Sorry if I haven't been updating the site much in the last week or so. Things have been quite quiet, and I have been taking a bit of a break from writing over the Christmas holiday. Looking back on 2007, I feel that perhaps we have not come as far as I had first expected we would... 

Major political events this year included the election of former Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres to the presidency, who's name in Hebrew literally means "Harkening to division". We saw the Gaza Strip fall to Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas, approximately two years after Israel's disengagement from the territory. Then we had the Annapolis peace conference, which was billed as the commencement for final status negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. Despite the promises, it looks like this conference was a major fudge. Israel released hundreds of Palestinian terrorists and pledged to divide Jerusalem, while the Palestinian Authority continues to broadcast its message of hate. The international community later pledged over $7 billion for the establishment of a Palestinian state before the end of next year. The European Union finally found its one voice, in signing two major treaties which effectively give the EU its own legal identity on the world stage. The bloc also grew to 27 members, and nine additional countries entered into the Schengen zone. We saw emergence of Russia as a major player on the world stage.

On the financial side of things, we saw the company known as VeriChip - which markets the microchip that can be implanted in humans for identification purposes, change its name to Xmark. Britain also announced plans for launching an identification card that can be used throughout the European Union. 

On the natural-disasters front, we saw the biggest storm in sixty years hit Arab nations, right on the sixtieth anniversary of the Six Day War. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice fiddled while California burned, as the Bush administration called for more aid to be given to the Palestinian Authority. There was an increase of earthquake activity in Israel coinciding with an increase in political activity, with experts warning that the "big one" was long overdue and could occur at any moment. We saw record breaking floods in the first half of the year coupled with severe droughts in the later half, which have decimated wheat harvests and increased the price of bread.

On the prophetical side of things, we saw the Temple Institute complete the manufacture of the Golden Crown for the High Priest and announce that they are producing blueprints for the construction of the Third Temple. The recently formed Sanhedrin sent a letter to every nation on earth calling for the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple. We witnessed the first public gathering of the tribe of Levi, and the first recitation of the priestly blessing upon the Temple Mount since the destruction of the Second Temple. A Kabbalist Rabbi who claimed he met the Messiah in 2003 revealed that His name is Yeshua to his stunned followers a year after his death. We also witnessed an horrific attack on the person of Jesus Christ, after it was claimed by filmmakers James Cameron and Simcha Jacobovici that the burial tomb of Jesus Christ had been discovered in Jerusalem. Those claims were later retracted.

These were the highlights of 2007. We witnessed a flurry of activity in the Middle East in December 2006, and we thought an agreement would come by the end of the year. But none did. Some had even thought we may be entering Daniel's 70th week on January 1st, 2007. I thought this was possible until it became clear that the Palestinian unity government would not be formed. Likewise there was no sign of the 144,000 Jewish witnesses, nor the two witnesses who are to prophesy in Jerusalem for the first 3.5 years. Likewise, at the end of 2007 we thought the Annapolis peace conference could bring about a major change in events. But the chances of peace look pretty remote.

What will happen in 2008? It's very difficult to say. With the EU now concentrating on globalization, I expect we will see further developments in this area, specifically in relation to the Muslim world's relations with the West and the global financial system. There will also be a flurry of activity to try and get the EU Constitution ratified by 2009. Regarding peace in the Middle East, it's more difficult to speculate. Both sides have committed themselves to formulating an agreement by the end of next year, but it remains to be seen how that can come about. Perhaps this will only happen closer to the time of the Antichrist's rise to prominence. Russia will continue to increase its dominance in the region in any case.

For me personally? Once again I feel almost a sense of dread inside, as if the next year was an unwritten page upon which I must write many things. I felt the same way after my grandmother died. After her death the world felt a whole lot more meaningless, and I wondered why the Lord had left us here on earth and taken her home to heaven. How would we continue to live out our lives without her? We did, though, and the Lord was with us. In the same way I feel unsure and uncertain about what the future holds for the coming year. At the start of last year, I had resolved to have a greater influence for God in the lives of others. I don't know if I have had much success at that. I was also resolved to pray more, and I definitely didn't succeed at that. This year I just hope that the Lord helps me in whatever He would have me to do. I may be a Gideon, but even God can do mighty things through a Gideon.

Judges 6:12
And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.