‘Libya’s Fate Difficult to Predict, Analysts Say;’ Bible disagrees; Obama promoting the King of the South?

Anti-Islamist Libyan General Khalifa Haftar (Magharebia)

There are concerns about what is happening in Libya as well as what Libya’s fate will be:

September 6, 2014

Libya’s Fate Difficult to Predict, Analysts Say

As Libya slides deeper into political and military chaos, uncertainty reigns and analysts say it’s difficult to predict next moves.

Some say Libya needs regional or broader foreign involvement; others say that would only aggravate the situation.

In mid-August, Libya’s ambassador to Egypt, Mohamed Jibril, called for international intervention, saying “Libya is unable to protect its institutions, its airports and oil fields.”

Last week, the country’s ambassador to the United Nations, Ibrahim Dabbashi, asked the U.N. Security Council to disarm the warring factions. But the council decided against sending a U.N. peacekeeping force to Libya.

Two military coalitions are competing for governmental control. Their power struggles have almost paralyzed the country, leaving it with two de facto parliaments and two prime ministers.

One coalition, Libya Dawn, represents Islamist groups including the hardline Ansar al-Shariah and militias from the coastal city of Misurata. The other coalition includes supporters of former dictator Moammar Gadhafi, ousted in 2011. It’s led by retired General Khalifa Haftar, an anti-Islamist.

Retired General Sameh Seif Alyazal, director of Cairo’s Algomhuria Center for Strategic Studies, said it’s “very difficult, if not impossible now, to disarm more than 1,600 militias and armed groups in Libya with millions of pieces of weapon and a variety of heavy weapons and missiles.”

Seif Alyazal welcomed the Security Council’s resolution to impose sanctions on militias and their political supporters who are fueling Libya’s escalating war.

Egypt’s former ambassador to Libya, Hany Khallaf, said stabilizing Libya will demand more international cooperation.

“Political and security arrangements are urgently required in Libya and it would take serious efforts from neighboring Arab countries, European and international efforts to be achieved,” Khallaf said. …

Michael O’ Hanlon, a senior fellow at the Brooking Institution, a Washington think tank, predicted Libya eventually might be divided.

“Realistically,” he said, “it is possible that Libya would be partitioned in the future, or at least would be a confederation of some kind where you do have two ongoing parliaments.” http://www.voanews.com/content/libyas-fate-difficult-to-predict-analysts-say/2440798.html

September 6, 2014

Libya

U.S. attention to the continued turmoil in Libya following the ouster of former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi peaked shortly after the attack on a U.S. facility in Benghazi in September 2012 that killed four Americans, but the unrest there has continued to smolder. Most recently, it resulted in the seizure of a former U.S. diplomatic compound this week by Islamist militants.

“You’ve got Libya becoming Somalia on the Mediterranean in many ways,” Zarate warned, “and what you have is a lot of the Islamic militants who are now vying for power, along with other tribal groups and other factions in Libya, taking control of more parts of the country, to include the airport and now this diplomatic facility that was basically a residence for US. diplomats and personnel.”

The jihadis apparently had a “pool party” at the facility, Zarate added, noting a video of the revelry that was posted online showing militants jumping from balconies and generally trashing the place.

The seizure of the compound, Zarate said, reflects the sad reality that Libya’s “governance is not working,” and that extremists continue to hold sway over broad swaths of the country.

“I think it’s a major concern for counterterrosim officials in the west, and you’ve always had the problem of extremists, especially in the east, in places like Benghazi that have been tied to al Qaeda,” Zarate explained. “So we’ve got to keep our eye on Libya for precisely for those reasons.” http://www.cbsnews.com/news/somalia-libya-and-china-on-the-backburner-but-for-how-long/

While secular analysts do not know Libya’s fate, some are looking towards international cooperation and regional involvement for the area. Despite anti-Islamist leaders like Libyan General Khalifa Haftar, a deal with certain followers of Islam will occur. Actually, probably several (e.g. Daniel 9:27, 11:27; 40-43; Ezekiel 30:2-8; Psalm 83:2-8).

The Bible teaches that those in the region called Libya will become part of a regional confederation. Though opposition to that idea exists in and out of Libya, various ones in the West and the Arab world are promoting it.

There is war and destruction prophesied for those associated with ‘Libya’ in the Bible. There are various references to that word in the Bible. However, many of the translations are questionable as sometimes a word for an old area of Persia (Phut) is translated as Libya.

Basically Strong’s (from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance) words 3864, 3865, & 3866 means people from the interior of Africa and seem to include the areas west of Egypt.

Here are three prophetic passages that refer to it with Strong’s words 3864, 3865 & 3866, respectively:

40 “At the time of the end the king of the South shall attack him; and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through. 41 He shall also enter the Glorious Land, and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall escape from his hand: Edom, Moab, and the prominent people of Ammon. 42 He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. 43 He shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; also the Libyans and Ethiopians shall follow at his heels. (Daniel 11:40-43)

2 “Son of man, prophesy and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God:
“Wail, ‘Woe to the day!’ 3 For the day is near, Even the day of the Lord is near;It will be a day of clouds, the time of the Gentiles. 4 The sword shall come upon Egypt, And great anguish shall be in Ethiopia, When the slain fall in Egypt, And they take away her wealth, And her foundations are broken down.
5 “Ethiopia, Libya, Lydia, all the mingled people, Chub, and the men of the lands who are allied, shall fall with them by the sword.”
6 ‘Thus says the Lord:
“Those who uphold Egypt shall fall, And the pride of her power shall come down. From Migdol to Syene Those within her shall fall by the sword,” Says the Lord God.
7 “They shall be desolate in the midst of the desolate countries, And her cities shall be in the midst of the cities that are laid waste. 8 Then they will know that I am the Lord, When I have set a fire in Egypt And all her helpers are destroyed. 9 On that day messengers shall go forth from Me in ships To make the careless Ethiopians afraid,And great anguish shall come upon them, As on the day of Egypt; For indeed it is coming!” (Ezekiel 30:2-9)

1 The word of the Lord which came to Jeremiah the prophet against the nations…
8 Egypt rises up like a flood,
And its waters move like the rivers;
And he says, ‘I will go up and cover the earth,
I will destroy the city and its inhabitants.’
9 Come up, O horses, and rage, O chariots!
And let the mighty men come forth:
The Ethiopians and the Libyans who handle the shield,
And the Lydians who handle and bend the bow.
10 For this is the day of the Lord God of hosts,
A day of vengeance,
That He may avenge Himself on His adversaries.
The sword shall devour;
It shall be satiated and made drunk with their blood;
For the Lord God of hosts has a sacrifice
In the north country by the River Euphrates. (Jeremiah 46:1,8-10)

In Ezekiel 30:5 and Jeremiah 46:9 it is the words translated as Lydia and Lydians, not those translated as Libya and Libyans, that appear to be referring to the people in the area of modern Libya.

Both Daniel 11 and Ezekiel 30 tell of a confederation of Arabic and other peoples. Both seem to specifically refer to the peoples in or near Libya, probably including neighboring lands such as Algeria and Tunisia.

The Bible shows that the ‘fate’ of those in the area referred to as Libya includes becoming part of a regional confederation involving Egypt led by one the Bible refers to as the King of the South. The Bible also makes it clear that this confederation will NOT end well and that this will not turn out well for those involved, including Libya.

That being said, the time will come when the Libyans will truly be offered salvation and nearly all will accept it (see Libya, Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia in Prophecy and Universal Offer of Salvation: There Are Hundreds of Verses in the Bible Supporting the Doctrine of True Apocatastasis). Until then, the ‘fate’ of the nation of Libya does not look good, though there will be temporary situations (e.g. Daniel 9:27) that will likely stabilize it for a time.

The solution that various leaders have proposed to the problems of Islamic terrorist groups at this time is some type international cooperation along with a regional coalition. Yesterday, US President Barack Obama alluded to that as well:

September 5, 2014

“Our goal is to act with urgency but also make sure that we’re doing it right, that we have the right targets, that there’s support on the ground … that we have a strong political coalition,” Obama said at a news conference…

One major piece of the strategy for weakening the threat from Islamic State, Obama and aides said, will be the support and participation of the neighbors of Syria and Iraq.

“It is absolutely critical that we have Arab states, and specifically Sunni-majority states, that are rejecting the kind of extremist nihilism that we’re seeing out of ISIL, that say, ‘That is not what Islam is about,’ and are prepared to join us actively in the fight,” Obama said, using one of the acronyms for Islamic State. http://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-obama-islamic-state-20140905-story.html

The Bible shows that the areas that are currently Sunni-majority states in the Middle East and North Africa will compose the final King of the South, and that is something that Barack Obama is seemingly advocating.

Back in 2009, I warned:

…the Bible predicts that at the appointed time, a King of the North and a King of the South with rise. Various statements that Barack Obama has made suggest that he will implement policies that will likely help lead to the multi-national formations that will ultimately have these kings. (Thiel B. 2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect. 2009)

Barack Obama is and has been doing that. The final King of the South will form. And yes, Libya will be part of it.

Some items of additional interest may include the following:

Libya, Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia in Prophecy What is ahead for North Africa? What does the Bible teach?
The Prophesied ‘Islamic’ Confederation Where is an Islamic caliphate prophesied? Will one happen? Should you be concerned about it? A related video is Will an Arabic Calphiphate Destroy the West?
The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27 This prophecy could give up to 3 1/2 years advance notice of the coming Great Tribulation. Will most ignore or misunderstand its fulfillment? Here is a link to a related sermon video Daniel 9:27 and the Start of the Great Tribulation.
How Will Middle East Peace be Brought About? Can humans bring peace to the Middle East? Here is a link to a related video: Middle East Peace? When?
Is the Future King of the South Rising Up? Some no longer believe there needs to be a future King of the South. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? Might this King be called the Mahdi or Caliph? What does the Bible say? A YouTube video of related interest may be: The Future King of the South is Rising.
The Muslim Brotherhood and the Rise of the King of the South The Bible tells of the formation of a power of nations that are in the Middle East and North Africa that are part of the final “King of the South” (Daniel 11:40-43) The Muslim Brotherhood wishes to have an Islamic empire with basically the same nations. This YouTube video explains what to expect from such a confederation.
The Arab and Islamic World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam? What about the Imam Mahdi? What lies ahead for Turkey, Iran, and the other non-Arabic Muslims? An item of possibly related interest in the Spanish language would be: Líderes iraníes condenan la hipocresía de Occidente y declaran que ahora es tiempo para prepararse para el Armagedón, la guerra, y el Imán Mahdi.
Gaza and the Palestinians in Bible Prophecy What does the Bible teach about Gaza and the fate of the Palestinians? Here is a link to a related video: Gaza and Palestine in Prophecy.
Damascus and Syria in Prophecy Will Bashar Assad hold power as he has it? Does the Bible show that Damascus, the capital of Syria, will be destroyed? What will happen to Syria? Will the Syrians support the final King of the South that the Bible tells will rise up? Which scriptures discuss the rise and fall of an Arabic confederation? Does Islamic prophecy predict the destruction of Syria. This is a YouTube video.
Egypt in Prophecy Does Egypt have a special role in end time prophecy? Will Egypt rise up and then be defeated. What does God teach will happen to those in Egypt? Here is a link to a YouTube video titled Egypt and End Time Prophecy.
Iraq, the King of the South, Armageddon, and Prophecy What will happen to Iraq? Is it the prophesied Mystery Babylon? What is Armageddon and how does that have to do with Iraq? Here is a related video Iraq, Armageddon, & Prophecy.
Iran in Prophecy Is Iran in Bible prophecy? If so, what does the Bible teach? What names, other than Persia, may be used to describe Iran? There is also a YouTube video titled Iran in Prophecy. Here is a related video Iran In Prophecy.
What Should You Know About Turkey in Prophecy Do you know the Turkish people descended from? Did the Ottoman Empire possibly fulfill a promise in Genesis? Will Turkey support the European King of the North or Arabic King of the South? Will it betray one of them? Will Turkey be involved in the encouraging the destruction of Israel? Is Turkey going to become Catholic? Is Turkey mentioned in Psalm 83, Daniel 11, and elsewhere in the Bible? This video provides answers.
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2014, 2015, or 2016? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede comenzar la Gran Tribulación en 2013 o 2014? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language video The Great Tribulation Will Not Begin Before 2017.
Universal Offer of Salvation: There Are Hundreds of Verses in the Bible Supporting the Doctrine of True Apocatastasis Do you believe what the Bible actually teaches on this? Will all good things be restored? Will God call everyone? Will everyone have an opportunity for salvation? Does God’s plan of salvation take rebellion and spiritual blindness into account? Related sermon videos include Universal Offer of Salvation I: God is love and Universal Offer of Salvation II: The Age to Come and the ‘Little Flock’ and Universal Offer of Salvation III: All Are to Know Jesus, But When? and Universal Offer of Salvation IV: Will the Guilty be Pardoned? and Universal Offer of Salvation V: All Israel Will be Saved? A version of the main article was also translated in the Spanish language: Oferta universal de salvación: Hay cientos de versículos en la Biblia que apoyan la verdadera doctrina de la Apocatastasis.
Prophecies of Barack Obama? Reasons why Barack Obama is apocalyptic and reasons why Barack Obama is not the Antichrist. This article includes many biblical and non-biblical prophecies, from around the world, that seem to discuss Barack Obama. Did Nostradamus predict Barack Obama dealing with the Antichrist? Might Barack Obama set the stage for the kings of the North and South as at least one Shiite prophecy suggests? Read it and decide for yourself if President Obama seems to be fulfilling various prophecies. Watch also the YouTube Barack Obama and the State of the Apocalypse.