Church of God News

Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Launch

COGwriter

The USA reported that it shot down a test missile with its THAAD system:

US successfully tests THAAD missile system amid North Korean tensions

July 11, 2017

The U.S. on Tuesday test-fired its THAAD anti-ballistic missile system from Alaska that successfully intercepted a target missile launched from an Air Force Cargo plane north of Hawaii.

The drill was previously scheduled in June and comes a week after North Korea successfully test-launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile capable of hitting Alaska.

THAAD is used to intercept short- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles. It does not target intercontinental ballistic missiles. The U.S. has a perfect record on launches, hitting 14 out of 14 targets.

“I couldn’t be more proud of the government and contractor team who executed this flight test today,” said Missile Defense Agency Director Lt. Gen. Sam Greaves. “This test further demonstrates the capabilities of the THAAD weapon system and its ability to intercept and destroy ballistic missile threats. THAAD continues to protect our citizens, deployed forces and allies from a real and growing threat.” http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/07/11/us-successfully-tests-thaad-missile-system-amid-north-korean-tensions.html

How well THAAD would work in a real battle with a nation like North Korea is unclear. The USA wants more THAAD systems in South Korea in the event of conflict with North Korea.

Three months ago (on April 11, 2017), Donald Trump sent the following from his Twitter account: “North Korea is looking for trouble. If China decides to help, that would be great. If not, we will solve the problem without them! U.S.A.” Donald Trump, if he is looking for a military solution, likely has enough statements and actions from North Korea to legally ‘justify’ one, though the North Koreans also think the same thing.

It may well be that the USA has held off military action to give it more time to test and produce more THAAD systems.

Internationally, North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump are both considered to be unpredictable. The USA wants to change the situation in North Korea, while North Korea seems willing to risk itself against the USA (e.g. North Korea launches ICBM and says it can hit anywhere: What will Donald Trump do?).

North Korea will NOT continue as it has been.

It has severe economic problems and leadership issues. Its people have been suffering for decades and are in my prayers.

In my view, North Korea will one day reunify (at least to a degree, if not totally) with South Korea.

Because of prophecies involving “the kings from the east” cooperating at the end (cf. Revelation 16:12; Daniel 11:44: “news from the east and the north shall trouble him”), we in the Continuing Church of God have long felt that somehow North and South Korea would likely be unified (or at least work more closely together) prior to the return of Jesus Christ. Notice something from Bible News Prophecy magazine, the July-September 2013 edition:

Perhaps I should add that because of prophecies involving “the kings from the east” cooperating at the end (cf. Revelation 16:12; Daniel 11:44), I have long felt that somehow North and South Korea would likely be unified (or at least work more closely together) prior to the return of Jesus Christ. The literal translation of Revelation 16:12 is “the kings of the sunrise” and thus this would seem to have to include Korea—which is amongst the most eastern of the nations.

But it could take a battle or more for that to happen. One that may not turn out well for the North Korean leadership.

Yet, caution is advised for any who think that since the USA can defeat North Korea militarily that North Korea would not try to set off a nuclear device (either through a launch or through some other means) that could hurt South Korea or the USA. Jesus spoke of a time of troubles prior to the Great Tribulation (Mark 13:7-8) and North Korea may well fit in with those.

Jesus said to “watch” (Mark 13:37) (Thiel B. Korea in Prophecy: Any Witness? Bible News Prophecy magazine, July-September 2013)

Notice also the following:

13 Then the sixth angel sounded: And I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, 14 saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” 15 So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released to kill a third of mankind. 16 Now the number of the army of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them. 17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision: those who sat on them had breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; and the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths came fire, smoke, and brimstone. 18 By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed — by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which came out of their mouths. (Revelation 9:13-18)

12 Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared. (Revelation 16:12)

The literal translation of Revelation 16:12 is “the kings of the sunrise” and thus this would seem to have to include Korea–which is among the most eastern of the nations.

It could take military conflict for that type of unity to happen. This may not turn out well for the North Korean leadership.

While the USA can defeat North Korea militarily, understand that North Korea could try to set off a nuclear device (either through a launch or through some other means, including covert terroristic ones) or take other military actions that could hurt South Korea or the USA. As reported here a couple of days ago, some believe it may attempt to hurt the USA through electromagnetic pulse (EMP) weapons (see North Korea poses electromagnetic-pulse threat to USA).

Notice also something that Jesus said which is pertinent to this situation with North Korea:

4 “Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. (Matthew 24:4-8)

While we are in the ‘beginning of sorrows,’ the end is not yet. Why? Because other events in the Bible, such as those that Jesus spoke of Matthew 24:9-20 have not happened yet (see also When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2017, 2018, or 2019?).

That being said, Jesus spoke of a time of troubles prior to the Great Tribulation (Mark 13:8) and North Korea may well fit in with those (we also have a video related to some of this, which is titled: Syria, North Korea, and Prophecy).

Though THAAD systems seem to have the potential to protect against SOME types of missile attacks, North Korea by now knows this. North Korea could take steps and cause serious problems for the USA prior to the start of the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21).

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 11th, 2017 at 3:00 pm and is filed under Prophecy.

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