham to Jesus it has served as a unique land of refuge for God's people in times past, but not any more.
The prophecies of God foretell that the Egyptians will betray Israel in these latter days and will pay a tremendous cost for their duplicity. Looking at Ch. 19 of the Old Testament Book of Isaiah we can learn a great deal about the future of the presently Muslim nation. Verses 1-15 tell us that in the day of Egypt's betrayal chaos will reign throughout this ancient land.
The Nile River will be diverted and fail from the sea. The Aswan Dam has provided this once unknown sea in these last days. Israel has officially targeted this dam for destruction in the event of war with Egypt.
Devastation and overwhelming fear will be visited upon the people of Egypt and a vicious king will be appointed to rule over them.
Verses 16-17 reveals the consequences of Egypt's future betrayal of their present peace treaty they hold with Israel. When Egypt attacks Israel the wrath of God will be unleashed and the very name of Judah will strike terror into the heart of Egypt. Israel will be victorious because the Lord controls every aspect of this warfare and He has willed that His holy land and His people should remain established until the day of His return.
Continuing on in Ch. 19 of Isaiah verses 18-25 we find the remarkable mercy of God as He pours out His grace upon the countries of once defiant Egypt along with Israel and Syria and Iraq also. Together they will come to worship the only true Lord of Glory, Jesus Christ. Casting off their chains of spiritual darkness, they will humble themselves before the true God of Heaven and will present themselves clothed in the salvation of the Lamb of God to meet the Lord of lords.
The promise of the divine blessings that God made to Hagar of Egypt in Genesis 21:15-21 still echo down through the close of this age. Once more when the sons of Abraham and Hagar seem ready to perish they will call out and God will hear them. Once more God will supply a well of life-giving water in the middle of the wilderness for His children. Only this time they will drink from the well of the Living Water and they who have believed in the only begotten Son of God will never thirst again.
Regrettably, it appears that unbelieving people will once more arise in Egypt and will orchestrate one more revolt against the Lord of Creation during the 1,000 years of His glorious reign upon this present earth. The punishment for this rebellion under the direct administration of the prince of Peace will be justifiably harsh. Egypt will go without the quenching rains of God (Zech. 14:17-19). Once more the peoples of Egypt will suffer a compounded horrible drought, a spiritual and physical drought brought on by their own choosing.
It is often overlooked in the Scriptures that during the blessed, joyful one thousand years of peace under God, peace reigns not because the Lord has stripped mankind of his freewill to sin, but because Satan will be bound and Jesus Christ rules over the evil side of men with a rod of iron (Rev. 19:15).
As for now, a vile "great one" awaits in the wings for the final drama to begin. After the Church is caught up to heaven (Jn. 14:1-2), he will prepare to take the center stage of the time of Jacob's trouble.
These are the last days and we firmly believe that a major Middle East war which will eclipse all past wars will soon erupt. It is this expanding war which will bring about the 7 year close of mankind's reign upon this earth.
Today is the day to come to Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. He will freely give to drink from the well of life all who come to Him with faith. Don't put off this blessed gift from God. There is a moment when this offer of escape will expire at the event known as the Rapture and many will find that this door to glory has been closed. Today is the day to believe in the saving power of the blood of Christ and receive eternal life.