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Saudia Arabian Infantrymen

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Several readers sent information about the following:

Saudi Arabia Announces 34-Nation Islamic Alliance Against Terrorism

December 15, 2015

Saudi Arabia announced Tuesday what it called a new Islamic military alliance made up of 34 countries to fight terrorism.

The state-run Saudi Press Agency published a statement saying the initiative will include an operations center in Riyadh to coordinate military operations.

The statement said terrorism is a “serious violation of human dignity and rights, especially the right to life and the right to security,” and that “acts of corruption and terrorism cannot be justified in any way.”

Saudi Deputy Crown Prince and Defense Minister Mohammed bin Salman said at a news conference there will not be a focus on any one terror group.

“Today there are a number of countries that suffer from terrorism, for example Daesh [Islamic State] in Syria and Iraq; terrorism in Sinai, terrorism in Yemen, terrorism in Libya, terrorism in Mali, terrorism in Nigeria, terrorism in Pakistan, terrorism in Afghanistan and this requires a very strong effort to fight. Without a doubt, there will be coordination in these efforts,” he said.

The alliance includes Jordan, Bahrain, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, which are conducting airstrikes in Syria as part of a U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State.  Others from the Middle East include Tunisia, Lebanon, Libya and Egypt.  Pakistan, Bangladesh and Malaysia are also part of the effort, as are a number of African countries such as Sudan, Somalia, Mali and Nigeria.

The Saudi statement said others have “expressed their support,” including Indonesia, the home of the world’s largest Muslim population. http://www.voanews.com/content/saudi-arabia-announces-34-nation-islamic-alliance-against-terrorism/3103368.html

December 15, 2015

A Riyadh-based “Islamic military alliance” has been formed to fight terrorism, Saudi Arabian state TV has announced. The coalition consists of 34 countries, including the Gulf States, a number of African countries, Turkey, Egypt, Malaysia and Pakistan.

Countries involved in the coalition aside from Saudi Arabia, include Jordan, the UAE, Pakistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Turkey, Chad, Togo, Tunisia, Djibouti, Senegal, Sudan, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Gabon, Guinea, the partially-recognized state of Palestine, the Islamic Federal Republic of the Comoros, Qatar, Cote d’Ivoire, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Maldives, Mali, Malaysia, Egypt, Morocco, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Yemen.

“The countries here mentioned have decided on the formation of a military alliance led by Saudi Arabia to fight terrorism, with a joint operations centre based in Riyadh to coordinate and support military operations,” state news agency SPA quoted an official statement as saying.

The statement added that the coalition has “a duty to protect the Islamic nation from the evils of all terrorist groups and organizations whatever their sect and name which wreak death and corruption on earth and aim to terrorise the innocent,”Reuters quotes. https://www.rt.com/news/325929-islamic-coalition-terrorism-saudi/

Germany welcomes 34-state Islamic military alliance against terrorism

December 15, 2015

Germany’s defense minister said on Tuesday she welcomed Saudi Arabia’s announcement of the formation of a 34-state Islamic military coalition to combat terrorism.

Ursula von der Leyen told German broadcaster ZDF the alliance would be of help if it joined other countries fighting Islamic State (IS), adding that IS had gained strength from disagreement among various opposition parties on how to fight or who to protect.

“I think it’s right that the opposition is forming a group but it needs to be – and this is important – part of the Vienna process that includes all countries fighting against IS like the U.S., Europe, Russia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia but also Iran and China,” she said. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-germany-idUSKBN0TY14O20151215

As regular readers of this page are aware, I have been saying since the so-called ‘Islamic State’ formed its caliphate that this was likely to trigger cooperation from nations in the Middle East and North Africa to form a coalition against it.

Notice something I posted just yesterday along those lines:

Let me again state that the group calling itself the Islamic State is horrible and its leader will NOT become the final King of the South.  The inhumanity of the Islamic State will get more to rise up against it. And that will then lead to the rise of the final King of the South.

It should set off prophetic bells when we read that the 34 nations have agreed that they have “a duty to protect the Islamic nation.”  Westerners may be surprised that despite differences, many Muslims believe in the existence of an Islamic nation.  The use of the term Islamic-nation is consistent with the view in Islam that there is that the world is divided into two parts:  The House of Islam and the House of War (those that the House of Islam fights–all non-Muslim nations), often referred to as the Dar al-Islam and the Dar al-harb.

As far as the members of the Saudi Arabian coalition go, they are consistent with the peoples that the Bible shows will support the final King of the South in Bible prophecy.  Here is a Protestant and a Catholic translation of passages in Daniel:

40 “In the end times the southern king will attack him. The northern king will rush at him like a storm with chariots, horses, and many ships. He will invade countries, overwhelm them, and pass through their land. 41 He will invade the beautiful land, and tens of thousands will be defeated. But Edom, Moab, and the leaders of the Ammonites will escape from his power. 42 He will use his power against many countries. Even Egypt will not escape. 43 He will control gold and silver treasures and all Egypt’s treasuries. Libya and Sudan will surrender to him. (GOD’S WORD Translation)

40 ‘When the time comes for the End, the king of the south will try conclusions with him; but the king of the north will come storming down on him with chariots, cavalry, and a large fleet. He will invade countries, overrun them and drive on. 41 He will invade the Land of Splendour, and many will fall; but Edom, Moab, and what remains of the sons of Ammon will escape him. 42 ‘He will reach out to attack countries: Egypt will not escape him. 43 The gold and silver treasures and all the valuables of Egypt will lie in his power. Libyans and Cushites will be at his feet: (Daniel 11:40-43, New Jerusalem Bible)

The late WCG evangelist Raymond McNair wrote the following:

Daniel 11 also mentions some of the Mideast peoples who will be involved in that struggle among the nations at the close of this age. The belligerents will include the “King of the North,” the leader of the European Union (or its final outgrowth, called the “Beast”). The “King of the South” (an Islamic leader—apparently from Egypt {or} some other Muslim state) is also referred to. The following lands/peoples are specifically mentioned: Egypt, the Holy Land (Israel/Palestine), the Ethiopians (modern Cushites, south of Egypt), Libya, Edom, Moab and Ammon. Many descendants of the ancient peoples known as Edomites or Idumeans now live in the West Bank, Jordan, Iraq, Turkey, Syria, Arabia, Yemen, the Persian Gulf states, etc. (McNair R. Solving the Arab-Israeli Impasse! Copyright Raymond F. McNair 2005, Church of God—21st Century).

Notice that almost all the places he mentioned are part of the new coalition that Saudi Arabia announced.  While this does not mean that the current Saudi Arabian coalition will have to be the final confederation that supports the coming King of the South (Syria will support the final King of the South, but was not listed as being in the Saudi coalition), it is certainly consistent with scripture.

Ethiopia is not in the coalition, and I would add here that the term Ethiopian is NOT in Daniel 11:40-43.  Here is a literal translation of Daniel 11:43:

43 and he hath ruled over treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the desirable things of Egypt, and Lubim and Cushim are at his steps. (Daniel 11:43, Young’s literal translation)

The Lubim are peoples east of Egypt in Africa, whereas the Cushim are believed to be located in Sudan, Southern Egypt, and other parts of Africa.

Hebrew, Cushites – כשׁים kushı̂ym… The reference here, undoubtedly, is to the African Cush (Barnes’Notes on the Bible, Daiel 11:43)

The word Cushi, also spelled Kushi (Hebrew: כושי‎) is a Hebrew term generally used to refer to a dark-skinned person usually of African descent. (Cushi, Wikipedia, accessed 12/15/15)

The Saudi Arabian announced coalition includes Arabs, Turks, and Africans, consistent with the peoples that scripture says will support the final King of the South.  It is possible that some from places like Pakistan will be supportive (see Ezekiel 30:2-8 discussion in the article The Future King of the South is Rising).

The fact that Germany has so quickly endorsed the coalition is also of interest as it is consistent with prophecies in Psalm 83.  The following something that the old Radio Church of God published:

Turn to the astounding prophecy found in Psalm 83:1-8. David, inspired of God, predicted the coming time when ALL of Israel’s enemies would join together in an effort to crush out even the name “Israel” from the face of the earth! (Verse 4) “For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee…” (verse 5). Notice the nations making up this confederation. “Edom [Turkey], and the Ishmaelites [Saudi Arabia]; Moab [Jordan], and the Hagarenes [they anciently dwelt in the land known as Syria today]; Gebal {Lebanon}, and Ammon [Jordan] and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre; Assur [whose descendants migrated to Germany] is joined with them; they have helped the children of Lot” {Moab and Ammon in modern Jordan). Here we see that the Arab nations mentioned are allied with Germany (Assur) which we know from other prophecies will be the military leader — naturally so — of a United States of Europe…Egypt…will provoke the prophesied United Europe (Dan. 11:40). This European power — called the “king of the north” in Daniel 11 — shall invade and occupy the “glorious land” of Palestine (verse 41). “And the land of Egypt shall not escape”(Boraker R. SYRIA RAIDS ISRAEL – Where Is It Leading? Plain Truth. November 1966)

Notice that all of the nations in the above are either in the Saudi coalition, or supportive of it (Germany), with the exception of Syria.  And yes, Syria will be part of the final King of the South, so expect changes of some type in the future.

While the final King of the South has not yet formed, steps to form the biblically-prophesied confederation are taking place.

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 15th, 2015 at 7:40 am and is filed under Prophecy.

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