Russia Working on Middle East Peace Deal
President of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev
Today, the President of Russia is meeting with the Palestinians related to a possible peace deal in the Middle East:
Reuters
JERICHO, January 18, 2011Russian President Dmitry Medvedev drove into Israel-occupied West Bank on Tuesday, for talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on reviving the moribund Middle East peace process. His convoy, from Amman airport in Jordan, crossed over the historic Allenby Bridge, in an unusual route for a head
of state. The route was charted as a result of an Israeli foreign ministry strike which forced him to cancel the Israel leg of his trip…
“It is crucial for us to continue our work with the Middle East quartet … to revive the talks,” said a Kremlin official, speaking on the eve of Tuesday’s talks in Jericho. The quartet — the United States, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations — is due to meet next month, in Munich, to discuss ways to revive the Middle East peace process, which has been a foreign policy priority for U.S. President Barack Obama. http://www.hindustantimes.com/Medvedev-in-West-Bank-to-resume-middle-east-peace-deal/Article1-651916.aspx
So, the Russian President, US President Obama, and the Europeans are working on a Middle East peace deal and plan to meet again next month. This seems to be consistent with certain biblical prophecies.
Is a Middle East Peace Deal Expected?
The Bible indicates that a peace deal will be made involving a certain leader about 3 1/2 years prior to the start of the Great Tribulation and seven years prior to the return of Jesus Christ.
27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week;
But in the middle of the week
He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.
And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate,
Even until the consummation, which is determined,
Is poured out on the desolate (Daniel 9:26-27).31 And forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation (Daniel 11:31).
Why is this “covenant” and breaking of it believed to be related to a peace deal?
There are several reasons, but notice some other scriptures that discuss this northern leader:
25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand. (Daniel 8:25, KJV).
23 And after the league is made with him he shall act deceitfully, for he shall come up and become strong with a small number of people. 24 He shall enter peaceably, even into the richest places of the province; and he shall do what his fathers have not done, nor his forefathers: he shall disperse among them the plunder, spoil, and riches; and he shall devise his plans against the strongholds, but only for a time. (Daniel 11:23-24, NKJV)
So this leader gives people the impression that there will be “peace”. Term is translated as “peace” in Daniel 8:25 is from the Hebrew term shalvah and essentially means security. In other words, this leader will destroy “many” who are under the impression that they are secure because of some type of security arrangement. Such arrangements are now commonly referred to as peace deals. And just having a peace deal does not mean that there will not be violations of it as well as wars in areas that the peace deal does not cover. We in LCG do not teach that the entire world will have peace for 3 1/2 years prior to the start of the Great Tribulation, only that it looks like a Middle East peace deal will be entered into.
Because of the current unrest in Tunisia, Iran, and other parts of the Middle East, it may be that some type of war will break out prior to the peace deal that the Bible. Often devastation from war is the incentive for disputing factions to accept a peace deal. And even after peace deals, skirmishes, etc. occur.
Two Reasons Why a Peace Deal Can Precede Sudden Destruction
But does not the Bible teach that sudden destruction comes when a peace deal is made?
Not exactly. Notice what the Bible says:
3 For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. (1 Thessalonians 5:3)
Does this not mean that there will not be a peace deal in place for 3 1/2 years prior to the start of the Great Tribulation?
Not necessarily.
Why?
There are at least two reasons.
The first is that there are multiple times in the Bible where it shows that people will declare times of peace. And not all of them have the sudden destruction element to them. For example, in my book 2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect I mention at least three of them. And I wrote (see page 246 2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect) that it appears that the declaration of peace related to the visions of certain false prophets as well as the peace deal in Daniel 9:26b-27 is the following:
10 “Because, indeed, because they have seduced My people, saying, ‘Peace!’ when there is no peace — and one builds a wall, and they plaster it with untempered mortar — 11 say to those who plaster it with untempered mortar, that it will fall. There will be flooding rain, and you, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall tear it down. 12 Surely, when the wall has fallen, will it not be said to you, ‘Where is the mortar with which you plastered it?'”
13 Therefore thus says the Lord God: “I will cause a stormy wind to break forth in My fury; and there shall be a flooding rain in My anger, and great hailstones in fury to consume it. 14 So I will break down the wall you have plastered with untempered mortar, and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundation will be uncovered; it will fall, and you shall be consumed in the midst of it. Then you shall know that I am the Lord. (Ezekiel 13:10-14, NKJV)
The second reason is that the sudden destruction that the Apostle Paul warned about in 1 Thessalonians 5:3 seems to be tied to the events of Daniel 11:31 and Daniel 9:27. Notice that Jesus tied a suddenness to the events that Daniel was referring to:
15 “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. 18 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. (Matthew 24:15-22)
Consider that Daniel was inspired to write that a seven year deal was made, that in the middle of the deal it would be broken, and that this break happens when the abomination is set up. The elements of something happening in the middle of the seven year deal (which is 3 1/2 years after the deal), combined with Jesus’ warnings in Matthew 24, suggest it is then that the suddenness is a factor. And when you consider that the King of the North destroys after a “league” (probable peace deal) is made, this supports the idea that there would be a gap between the peace deal of Daniel 9:27/11:23 and the destruction that comes later (Daniel 11:31-39; Matthew 24:15-22).
Also notice what the late Herbert W. Armstrong wrote in 1979 where he tied together Daniel 11:31 and Matthew 24:15 with a sudden disaster:
What is this abomination? This refers to Daniel 11:31 and Matthew 24:15…That will be a time when the UNITED Europe shall appear–the revival of the medieval “Holy Roman Empire.” We shall then be warned, and readied to be taken to a place of refuge and safety from the Great Tribulation. Forty-five days later “the beasts armies” will surround Jerusalem. Thirty days later the Great Tribulation will probably start with a nuclear attack on London and Britain–and possibly the same day or immediately after, on the United States and Canadian cities. The GREAT TRIBULATION, we shall fully then realize, is the time of “Jacob’s Trouble,” spoken of in Jeremiah 30:7. And Jacob’s name was named on Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Manasseh (Gen. 48:16). At that time a third of the people in our nations will die, or shall have died, by famine and disease epidemics; another third will dies of the war–our cities being destroyed (Ezek. 6:6), and the remaining third will be carried to the land of our enemies as slaves (Ezek. 5:12). Armstrong HW. The Time We Are In, Now. Pastor General’s Report-Vol 1, No. 15, November 20, 1979, Page 2).
So, Herbert Armstrong had the disaster of the Great Tribulation beginning when the covenant was broken, as that seems to be what is happening in Daniel 11:31.
If we look at all the scriptures (many of which I have listed in this post), we see that there will be a peace deal that will precede the establishment of the abomination of desolation being set up and that once that abomination is set up there will be a new urgency as that is when the Great Tribulation will be ready to commence.
As I have written in both my 2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect book as well as my article about the King of the North, the King of the North will pretend to be promoting peace even though he will be a military leader according to Bible prophecy (Daniel 11:24; 29-43; Revelation 13:3-4). A Middle East peace deal is expected and world leaders are working to get one right now.
Some articles of possibly related interest may include:
Russia: Its Origins and Prophesied Future Where do the Russians come from? What is prophesied for Russia? What will it do to the Europeans that supported the Beast in the end?
Is Russia the King of the North? Some claim it is. But what does the Bible teach?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies point to the sameEuropean leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States?
Prophecies of Barack Obama? Eight reasons why Barack Obama is apocalyptic and eight 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? This is the longest and most complete article on this page on Barack Obama prophecies. Read it and decide for yourself if President Obama seems to be fulfilling various prophecies.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States Some claim that Barack Obama is the prophesied “son of Kenya”, based up an early 20th century writing.
 |
Tweet |
|