Prophecy in the news
"Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book:
for the time is at hand." - Rev 22:10 

Quote: "The team focused on smaller asteroids because they hit the Earth more frequently. An asteroid a few hundred metres across hits the planet about once every 10,000 years, on average, while those larger than 1 kilometre hit only every 100,000 years or so. Small asteroids are also harder to spot. "We're more likely to be hit by one without much warning," Bailey told New Scientist. Using maps of population density, the researchers charted the places likely to suffer the most casualties. As might be expected, countries with large coastal populations turned out to be most vulnerable, with China, Indonesia, India, Japan and the US in the top five spots.

Ever since the Asian tsunami in December 2004, analysts have been particularly worried about the possible effects of an asteroid impact in the ocean. The Asian tsunami struck a dozen countries and resulted in the deaths of over 300,000 people. But even though Shoemaker Levy 9 struck Jupiter in July 1994 with the whole world watching, the world in general has not thought much about the possibility that such an object could strike the earth. The Bible states that during the tribulation, a large asteroid will indeed strike the ocean, causing much devastation.

Revelation 8:8-9
And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood; And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.

Source New Scientist, Nasa

For an example of BBC bias against Israel, last year's report focused on the use of the word "terrorism". This word was used by the BBC to describe the July 7th bombings in London, but is never used in the context of Palestinian atrocities against Jews. In fact the media in general has a different word to describe terrorists in almost every country. In Northern Ireland they are "dissidents", in Chechnya they are "separatists", in the Middle East they are "militants", if they are politically minded Muslims they are called "Islamists", if they are far right or far left they are "extremists", if they are killing people in their own country they are "insurgents", ad infinitum. My Bible has only one word for them, "murderers".  

Well it seems someone is so fed up with all this media malarkey, that they are prepared to do something about it. A few years ago, a man called Malcolm Balen was brought in by the BBC to moderate its Middle East coverage after Israel banned contact with the organization following the Vanunu nuclear spy scandal. At the end of his tenure, he commissioned a 20,000 page report on BBC coverage of the Middle East conflict. A solicitor has filed a Freedom of Information request, demanding the BBC hand over the secretive document that officially condemned BBC bias against Israel, and the BBC has spent a whopping £200,000 of public money fighting that order in the courts. 

Quote: "In October 2004, as his one-year contract drew to a close, Mr Balen presented the BBC with a 20,000-page report. Those who accuse the BBC of anti-Israeli bias suspect that it supported their case but no one outside the BBC has been allowed to see it. Mr Balen has gone on the record to say that he does not believe there is anti-Semitism in the BBC, but did imply that the Corporation had made " mistakes", which should not be seen as evidence of malice. Steven Sugar, a commercial solicitor from Putney, west London, put in a request to the BBC to see the whole report, citing the Freedom of Information Act. "A very large proportion of the Jewish community felt rightly or wrongly that the BBC's reporting of the second Palestinian intifada or uprising that broke out in 2000 was seriously distorted," he said. " I myself, as a member of the Jewish community, felt that and was very distressed by it. Now I don't know whether it is important to see this report or not. Instinct says that if they don't want to give it to me it may be important."

The BBC state that they are bringing the case to court because they needed clarity on how the Freedom of Information act applies to it, but that doesn't wash with me. Not when you are prepared to spend £200,000 to keep its contents secret.

Source Belfast Telegraph

Isaiah 60:15-16 
Whereas you (Israel) have been forsaken and hated, so that no one went through you, I will make you an eternal excellence, A joy of many generations. You shall drink the milk of the Gentiles, and milk the breast of kings; You shall know that I, the Lord, am your Saviour And your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.

Of course before all this comes to pass, Israel will have to endure the greatest period of persecution they have ever seen. But all this is according to God's plan, and God has promised He will not make a full end of the nation (Jeremiah 4:27). Well I have been so discontented lately, wondering if God has forgotten about me, and wondering when He is going to grant me deliverance. But talking about all this reminded me of a particular song by Len Magee, about the difference between God's perspective and man's perspective. As the Lord says, My ways are not your ways, and my thoughts are not your thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9). Some of the lyrics from the song are "I see confusion, You see a plan; I can't conceive of what You understand; You see the glory, I see the cross; You see the gain, but I see the loss; and I need to see things clearly again". God sees the future laid out before Him, just like we see the past laid out behind us. The wonder is that we get so concerned about our futures! If God can see the future, and the Bible states in Revelation that He knows the beginning from the ending (Revelation 1:8), then God must have a plan for each one of our lives. Jesus Christ said not to be anxious about tomorrow (Matthew 6:34), and He knows...

a) what is best for our lives
b) what is best for others in our lives
c) what things we need
d) what things might be a snare to us
e) what He wants us to do and be for Him

If God knows all these things, then any stress or anxiety on my part is wasted energy. I am trusting Him that I am where He wants me to be today, that I will be where He wants me to be tomorrow, and forever.

Quote: "Solana, who flew in from Brussels to address the annual Arab League summit in Riyadh, was hoping that a meeting of the international Middle East peace Quartet — EU, Russia, UN and United States — with key Arab players can be swiftly arranged to further the peace process. “We plan for the next Quartet meeting to take place in the region and if possible another one bringing together the so-called Arab Quartet,” he said. European sources said that initial plans were being made for a Quartet meeting at the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh in the second half of April. Eventually it is hoped to get Israel involved in the talks.

On the Israeli front things are also "progressing", with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert agreeing to hold bi-weekly talks with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has promised to attend the talks from time to time to ensure progress is being made. The talks will be held between Olmert and Abbas on the creation of the "future Palestinian state". Rice called the meetings a confidence building measure, but the question is for who? The meetings on the formation of a Palestinian state will give confidence to terrorist organizations like Hamas and Fatah, that the goal is in reach - the ultimate destruction of Israel.  

Quote: ""In their discussions together, the parties will also begin to discuss the development of a political horizon consistent with the establishment of a Palestinian state in accordance with the road map," she said. Rice stressed these were "initial discussions to build confidence between the parties." The visiting secretary of state went on to say that "Palestinians must know that their state will be viable. Israelis must know that a future state of Palestine will be a source of security, not a threat to it." She was not sure whether the negotiations would yield a breakthrough before the U.S. presidential elections next year.

The Gaza Strip was once Israel's most productive region. It's hard to imagine that this piece of land was once home to over 8000 Israelis. But the Gaza Strip is no longer "viable", it is used as a base for carrying out terrorist attacks against Israel. If the Palestinian terrorist organizations cannot make a tiny strip of land a few miles long viable, what chance have they of making the West Bank viable? None whatsoever. So while Israel attempts to make peace, Palestinian terrorists and Islamic nations in general are bent on making war against the Jewish state. Today, Saudi Arabian Al Faisal stated that if Israel rejects the Saudi Initiative, that offers Arab recognition in return for land captured during the Six Day War, that it will be the equivalent of asking for war.

Quote: "The Telegraph quoted al-Faisal as saying that Israel could choose whether to accept the proposal or reject it. "What we have the power to do in the Arab world, we think we have done," he said. "So now it is up to the other side because if you want peace, it is not enough for one side only to want it. Both sides must want it equally." He predicted a gloomy reality in the event that would reject the initiative: "If Israel refuses, that means it doesn't want peace and it places everything back into the hands of fate. They will be putting their future not in the hands of the peacemakers but in the hands of the lords of war." "It has never been proven that reaching out to Israel achieves anything," he told the Telegraph. "Other Arab countries have recognized Israel and what has that achieved? The largest Arab country, Egypt, recognized Israel and what was the result? Not one iota of change happened in the attitude of Israel towards peace." 

My spirit says Israel should reject the Saudi Initiative outright for the devilish deal that it is, and fight these nations that have attempted to destroy Israel at least half a dozen times. But in my heart I know that Israel cannot fight their enemies without God on their side. God is for Israel, but He can't give them the victory while they walk in their sins. And this is why it will go so hard for Israel during the tribulation period, as is prophesied, the Antichrist will divide their land and the nations of the world will seek to destroy Israel at the battle of Har Megiddo. Only when they come to the end of themselves and look to Him whom they pierced (Yeshua HaMashiach, Jesus Christ), will God save the nation. 

Joshua 7:11-12
Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put [it] even among their own stuff. Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, [but] turned [their] backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.

Source Khaleej Times, Haaretz, YNet News

Quote: "Let us consider the past few months. More than 130 Palestinians have been killed by Palestinian forces. This is three times the combined total that were the pretexts of calling special sessions in July and November... Little three year-old boy Salam Balusha and his two brothers were murdered in their car by Prime Minister Haniyeh's troops. Why has this council chosen silence? Because Israel could not be blamed," Neuer declared. "Because in truth, the despots who run this council couldn't care less about Palestinians or any human rights. They seek to demonise Israeli democracy. To delegitimize the Jewish state. To scapegoat the Jewish people. They also seek something else. To distort and pervert the very idea of human rights."

For his pains, the Council President said that if any further speeches were made in such a derogatory tone, that their statements would be stricken from the record. Yikes! And this guy's supposed to be in charge of Human Rights in 192 countries?! It looks like it's happening all over again. If this UN Human Rights Council had been headed by Adolph Hitler, it couldn't have made any more anti-Jewish resolutions. If 1933-1938 are anything to go by, a great time of persecution for the Jewish nation may soon be upon us.

Psalms 2:1-3
Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.

Source YNet News

Senior sources in Brussels have revealed that the UK is secretly backing plans for the creation of a permanent EU President. Currently the presidency of Europe rotates every six months around member states, but the European Constitution will create the posts of a permanent EU President and Foreign Minister, giving more continuity. It was revealed at last week's summit on the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Rome, that EU leaders want to revive the ill-fated constitution by at least 2009. 

Quote: "The president would be appointed by other EU leaders, rather than being directly elected. Neil O'Brien, director of the independent think tank Open Europe, warned that the new president would inevitably gain more powers as time went on. Mr O'Brien said: "It is very hard to see how the president would be accountable to the people. As for who could do it, Tony Blair would be an obvious candidate."

I thought that was real interesting that British Prime Minister Tony Blair would be a top candidate for European President. I said not so long ago that I thought he would end up with a top job in Europe, as he has served the elite well. His government has brought in homosexual marriage, homosexual adoption, has ended the prohibition on the promotion of homosexuality in schools, has made it illegal to discriminate against homosexuals, is bringing in a compulsory national identity card and has attempted to make it a crime to speak against other religions. My friend Cheryl says that Europeans should be very concerned that their future President would not be elected by the people, but appointed by other EU leaders. Unfortunately this is the way the European Union works. The European Commission is not elected by the people, ministers are appointed to the Commission by member state governments, and remain completely unaccountable to their home countries, even though they decide most of our laws. The EU is a supranational entity. It is an organization that exists above state governments, and I guess that's why it is said of Daniel's fourth beast, that it is diverse from all other empires that have come before it. The following link was sent to me by my friend Ed, and are by Javier Solana's grandfather, Salvador de Madariaga, on the subject of state sovereignty and supranational organizations...

Quote: "It is a well-known fact that the League works on the principle of unanimity. The alternative to such a principle is a super-state, since on the day a nation could be bound by decisions taken by an international body against its own vote, its own sovereignty would have been transferred to the international body in question...

Source Rader News Network

Quote: ""What we are trying to do at the moment is to pursue this through the diplomatic channels and make the Iranian government understand these people have to be released," Blair told GMTV television. "I hope we manage to get them to realise they have to release them. If not, then this will move into a different phase," he said.

There is no doubt President Ahmadinejad intends to use the sailors as a bargaining chip over the Iranian nuclear crisis. Either their presence in Teheran will prevent an Israeli-US strike in the region, or Iran will agree to release the hostages in return for certain guarantees, or perhaps its purpose is to show the West what could happen as a result of a strike. This news comes as the US launches its biggest military manoeuvre in the Gulf to date.

Quote: "The US Navy on Tuesday began its largest demonstration of force in the Persian Gulf since the 2003 invasion of Iraq, led by a pair of aircraft carriers and backed by warplanes flying simulated attack manoeuvres off the coast of Iran. The manoeuvres bring together two strike groups of US warships and more than a hundred US warplanes to conduct simulated air warfare in the crowded Gulf shipping lanes.

Source YNet News, Jerusalem Post

Quote: "Riyadh, Asharq Al-Awsat- Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al Faisal reaffirmed yesterday that the 2002 Arab peace plan which offers Israel normal ties with all Arab states in return for full withdrawal from Arab land occupied in the 1967 Middle East war. "There will be no amendment to the Arab peace initiative. We have said this 20 times before in the past and this is the last time I will say this," Prince Saud told reporters in Riyadh.

But sources speaking on the condition of anonymity state that Arab nations are considering "re-packaging" of the Saudi deal, which may make it easier for Israel to accept the deal without making it appear that the Arabs are watering down their demands. Arab leaders have suggested Israel could accept the Saudi Initiative "in principle", after which the two sides could get down to the business of negotiating the details.

Quote: "The diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the discussions, said Arab countries including Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia would be proposing "a repackaging" of the deal. Under that repackaging, the Arab leaders would insist that Israel accept the 2002 Arab peace plan in principle before returning to any talks, but would also agree that the Palestinians and Arab countries would be ready to soften their conditions once negotiations began, the diplomats said. Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa, who spoke Monday at the foreign ministers' meeting in addition to al-Faisal, did not insist in his speech that the plan could never be changed. That was viewed as significant.

This is the exact situation I predicted may happen last month, that Arab leaders could accept a normalization of relations with Israel in return for a promise to withdraw from all land captured during the Six Day War. Israeli Prime Minister Olmert has already stated he views parts of the Saudi Initiative as positive. Of course we don't know whether it will be this plan or whether it will be a European plan that will be adopted. But what seems certain is that Israel is moving towards making peace with their enemies, which will culminate in the greatest period of persecution the Jewish nation has ever faced.

Source Asharq Alawsat, Jerusalem Post

Quote: "The process would involve extracting stem cells from the donor's bone marrow and injecting them into the peritoneum of a sheep's foetus. When the lamb is born, two months later, it would have a liver, heart, lungs and brain that are partly human and available for transplant.

The British government recently permitted UK scientists to create human-cow hybrids, from an animal nucleus and a human egg, although this results in a cow with around only one percent of human genes. I find this particular development worrying, even if the benefits to mankind are great. I don't believe God intended us to mess with the building blocks of life, at least not in this manner. The Bible states that during the tribulation period mankind will be afflicted by a bizarre creature, that seems to be part locust, part scorpion, part human. I don't know whether this is a literal creature or whether John is using symbolic language to describe something he doesn't understand. But with the recent advancements of genetics, it is entirely possible for this Scripture to be literally fulfilled. 

Revelation 9:7-10
And the shapes of the locusts [were] like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads [were] as it were crowns like gold, and their faces [were] as the faces of men. And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as [the teeth] of lions. And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings [was] as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle. And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power [was] to hurt men five months.

Source Mail on Sunday, ENS Newswire

Quote: "With European unification a dream of earlier generations has become a reality. Our history reminds us that we must protect this for the good of future generations. For that reason we must always renew the political shape of Europe in keeping with the times. That is why today, 50 years after the signing of the Treaties of Rome, we are united in our aim of placing the European Union on a renewed common basis before the European Parliament elections in 2009.

There is no doubt the European Union has been successful in ending war between the states of Europe. As a European I am thankful for that. Angela Merkel stated that the EU has come closer to creating a common army. Thanks to Javier Solana, who also heads the European Defence Association, has helped implement a single European defence market, and heads a single EU Anti-Terrorism Force. The EU has also created a single European Police Force. We've been saying it, and EU leaders have been saying it, the next step is the creation of a de-facto European army. 

Quote: "In her interview with Bild, Mrs Merkel added: "In the EU itself, we have to come closer to creating a common European army. A European federal state won’t exist either in 50 years, we will keep the diversity of member states. 

Europe isn't all bad, Europe is a good idea from man's perspective. The Bible teaches us to be subject to the powers that be (Romans 13), and as our country is a member of the European Union, that includes being subject to Europe. I think it's either Jehovah's Witnesses or Mormons that claim that the powers that be are not ordained of God, and that we must not be subject to them. This is not taught in Scripture, anywhere. Jesus said, "Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's", Matthew 22:21. But man's perspective of governmental authority and God's perspective are two completely different things. Nebuchadnezzar viewed world empires as a wonderful statue crafted with precious metals (Daniel 2), while God viewed the same as brute beasts that devoured the earth (Daniel 7). In the spiritual realm the European Union is a beast, and will and is already defying the God of heaven. Praise God that those who have trusted in Jesus Christ for salvation are citizens of another country. 

Daniel 2:44 
And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

Source BBC, Times Online

Quote: "Supporting the idea of a common EU foreign minister, the Germans have also granted Javier Solana, the EU's top foreign-policy chief, the chair in no less than 11 of 21 EU meetings. 'We thought Solana would get to chair one or two meetings for symbolic reasons,' Maurer said. 'But 11, that's more than just a symbol.'

And as the world marks the 50th birthday of the Daniel's fourth beast, the Revived Roman Empire, another prophecy relating to the end times is also coming to pass. On March 31st, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology will receive hundreds of submissions from across the globe in a new competition which intends to help create a "Just Jerusalem". Organizations have been asked by the MIT to think of ideas which will help solve the ongoing conflict between the world's "three monotheistic religions", and end thousands of years of enmity between the seed of promise and the seed of the bondwoman. The participants will have to decide how Jerusalem can become "just, peaceful, and sustainable" by 2050, and whether it should be the divided capital of Israel and Palestine, or the capital of one state.

Quote: "Israel captured Arab East Jerusalem from Jordan with the rest of the West Bank in 1967 and annexed it, declaring it part of what it calls its "united and eternal capital". The world does not recognise the annexation, while Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state.

In actual fact, the West Bank never belonged to Jordan in the first place. It was originally intended to be given to the Jewish people as part of the Balfour Declaration, but after Western leaders succumbed to Islamic pressure, the land was divided and the UN decided to give most of the area west of the Jordan river to the Palestinians. But when Israel declared independence in 1948, and the surrounding Arab nations launched a war intending to destroy the newly created Jewish state, Jordan captured the areas of Judea and Samaria which is now called the West Bank. Jordan again lost control of this land during the Six Day War in 1967. And that is why Israel sees no problem with "occupying" the West Bank and Gaza, they are the legitimate spoils of war and they did not belong to any country before hand. So as you can see, with the Revived Roman Empire increasing its influence in the region, and the issue of Jerusalem at the very heart of the world's political problems, it won't be long before the events spoken of concerning the end times in the Bible come to pass.

Joel 3:2 
I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and [for] my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.

Daniel 7:7-8
After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it [was] diverse from all the beasts that [were] before it; and it had ten horns. I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn (Antichrist), before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn [were] eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.

Source People's Daily, Monsters and Critics, Reuters

Quote: "Sir Elton, who turns 60 on Sunday, "married" long-time partner David Furnish in a civil partnership in 2005. The singer said the union was his legal and human right, adding: "And I wanted everyone to know, I wanted to shout about it." But he went on: "In some countries, my voice would have been drowned out. Maybe even stamped out. "Men and women are persecuted and attacked every day all over the world, just because of who they love and who they make love to."

It's not the first time the singer has courted controversy. Not so long ago, he also expressed his desire that organized religion would be banned, because it turned people against homosexuality.

Quote: "On Sunday, November 12, Sir Elton told interviewer Jake Shears (a performer with the group "Scissor Sisters") that he wants to see an organized effort to suppress institutionalised faith. "From my point of view I would ban religion completely," the superstar declared, "even though there are some wonderful things about it... But the reality is that organized religion doesn't seem to work. It turns people into hateful lemmings and it's not really compassionate."

That's something I find very hard to understand. The world expects Christians to be tolerant, just as Christ demonstrated love to all men. And so we should be. Jesus Christ is our greatest example, and no man can out-love God. But when Christians condemn sin for what it is (really the Scriptures condemn it, not Christians), they are slammed as being intolerant bigots. Why? Because Christians believe in moral absolutes (God defines right and wrong, Leviticus 11:44), while men believe in moral relativism (every man doing that which is right in his own eyes, Judges 17:6). But Jesus Christ was never tolerant of sin, even though He showed compassion and mercy to those who were caught up in it. He did not approve of the lifestyle of the woman at the well (John 4), who had five husbands and was living with another man. Neither did He approve of the woman who was caught in the act of adultery (John 8:4). If He did, there would have been no reason why the Lord had to go to the cross and die for our sins. And this is why Elton John must ban religion, despite believing it has so many good points, because God's Word condemns him in his sin and commands him to be reconciled to God.

Source BBC, Town Hall

Quote: "At least five people were killed and several churches burned down in February 2006 in the neighbouring state of Bauchi by Muslims infuriated that a Christian teacher in a secondary school had tried to confiscate a Koran from a student who was reading it during class. Word got out into the streets that the teacher had desecrated the Koran, infuriating Muslims who went on the rampage.

The BBC ran the same story, but attempts to justify the Muslim murderers.

Quote: "Religious differences have long been used to justify all kinds of violence in Nigeria, our reporter says. In reality it is often fuelled by ethnic or political conflicts and competition for resources, which can be fierce, given that so many people live in poverty, he says.

So according to Alex Last, this is not your typical Islamic murder story. No, on the surface it looks that way, but you have to look deeper to the underlying cause, poverty. Just like those poor French Muslims, who didn't know how to do anything else except riot, because they were so poor. 

In reality, it seems you don't even need to desecrate a Qur'an to get yourself in trouble. A few years ago, the media reported that US soldiers stationed in Iraq had flushed a Qur'an down the toilet. The story was blown out of all proportions across the Western media, prompting riots across the Islamic world which resulted in the deaths of dozens of people. It was later discovered the story was a complete fabrication, and the news media had not bothered to corroborate their facts. 

Source News, BBC

Quote: "BRUSSELS (AFX) - The European Union has made its first official contact with a member of the new Palestinian unity government, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana's spokeswoman confirmed. She said that the EU's Middle East envoy, Marc Otte, held talks in Gaza City with Palestinian foreign minister Ziad Abu Amr, who is an independent member of the cabinet, grouping Western-backed moderates and Islamic radicals. The spokeswoman gave no details about their meeting.

The European Union has stated that they will meet with ministers of the government that are not members of the terrorist organization Hamas, but I personally doubt that promise will be kept considering British officials have already been holding secret talks with the terrorist group. In fact Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Raymond Johansen met with Hamas-member Prime Minister Ismael Haniyeh yesterday, despite Hamas' refusal to abide by the principles laid down by the Quartet.

Quote: "Norway became the first European country to lift the boycott of the Palestinian Unity Government, and Raymond Johansen met with Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh and President Mahmoud Abbas in Gaza on Monday. NRK correspondent Odd Karsten Tveit says the cancellation of the meetings is to show the Israeli government's displeasure with Norway's decision, and to discourage other countries from doing the same.

So the financial and political boycott against Hamas will soon be lifted, despite the group's defiance of the international community, its recent affirmation that it is working towards the liberation of all Palestine, and that it will use "all forms of resistance" to achieve that goal...

Quote: "The platform makes some rhetorical bows toward satisfying the demands, but also refers to resistance "in all forms" to Israeli occupation. Israeli officials read that as a coded endorsement of suicide bombings or other violence. "I'm not going to try to interpret what the right of resistance means," Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Monday after a meeting with European diplomats. "But I'll tell you it doesn't sound very good to me when one talks about 'all forms' of resistance."

It's a shame the US Secretary of State was unable to declare what the rest of us already know. We need some bold-faced politicians in this Middle East peace process that are willing to call terrorism for what it is, stop deceiving the people and stop appeasing "militant" Islam. The reason why we are in this situation in the first place is because of Western pressure on Israel to permit Hamas to take part in the elections. And Western nations will be the ones to pay the price for rewarding Israel's enemies. Russia, which is currently pressing for the lifting of the economic boycott against the Palestinian Authority, is reeling from three separate disasters that occurred across the country within the last few days, claiming hundreds of lives.

Quote: "PRESIDENT Vladimir Putin ordered yesterday a special Kremlin inquiry into the three tragedies to hit Russia since the weekend, as he sought to show leadership in a moment of national grief. A plane crash, mine disaster and retirement home fire have claimed nearly 200 lives at three separate locations across the country in a matter of days, highlighting the country's lax safety standards and strained emergency services. Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov will lead the high-level probe into the incidents and see if any lessons can be drawn from them.

Source III, Jerusalem Post, Norway Post, Brunei Times

Quote: "The third proposal, which was accepted by the EU monitors, was to make a dash for the Gaza security fence that separates Israel from Gaza, where they would be rescued by the IDF. "They want to know that we will help them escape if the need arises," the defense official said. "Their concerns are understandable if you take into account the large number of threats they face."

Meanwhile Iranian President Ahmadinejad continues his defiance of the international community, attempting to hasten the coming of the Mahdi and the ultimate destruction of the "Zionist regime". Israel held a nation-wide missile attack drill today, in preparation for the likely event of Ahmadinejad or Hizbullah launching more missiles at the Jewish state.

Quote: "The drill was temporarily halted in the center of Israel Tuesday morning after security forces received a warning on terrorists' plans to carry out a terror attack. Road 2 was blocked for traffic in the Sharon region, north of Tel Aviv, and large police forces were dispatched to the area.

So it seems that as the world prepares to accept the Palestinian unity government as a partner for "peace", Israel is preparing for what seems to be an inevitable war...

Source Arutz 7, Jerusalem Post, YNet News

Quote: "Mr Solana told the BBC: "I can tell you that from the very first day we have been doing the utmost, talking to all the leaders, from the Palestinians and to some friends, [and in] civil society that I know and he knew, and to try to see if we can liberate him - the sooner, the better. "I don't have any specific information to be made public now, but the other thing I would like to insist on once again is that we are concerned, that we keep on doing all our efforts every day," he said.

Foreigners have been kidnapped in Gaza before, and are usually released relatively quickly without harm. That is, as long as you aren't Jewish. Corporal Gilad Shalit, who was kidnapped shortly before the outbreak of the war with Hizbullah, is still being held by Hamas in Gaza. And I presume it is Palestinian terrorists affiliated with Hamas that are also holding Alan Johnston. But it seems Johnston is in good company according to the BBC, who claim that Johnston's job was to highlight the "Palestinian predicament" in Gaza. It is very unlikely then that the Palestinians would harm a reporter that has served their cause.

Quote: "The BBC described Johnston as a "highly experienced and respected reporter". "It is his job to bring us day after day reports of the Palestinian predicament in the Gaza Strip," said the BBC's diplomatic correspondent, Paul Adams, himself a former Middle East reporter.

Even members of the Palestinian Authority government have urged the terrorists to release Alan Johnston, lauding him as a "staunch supporter of the Palestinian cause"...

Quote: ""We are opposed to the kidnapping of foreign journalists who serve the Palestinian cause," new PA "minister" of information Mustafa Barghouti said Saturday.

Source BBC, BBC, Jerusalem Newswire

Around 60 schools in the Philadelphia School District have issued students with contactless RFID cards, to help the relevant authorities keep a better track of them. A company called ScholarChip had been conducting a pilot programme in two schools for a year and a half, and was recently awarded the contract which will see over 56,000 people numbered for identification purposes. The new scheme will electronically record when a pupil enters school grounds, eliminating the need for roll call. Eventually the schools hope there will be enough RFID readers to monitor attendance of classes, and for this they are encouraging students to "wear" their cards, rather than carrying them on their person. The RFID badges can be used to purchase lunch at the cafeteria, gain access to lockers and even alert teachers to which classes truant pupils should be attending. 

Quote: "Students are encouraged to wear the lanyard-attached badge around their necks, however, many are still simply carrying them on their persons, said Ms. DiLella. "We want them to get used to wearing the cards because they’re going to be used (eventually) for classroom attendance." The smart ID badge is tapped when a student enters school grounds. Attendance is taken in a classroom in the normal fashion and the results are compared with the records generated when the students first enter the school. In addition, the badges can be read by portable, PDA-style readers. So, if a student is in the hallway, the badge can be read by an administrator to determine where the student should be.

I thought the idea of "wearing" the RFID cards was particularly striking. For as we have seen, identity cards can be stolen, lost and left at home. "Wearing" the cards would help reduce those problems, and as RFID grows more common place, would become essential for accessing everyday services. And of course wearing the card is one more step towards having the actual chips implanted in your hand or forehead. As we can see, from the speed of this particular implementation process - 59 schools in six weeks, it would not be too difficult for states to scale that up to country-wide identification schemes. In fact that's already happening, and when all our biometric data is finally recorded on computer, it will just be a case of issuing chips - or whatever "Mark" they happen to chose - to all these people on their database. So when the False Prophet declares that all mankind should receive the "Mark", quite possibly many people will view this as the next logical step to ensure their own protection.

Source Raiders News Network

Quote: ""The Presidency of the EU welcomes the formation of a Palestinian Government of National Unity pursuant to the agreement reached in Mecca on 8 February 2007, which lays the foundation for Palestinian reconciliation," a statement issued by EU president Germany said. "The Presidency of the EU recalls the readiness of the EU to work with and to resume its assistance to a legitimate Palestinian government adopting a platform reflecting the Quartet principles. The EU will carefully assess the platform and actions of the new government and its ministers," it said.

Russia on the other hand, has praised the formation of the unity government, and is calling for the lifting of the embargo against the Palestinian Authority. While Israel's Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, called on the international community to shun the new government and all its members.  

Quote: "Prime Minister Ehud Olmert urged the international community on Sunday to join Israel in shunning the new Palestinian unity government, calling its platform "very problematic." "We will not be able to pursue contacts with the government or its members," Olmert told the cabinet. "We expect that the international community will not be misled by the creation of the coalition government."

While I agree with what Olmert says, I can't help but feeling that he is somehow responsible for this whole mess in the first place. Olmert should have condemned the Mecca agreement as soon as it was announced. We knew from the start Hamas had no intention to recognize Israel's right to exist, Prime Minister Ismael Haniyeh said it himself. Initially Olmert said Israel neither accepted nor rejected the deal. Saying that was a big mistake, for it offered legitimacy to the PA in the eyes of the world. Olmert even said that Israel was willing to change its stance on the agreement, if the Palestinians released Gilad Shalit. Well now the deal is done, Israel's right to exist has not been recognized, Hamas has vowed it will continue its struggle until all of Palestine is liberated, the international community is in disarray and Hamas is about to be given a cheque for a billion dollars from Saudi Arabia for making it happen. 

Source Javno, USA Today, YNet News

Quote: "How much EU foreign policy actually achieves is for others to decide. But the palaces of presidents and kings are open to Mr Solana. For a man who walks quietly but carries no big stick, his counsel is widely sought and his shadow surprisingly long.

...but for us who know our Bibles, even if Solana isn't the Antichrist, his roles as Secretary General of the ten nation Western European Union, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, and soon-to-be Europe's first Foreign Minister, are paving the way for the coming of the Antichrist. There are a couple of things I disagree with in this article. Yes, Solana uses "soft power" - i.e. diplomacy skills, rather than "hard power" such as armies, etc, to get what he wants. But he does wield considerable influence with his peers, with the financial backing of Europe behind him. And as Recommendation 666 states, he can also have the power of Europe behind him to intervene militarily anywhere in the world. 

There are some who believe the Antichrist will be Islamic. I'm not so sure, because Daniel 9:26 states that the prince (ruler) that shall come shall be of the people that destroy Jerusalem and the Jewish Temple. For me that clearly identifies Europe with the Antichrist. For us, Solana's rise to power and the rising to power of the European Union has long been expected, and we are privileged to see the prophecy coming to pass in our lifetimes.

Daniel 9:26-27 
And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah (Jesus Christ) be cut off, but not for himself: and the people (Romans) of the prince that shall come (the ruler, Antichrist) shall destroy the city and the sanctuary (AD 70); and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. And he (the ruler of the Revived Roman Empire) shall confirm the covenant with many for one week (seven years): and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

Source BBC, Assembly WEU

Quote: "However, France intends to support the new Palestinian government and will cooperate with it, according to PA foreign minister-designate Ziad Abu Amar. Abu Amar said French Foreign Minister Phillipe Douste-Blazy invited him to a meeting in Paris and informed him that he hoped "a new page in the relations between the Hamas government and the international community" could begin.

Yikes! Douste-Blazy famously stated last year that Iran was a "great country" that was playing a stabilizing role in the Middle East. Abbas is expected to formally announce the formation of a unity government tomorrow, and I perceive that if Hamas-Fatah relations keep up, the deal will receive a mixed response from the international community. The West won't reject it outright because the Arabs and especially Saudi Arabia will be backing it. Nations like Russia, France and other pro-Palestinian countries, will accept it and press for the resumption of aid to the cash-strapped terror-government. The biggest winners in all this will be Hamas. They have successfully divided the international community without forfeiting any of their ideologies.

Source Haaretz

Quote: ""The monument we are dedicating today symbolizes the victory of the Jewish spirit," said Minister Boim, "This is a symbol of the State of Israel's recognition of its sons and daughters that paid with their lives to immigrate to Israel, a symbol of the unbreakable link between the holy land and the Jewish people in Israel and in the Diaspora."

But there are many Jews remaining in Ethiopia, and other countries, that are still longing to make Aliyah to Israel. Many people often have an attachment to the land of their birth, but these people that have never seen the land of Israel, yet know in their spirits that this is where they belong. This is none other than a modern miracle. The fact that a land exists in the world today called Israel, and that hundreds of thousands of people are desiring to return despite the hardships that involves. The Bible prophesied that God would one day bring His people back to the land of Israel. Likewise, Christians are also longing for their home, heaven. One day the biggest exodus in the history of the world will take place. Hundreds of millions of Christians will make a journey of millions of light years in a very short space of time, led not by Moses nor Joshua, but by Jesus Christ Himself.

Zephaniah 3:10 
From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, [even] the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering.

Isaiah 43:3-6
For I [am] the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt [for] thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. Fear not: for I [am] with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;

Source YNet News

Quote: ""We would like to work as much as possible to see your country Syria recuperate the territory taken in 1967," Javier Solana told a joint news conference with Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem. Syria has made it clear that its cooperation to help end violence in Iraq was tied to Western, especially US, backing for its peaceful campaign to regain the Golan Heights, which Israel occupied during the Middle East war four decades ago.

I don't think Israel will be overly impressed with Solana's remarks. What right has he got to go to Syria, a state which refuses to recognize Israel's right to exist, and start dictating the terms of peace? Syria should be the one seeking peace from Israel, not the other way around. He also seems to be advocating the division of the land without regarding Israel's security arrangements. 

What does Israel get out of this deal? Perhaps very little. As the article states, the reason why the Western world is backing the ceding of the Golan to Syria is because they want Assad to support them in Iraq. And the Bible states that during the tribulation period, the Antichrist himself will divide the land of Israel, once again for his own advantage. 

Daniel 11:38-39
But in his estate shall he (Antichrist) honour the God of forces (armies): and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things. Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge [and] increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land (Israel) for (his own) gain.

Source YNet News

Quote: "Those leading the project say it is inspired by the words of South African Nobel Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who said in February 2004: "Everyone is an insider, there are no outsiders -- whatever their beliefs, whatever their colour, gender or sexuality." They reject suggestions they are peddling propaganda and say that stories such as "King & King" are no more propaganda than is Cinderella or other traditional fairytales. "These books are presenting one aspect of the spectrum of daily life," Elizabeth Atkinson, director of the project, told BBC radio. "What we are doing is representing reality... Many, many children in this country have this as part of their everyday experience." She said one of the main aims was to prevent bullying of children who have homosexual parents or who are perceived as gay or lesbian by their peers.

Kids get bullied for all sorts of reasons. I was bullied in school because of my red hair and surname. I have since learned that there is nothing wrong with me, although it took me a long time to realize that. Bullying is wrong no matter what the reason. It can be prevented through intervention from parents and the board of governors of the school. But using bullying as an excuse to teach children that it is not natural to have a father and mother is demonic. And the British government is at the forefront of re-educating our children. My niece Ami lives in England. Last year she brought home a "fairy-tale" book to read about the environment. My sister, who is a Christian, was shocked, as the book was written from a New Age perspective, and portrayed the earth as a living, breathing entity that spews out mankind because of its destruction of the planet. The book was taken back to the school. This country is once again entering the dark ages.

Job 10:22 
A land of darkness, as darkness [itself; and] of the shadow of death, without any order, and [where] the light [is] as darkness.

Source Reuters

The United Nations Human Rights Council is preparing to place Israel under permanent investigation over its supposed violation of international law in the Gaza Strip, Samaria, Judea and the Golan Heights. The organization which was formed last June, replaced the UN Human Rights Commission, which had problems with membership and constantly issued anti-Israel resolutions. But the new Council also seems to be transfixed on Israel, repeatedly singling out the Jewish nation for criticism, while other nations such as Syria, Saudi Arabia, North Korea and China, that have horrific human rights records, are painted whiter than white. Even former UN Secretary General, who himself was guilty of falsely accusing Israel for supposed "war crimes" during the conflict with Hizbullah, expressed his concern that the new rights body was too anti-Israel...

Quote: "[Israeli Ambassador to the UN] Neuer said Israel would be rapped for the Antiquities Authority's construction of an access ramp to the Temple Mount's Mughrabi Gate. The work has been widely condemned throughout the Muslim world. Neuer said the council would also take Israel to task for refusing entry to inquiry teams in July and in November. The first team was sent to investigate Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip following the kidnapping by Hamas of Cpl. Gilad Shalit in June. The second team was dispatched to investigate the accidental discharge of an IDF artillery barrage that killed 19 civilians in Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip in November. Levanon said the investigators were denied entry because they were overtly biased against Israel.

And with guest speakers such as Iranian nuclear negotiator Larijani, who today told the Human Rights Council that the world had to deal with the Israeli nuclear threat, is it any wonder that the UN body continues to single Israel out for condemnation?

Quote: "Mottaki told the world's top disarmament forum that Israel was the only country in the region that refuses to accede to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty even though he said Prime Minister Ehud Olmert last year acknowledged that his country had nuclear weapons - which Olmert denies doing. A nuclear-armed Israel poses "a uniquely grave threat to regional and international peace and security and requires to be seriously dealt with by the international community taking practical measures," Mottaki told the 65-nation Conference on Disarmament.

Source Jerusalem Post, UN Watch, Jerusalem Post

As Javier Solana, the High Representative for the European Common, Foreign and Security Policy, prepares to visit Damascus on the second leg of his Middle East tour, Israeli military sources have revealed Syria is setting up possibly thousands of rockets on the border with Israel in preparation for a low intensity war. Israel's failure to overpower Hizbullah last Autumn has convinced President Bashar Assad that the Jewish state can be worn down by simple means rather than through advanced weaponry.  

Quote: ""We have noticed that in recent months Syria has deployed hundreds, possibly thousands, of medium- and long-range rockets along the border (with Israel)," one military source said. "Many of the rockets are hidden in underground chambers and in camouflaged silos, which make them very difficult to locate," the source added. The sources, three of whom were from the military and two from the government, said that Syria had built a system of fortified underground tunnels along its border with Israel, which they said posed "a real strategic threat" to the Jewish state.

Last year the President announced his intentions to set up a sister organization to Hizbullah, who's aim would be to drive Israel out of the Golan Heights. That group, called the Committees for the Liberation of the Golan Heights, claimed its first attack against Israel this month. President Assad believes that Hizbullah could not overpower Israel by itself, but if Syria and Iran joins in the battle, Israel could be defeated. But it seems Bashar Assad has forgotten about the Mighty God of Jacob, for without God's help Israel will be defeated, but God will defend Israel for His name's sake. It seems that history will once again repeat itself...

1st Kings 20:28
And there came a man of God, and spake unto the king of Israel, and said, Thus saith the LORD, Because the Syrians have said, The LORD [is] God of the hills, but he [is] not God of the valleys, therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand, and ye shall know that I [am] the LORD.

Source Raiders News Network, WorldNetDaily

Quote: "The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas rejected on Monday criticism by al Qaeda's second-in-command and said it was still committed to Israel's destruction despite a power-sharing deal with the Fatah faction. "We will not betray promises we made to Allah to continue the path of Jihad and resistance until the liberation of Palestine, all of Palestine," Hamas said in a statement, in a clear reference to Israel as well as to the occupied West Bank.

This statement exposes the Mecca agreement for what it is - a complete sham, and it is surprising that some European leaders are pressing the international community to ease restrictions on Hamas based on this deal. Hamas cannot and will not recognize Israel's right to exist - period. They claim all Palestinian land belongs to them, including Gaza, Judea and Samaria, Jerusalem, Israel proper and even Jordan. When are world leaders going to wake up and realize you cannot work out a political solution on the land of Israel, because you are in fact trying to barter with a demonic spirit (Satan) that is bent on the complete destruction of the Jewish people.

Joel 3:14-16
Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD [is] near in the valley of decision. The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD [will be] the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.

Source Reuters

Israeli Foreign Minister Livni has warned the European Union against offering further recognition to Hamas by opening dialogue with the new Palestinian unity government. Her comments were made just weeks before the expected formation of the government, which was agreed by Hamas and Fatah in Mecca, Saudi Arabia last month. It appears that some European countries are keen that the Mecca agreement should be seen as a first step towards the rehabilitation of the terrorist organization, a move Israel would see as a watering down of the three principles demanded by the Quartet (EU, US, UN, Russia). As I said before, I expected this would happen, for Hamas is resolute in not recognizing Israel's right to exist, and the international community wants peace at any cost.

Quote: "Her comments came as certain EU countries - Italy, France, Spain and Finland - are pressing for the EU to be more flexible in demanding that all contact with the PA government be cut off until it accepts the Quartet's three conditions. Senior government officials said Livni was not threatening the EU foreign ministers, but rather explaining what the consequences of their recognition of Hamas might be without that organization's acceptance of the three conditions. "We don't threaten Europe," one official said. "Livni just explained logically what the policy may lead to."

And she's right. If you open talks with Hamas, you are automatically sending the message that if you stick to your guns (no pun intended) you will get your way in the long run. French President Jacques Chirac pressed the EU to recognize the Palestinian unity government, but I did not know other states in Europe were also in cahoots with France. Our friend Javier Solana, the High Representative for the European Common, Foreign and Security Policy, is also due to visit the region, including Lebanon, Syria and Saudi Arabia. Solana says this will be a "listening trip", to try and find a common way forward for the troubled peace process.

Quote: "Mr Chirac on Friday said he supported the Solana trip, which would deliver a firm message to Damascus to cooperate with the Hariri inquiry. "We have finally decided that Europe will speak with one voice, that of Mr Solana," he said, in response to a question by the Financial Times. "When I had my reservations it was because various ministers went in a disordered way when it is an issue that needs complete coherence from the EU."

On a side note, I had the most strange dream a few nights ago. I had watched a DVD of one of the series of the Incredible Hulk, in which this boxer was being poisoned through his water. I don't know how Solana got into it, but that night I dreamed I was sitting at a table with Javier Solana sitting more or less opposite me. I tried not to draw attention to myself by looking at him. A glass was on my table, and as I went to drink from it, I immediately spat it out as it had been poisoned by Solana. Then I woke up. That's crazy, but sometimes I get these weird dreams, and it feels like the devil is almost trying to attack me or kill me. Just this year I have a dream in which Solana has tried to poison me, one man tried to cut me open with a pen knife, and twice in one night I dreamed that a man tried to chop my head off with a sword. Every time I woke up just before it happened. And I don't watch scary movies.

Source Jerusalem Post, Financial Times

Quote: ""People are very concerned if the federal government gives you a number, it will be the mark of the beast," said Missouri Rep. Jim Guest, the sponsor of a resolution similar to Whitaker's. "There are everyday people who get the connection to 666." Legislators in Georgia, Maine, Montana, New Mexico, Vermont, Washington state and Wyoming have also balked at Real ID and a bill filed in Congress by Rep. Thomas Allen, D-Maine, would repeal it. Many complain that states will have to pay billions of dollars to put the system in place by the end of 2009, as mandated by Congress. Resolutions in Arkansas, Georgia, Maine and Missouri were offered after legislators read materials, spoke to or had indirect contact with Endtime Ministries of Dallas, whose magazine, radio show and outreach examines current events through the prism of Christian apocalypse.

While I don't think either President Bush's "Real ID" system, or Prime Minister Blair's national identity card system are the actual "Mark of the Beast", I do believe this system will lead to the implementation of that described in the book of Revelation. Over the last few years it seems the global elite have become more brazen in their efforts to gain control of the world system. We've seen laws on homosexual "marriage" being passed almost simultaneously around the world, and now the push for a global ID card, again being passed almost simultaneously. 

The Bible states that the false prophet will be the one to make the Mark compulsory during the tribulation period. The Bible does not say that people who do not take the Mark will be killed, and for this reason I believe we should be very wary of national identity schemes such as these. It is those who refuse to worship the Antichrist that will be put to death. Perhaps the Mark will be issued to coax non-religious people into accepting the Antichrist as God. But Revelation is clear, the Lord sees taking the Mark as synonymous with worship of the Antichrist (Revelation 14:9-11), and those who do so will never be saved. 

Revelation 13:16-18
And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six. 

Source Boston Globe

A Jewish scholar of the Scriptures from Texas believes he has located the exact position of Solomon's Temple. Yisrayl Hawkins runs an organization called the House of Yahweh, and has studied the prophetic books of the Torah. I don't know if he is born again, or just an observant Jew. Reading his article, he makes no mention of the Antichrist or Yeshua. But Yisrayl believes that through studying the chapters of Ezekiel which describe the Temple that is to exist during the Millennial Reign of Christ, it is possible to work out the exact position where it should be built. Yisrayl believes that through the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple, we will finally achieve global peace.

Quote: "Many prophecies show that this Temple will be rebuilt in these last days. And there is a specific last days prophecy and vision of the future Temple and Temple complex sent from Yahweh to one of His Temple priests, also called a prophet, [Yechetzqyah (Ezekiel) 1:3 -priest; 2:5 -prophet; 40:2-...] showing that this Temple will be rebuilt with the inner court, with a pavement in the outer court AREA on the east and north. [Yechetzqyah (Ezekiel) 40:17-19] Notice it does not mention a pavement on the south side --just outside the inner court, because that is where the Moslem Mosque sits; as described in the Scriptures --"like a building of a city on the south", [Yechetzqyah (Ezekiel). 40:2 & Revelation. 11:1-2] hence the outer court will not be built at this time.

Yisrayl states that the Holy of Holies of the ancient Temple should line up with the Eastern gate, through which the Lord Jesus will enter after His return to earth. This would place the Third Temple in a northerly position, beside the Dome of the Rock. He also believes that the Dome of the Spirits, a small enclosure built over the bedrock of the Temple Mount, is the ancient location of the Holy of Holies. Yisrael says that the outer court of the Temple Mount, where the Muslim Mosque currently stands, will not be built at the same time as the Third Temple - due to the Mosque. That view seems to be confirmed by the book of Revelation, which states that the outer court of the Temple was not to be measured by John, for it was given to the Gentiles (Revelation 11:2). 

Although Yisrayl's position seems logical, we will not know exactly what sequence of events will commence the construction of the Third Temple. And I think the rebuilding may not happen until after the seven year covenant is confirmed by the Antichrist. It just makes me sad that this Hebrew scholar has read so much into the prophecy of the last days concerning the rebuilding of the Temple, yet he cannot see the suffering that Israel must endure before they recognize their true Messiah, Yeshua ben David (Jesus Son of David). I trust that you have made Jesus Christ your Saviour, by accepting His salvation through believing in His name, and by His sacrifice on the cross for you.  

Source House of Yahweh

Quote: "Saudi newspaper Al-Watan recently reported the Iranian Revolutionary Guards are instilling changes in the defense systems protecting the country’s nuclear reactors for fear that Israeli and US intelligence agencies are now in possession of specific information that may threaten the facilities.

And as Gog and his allies prepare for their invasion of Israel, President Abbas of the Palestinian Authority is stepping up his efforts to lull Israel into a false security. Mahmoud Abbas is expected to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Sunday, where he will offer Israel an extended cease-fire in the West Bank in return for non-interference in the formation of the Palestinian unity government. 

Quote: "Hamas and Fatah both support Abbas' bid to extend the cease-fire from Gaza to the West Bank, in exchange for Israeli non-interference with the Palestinian unity government that is due to be formed next week - including not urging Western countries to boycott it. Abbas and PA Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh met on Tuesday with representatives of various Palestinian factions and presented the idea to them, and on Wednesday, Abbas' chief negotiator, Saeb Erekat, met with representatives of the five largest factions in Gaza. Islamic Jihad rejected the proposal, however, and although Hamas accepted, it drew fire from some of its senior members.

Source YNet News, Haaretz

Javier Solana, the High Representative for the European Common, Foreign and Security Policy, has called on the soon-to-be formed Palestinian Authority to officially recognize Israel. The European Union has so far taken a "wait-and-see" approach to the Mecca agreement signed by the two terrorist organizations in Saudi Arabia last month. World leaders were disappointed by the deal, which offered no recognition of Israel's right to exist. 

Quote: ""There are many ways whereby you can express the recognition of Israel," Solana told The Associated Press. "I am not going to define what is the manner that would be the most appropriate, that's for them to decide, but in any case it has to be sufficiently clear that statement can be read and not only imagined."

Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal has urged both Israel and Russia to press the Quartet (EU, US, UN, Russia) for a lifting of the economic embargo against the Palestinian Authority, in return for an end to suicide bombings and Kassam rocket attacks. But with international pressure on Hamas to comply with the three principles strong at present, it is doubtful that Olmert will agree to that just yet. France's President Jacques Chirac has also once again pressed the European Union to accept the Mecca agreement, at an EU summit in Brussels.

Quote: "Chirac called on European Union leaders meeting in Brussels to "welcome the Mecca accords, which France sees as a first step towards applying the conditions of the Quartet" of Middle East mediators, his spokesman Jerome Bonnafont told reporters.

Meanwhile, it seems plans are underway in Europe to create the official post of EU Foreign Minister. German Ambassador to the UK Wolfgang Ischinger has revealed that British Prime Minister Tony Blair is supportive of creating the role, which was to be implemented after adoption of the ill-fated EU Constitution. But the European Commission has been cherry-picking parts of the document, drafted by freemason Giscard d'Estaing, and drafting it into European law. 

Quote: "Germany's ambassador to the UK, Wolfgang Ischinger, spoke warmly of the idea of an EU foreign affairs supremo, a role that would go to a full-time unelected Brussels figure who would strut the world stage at taxpayers' expense to present a "harmonised" foreign policy on behalf of the 27-member club. Mr Ischinger confidently expressed his belief that Mr Blair secretly supports the plan - which critics warn is a major step towards a European superstate. He claimed that other world powers could not "understand" why the EU had so many representatives on foreign affairs. And he called for Javier Solana, the EU's current "High Representative" on foreign affairs, to be put in charge of European foreign policy as a formal foreign minister.

I wouldn't be surprised if after Tony's retirement this Autumn, that he gets one of the top jobs in Europe himself. He has served the elite well. His government has legalized homosexual adoption, has established gay marriage, has attempted to end gospel preaching through religious "hate crime" legislation and is planning to bring in a national identity card to take away what freedoms we have left. Is it any wonder then, that the Prime Minister is now pressing for the creation of a post which the Antichrist is slated to fill? We could get into despair about all of this, but we don't have to. God is in complete control of the situation, and is allowing all this to happen to fulfil His will. The rulers of this world can only govern by God's permission, and He will bring man to an end of himself. Then it will be the Lord that will get the glory, when He returns to set up His kingdom, which shall never be destroyed.

Psalm 76:8-10
Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven; the earth feared, and was still, When God arose to judgment, to save all the meek of the earth. Selah. Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.

Source International Herald Tribune, YNet News, This is London

A government paper published by the Labour government states that after the implementation of the Sexual Orientation Regulations (SORs) in the United Kingdom, it will become illegal for faith schools to teach that Christian morals (no sex before marriage, one man for one woman, etc) are "objectively true". Teachers will still be able to tell pupils "this is what Christians believe", but they will not be able to instruct pupils that this is more morally correct than homosexuality, or that marriage between a man and a woman is the preferable situation. As the article states, Christians believe that the homosexual act is sinful in God's eyes, though the condition of homosexuality is not. The familiar phrase "love the sinner, hate the sin" pretty much sums up the Lord's and our approach to this subject. But the government doesn't see things this way, and all schools will be forced to place homosexuality on an equal footing with Christian beliefs. 

Quote: "Published February 26, the report says, "We do not consider that the right to freedom of conscience and religion requires the school curriculum to be exempted from the scope of the sexual orientation regulations." With the Equality Act 2006, the government empowered itself to create regulations making it illegal for anyone providing goods, services, facilities, premises, education or public functions, to discriminate against that person on the grounds of "sexual orientation". The SOR's are scheduled to come into effect in England and Wales and Scotland in April this year after a ratifying vote in Parliament. They came into effect in Northern Ireland January 1.

The government has already drawn the ire of Catholic adoption agencies in the United Kingdom. The agencies have told the government they will be forced to close the doors, rather than permitting children to be placed with homosexual partners. The adoption agencies could be taken to court if they refuse to comply with the laws, but still the government is pressing on with the legislation. In another article sent to me by my friend Adam, the UK government is forcing Christian judges to place children with homosexual partners, in spite of their personal beliefs. They are not permitted to be excused from cases which would see children places with homosexual partners, and if they value their beliefs at all, the only option left is to resign.

Quote: "After the Civil Partnerships Act was passed in 2005, McClintock requested that he be excused from cases involving adoption by homosexual couples because, not only did homosexual adoption contradict his religious beliefs, he thought that placing a child in such a home would be removing them from "one kind of harm only to face another hazard." As previously reported by LifeSiteNews, McClintock resigned his job in 2005 after he was informed by his managers that he would not be permitted to excuse himself from specific cases. McClintock had served as a magistrate judge in Britain's Sheffield County for 18 years.

In short I believe we can officially wave goodbye to the United Kingdom. Somebody once stated that a country's society was built upon the family unit, and that if this foundation is destroyed, that country will collapse. No other British government has done more to destroy the family unit than the present, and I believe this will bring God's judgement upon this nation sooner or later.  

Isaiah 10:1
Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness [which] they have prescribed;

Source Virtue Online, Life Site

Quote: "If Israel agrees to persuade the international community not to boycott the new Palestinian unity government, the Palestinians "will offer a promise from Hamas and Fatah of a total cease-fire with Israel, including a complete halt to Qassam [rocket] fire and suicide bombings," a senior Hamas official told Haaretz on Tuesday. Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas plans to deliver this offer at his upcoming meeting with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Palestinian sources said. The meeting is tentatively scheduled for Sunday, thought according to the Palestinians, the date has not yet been finalized.

Earlier last month I predicted that Hamas may formally announce an end to their attacks, and that this would satisfy the watered-down demands of the international community. The boycott would then be lifted, even though Hamas will still not formally recognize Israel's right to exist. It seems that events are proceeding along these lines. Hamas desperately wants international aid to finance their terror war against Israel. Talks are also continuing on the Saudi initiative, which offers wide Arab recognition of Israel in return for the territories taken during the Six Day War being handed back. 

I don't think Prime Minister Olmert will agree to urging the Quartet (EU, US, UN, Russia) to end its boycott just yet though. I think the situation needs to get more desperate before Olmert and the international community are prepared to water down their preconditions for Hamas. But once it happens, and once Hamas announces its hudna (truce), perhaps then we will enter the period of calm which is prophesied should come before the invasion of Gog and his Islamic allies.

Ezekiel 38:11-12
And thou shalt say,1 I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest (shaqat), that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates, To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places [that are now] inhabited, and upon the people [that are] gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land. 

Strong's Concordance:

Source Haaretz

A government memo that is currently circulating White Hall has been leaked to the press, and claims that the Labour government is planning to making biometric identification compulsory in the United Kingdom within the next four years. The Labour government has stated that if they are re-elected, they will make biometric identification compulsory for all British citizens. The government hopes to get their biometric database started by recording the fingerprints of around 500,000 children per year starting from 2010.  

Quote: "Opposition politicians and privacy campaigners warn that the plans show ministers are turning Britain into a “surveillance society”. David Davis, the shadow home secretary, said: "This borders on the sinister and it shows the government is trying to end the presumption of innocence. With the fingerprinting of all our children, this government is clearly determined to enforce major changes in the relationship between the citizen and the state in a way never seen before."

The plans to bring in a compulsory national identification card have so far been fiercely opposed by the House of Lords. The Conservative party says they will scrap ID cards if they are elected into government. But I doubt they could keep that promise, even if they wanted to. I think the pressure to get biometric identification implemented in this country is coming from a higher authority than state government. A recent petition against the implementation of an ID card scheme on the Downing Street web page racked up nearly 30,000 signatures, and despite the overwhelming opposition to the scheme, Prime Minister Tony Blair's response was to reply to the signatories telling them how good he thought biometric identification would be.

Source Times Online, 10 Downing Street

Quote: ""This morning we saw pictures of the Warsaw ghetto at Yad Vashem and this evening we are going to the Ramallah ghetto." Several hours earlier on Sunday you probably would not have heard German Bishop Gregor Maria Franz Hanke choose such a divisive analogy. But then on Sunday morning he was still in Israel and the rhetoric was considerably different than the one elected by the German Bishops' Conference once they crossed over in to the Palestinian Authority on Sunday evening.

It's only a week since Irish Bishops met with the Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern, urging him to cancel the EU-Israel association agreement, and press the Republic of Ireland to divest from companies working in the Palestinian territories, and force Israel to demolish the peace wall, remove security check points and generally surrender to the Palestinian terrorist organizations. It's unbelievable that Bishops representing the Catholic church should chose to use such comments, considering how the Pope refused to excommunicate, let alone condemn Hitler and his exploits. The Pope and Hitler had signed an agreement, that if he conquered Europe, he would re-establish the Holy Roman Empire. Sadly Protestant churches cannot claim innocence on this either, for apparently many of Hitler's speeches were inspired by Martin Luther, who also had a hatred for the Jews despite doing so much for the reformation.

Quote: "I brief, dear princes and lords, those of you who have Jews under your rule-- if my counsel does not please you, find better advice, so that you and we all can be rid of the unbearable, devilish burden of the Jews, lest we become guilty sharers before God in the lies, blasphemy, the defamation, and the curses which the mad Jews indulge in so freely and wantonly against the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, this dear mother, all Christians, all authority, and ourselves. Do not grant them protection, safe-conduct, or communion with us... .With this faithful counsel and warning I wish to cleanse and exonerate my conscience.

What this proves is that none of us our exempt from that anti-Semitic spirit. It stems from a lack of love, arrogance and pride, and wilful ignorance. A lack of love for our fellow man, and in particular God's chosen people the Jews. Pride in despising the "natural branches" of God's olive tree, which have been temporarily cut off so that the Gentiles might be made fellow heirs in Christ. And ignorance of the Scriptures concerning the promises and the will of God for Israel in the end times.

Romans 11:18-23
Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: For if God spared not the natural branches, [take heed] lest he also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in [his] goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.

Source YNet News, Medieval Sourcebook

Joe Zias, an archaeologist from Jerusalem, has written a viewers guide to the now famous 'Jesus tomb' documentary crafted by our friend James Cameron. Joe has done an excellent job here on exposing the false claims of Simcha Jacobovici and James Cameron, and what's more he has the qualifications to do so unlike these said men. I am told by my friend Frank that the controversial documentary was aired on the Discovery Channel last night. Joe examines the backgrounds of those involved in making the documentary - how they have virtually no credible qualifications in archaeology - never mind Biblical archaeology, he exposes the attempt by James Cameron to deceive the public by assuming all the ossuaries in the tomb were of one immediate family, and that the so-called photographs of the ossuary bearing the name of Jesus, which are in possession of an Arab currently standing trial for fraud over the 'James ossuary', had a time-stamp of four years before the tomb was actually discovered.

Quote: "All of this can be neatly summed up in the following opinion piece (edited) by a SC biblical scholar (Byron. McCane) who wrote in today's paper, what I believe pretty much speaks for all of us involved, enraged and fed up with the current wave of pseudo science posing as biblical scholarship, foisted upon the public, by our colleagues. "The publicity for the Discovery Channel documentary "The Lost Tomb of Jesus" has a disturbingly familiar ring. First came the James Ossuary; then The DaVinci Code, next the John the Baptist cave, and now "the lost tomb of Jesus. The two archaeologists involved in "The Lost Tomb of Jesus," for example, already have a well-known track record for sensationalism. These programs go for the quick buck. Everything is crafted to generate interest, to make sales. The disturbing trend in recent documentaries toward profit-driven sensationalism, however, is an insult to all concerned, and especially to those of us who are scholars of these subjects. And that is why it is scholars who should bring this train of sensationalism to a stop." Slight correction- make that one archaeologist and one biblical scholar.

Praise God that most news organizations are presenting both sides of this story, and that Cameron has not enjoyed universal praise for his diabolical documentary. An academic interviewed by James Cameron on the film summed it up perfectly.

Quote: "Academic Stephen Pfann, a scholar at the University of the Holy Land in Jerusalem, said he did not expect Christians to accept the film's findings. "I don't think that Christians are going to buy into this," said Mr Pfann, who was interviewed by the film-makers. "But sceptics, in general, would like to see something that pokes holes into the story that so many people hold dear."

I don't know whether Stephen himself is a sceptic, or whether he was simply commenting on why so many people are attempting to cast doubt on the claims of the Scriptures. But Stephen hit the nail on the head, for if man can convince himself that Jesus Christ wasn't the Son of God - and He couldn't be if He had normal children by a human wife, they will no longer feel accountable to God for their sins, and will no longer fear the judgement of God. Perhaps that is why during the tribulation period, people still will not repent despite all the suffering they will be going through.

Revelation 9:20-21 
And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts. 

Source Joe Zias, BBC

The Anti-Defamation League has slammed the National Council of Churches' decision to meet with President Ahmadinejad of Iran. Leaders from the United Methodist, Episcopal, Catholic, Baptist, Evangelical, Quaker and Mennonite denominations met with the Iranian President late last month, and were pleasantly surprised by Ahmedinejad's wittiness and religious devotion. The group claims that the Iranian President stated he had no intention to acquire nuclear weapons, and that the situation in the Middle East could only be resolved through politics.

Quote: "We believe it is possible for further dialogue and that there can be a new day in U.S.-Iranian relations. The Iranian government has already built a bridge toward the American people by inviting our delegation to come to Iran. We ask the U.S. government to welcome a similar delegation of Iranian religious leaders to the United States.

I have no doubt what Ahmadinejad's "political solution" to the conflict is, he has stated it several times. The Iranian President believes that all Palestinians be allowed to vote on whether Israel should exist as a nation. He knows full well this will result in the end of the "Zionist regime", which he constantly proclaims will come sooner rather than later. Of course these blind religious leaders automatically put their own interpretation on Ahmadinejad's wiley words, believing he seeks peace between Jew and Arab rather than the seeking the ultimate destruction of Israel. Or perhaps these ecumenical leaders believe that the Church has replaced Israel, and that modern Israel is not fulfilment of prophecy, but just a political anomaly of "Zionist Jews" that have stolen Arab land.

No sign of Rick Warren this time, but there is no doubt this was not a religious meeting as Rick claimed about his Syria visit, and they weren't travelling to Iran to tell the Iranian President that he needs to be saved. This was a political meeting aimed at changing US policy towards Iran. And by meeting with Ahmadinejad, these leaders have given credence to a man who is pursuing the acquisition of nuclear weapons, and intends to use them against Israel to hasten the coming of the 12th Imam.

Quote: ""By meeting with Ahmadinejad, these American Christian leaders are collaborating with a dangerous despot who calls for the destruction of Israel and denies the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust," said Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director. Leaders of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA had lauded Ahmadinejad as a pious and witty man. "Ahmadinejad comes across as a very religious man," said the Rev. Dr. Shanta Premawardhana, NCC's Associate General Secretary for Interfaith Relations.

Source MRZine, Jerusalem Post

Astronomers are preparing for a spectacular light show tonight, when the earth's shadow will cross the surface of the moon. The moon is expected to turn a blood red colour before passing fully into earth's shadow for a total lunar eclipse at 10:44pm tonight. Those living in the Middle East are expected to get the best vantage point. 

Quote: "It will be the best lunar eclipse over Britain since at least January 2001. The last one took place three years ago but few people were able to see it. Rain is expected to clear during today in time for a partial eclipse to begin at 8.16pm. The Moon will be completely in shadow by 10.44pm and the eclipse will be over at 2.25am. Its brightness will depend on dust levels in the atmosphere. The blood moon will be dimmer than full moons, let alone the Sun, so protective glasses are unnecessary. Astronomers said binoculars can be used to get a better view.

The article states that blood moons were often seen as bad omens during ancient times. The Bible mentions that the sun, moon and stars were created by God for "signs, seasons, days and years", Genesis 1:14. And what a coincidence that the weather forecast has dramatically changed in the UK enabling us to view this eclipse. Of course this eclipse isn't news to readers of this website, who have been expecting this for some time. This month's total eclipse falls on the exact date the Jews are celebrating their Feast of Purim (3rd-4th of March). This is extremely significant, for Jewish tradition holds that the moon is representative of the Messiah. As the Jews will be celebrating their historical deliverance from wicked Haman, God will clothe the moon in darkness. To me, this event should be viewed as a warning to the Jewish nation signifying the tremendous suffering they will have to endure (Matthew 24:21). The last time a total lunar eclipse occurred was also during another Jewish Feast, the Jewish Feast of Trumpets or Rosh Hashanah. The Bible also speaks of the moon being covered in sackcloth, and being turned to blood during the tribulation period.

Joel 2:30-2 
And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.

Revelation 6:12-14
And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

Source Times Online

YNet News has published an article giving more details on the "discovery" of the "Jesus ossuary", and the claims of Simcha Jacobovici, a documentarist, and James Cameron a film producer, that Jesus Christ was married, had children with Mary Magdalene, died and was buried in a tomb in Jerusalem. It makes me particularly sad to have to write about this, because I know there will be people who will accept what these men say in spite of all the evidence mentioned in the Scriptures. Unfortunately that's the kind of world we are living in, where people would rather believe a lie than accept the truth of God's Word. 

Over the last decades, Satan's attacks were mainly limited to the Creation, through the theories of evolution and the big bang. The devil knew that if he could attack the fundamentals of Christianity, he could knock the foundation out of the Gospels. That foundation is built upon the belief that God is Creator of the universe, and that death is a literal consequence of Adam's sin. His first attack was based upon a fraud - Piltdown man, nevertheless it succeeded in its goal of largely removing the teaching of Creation from our schools. Satan has more or less conquered that ground. Now even many Christians no longer believe God created the world in six literal days. People like Ken Ham of Answers in Genesis have constantly warned us that if you throw out the first six chapters in Genesis, there is no justifiable reason why you cannot throw out the Gospel account of the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. Well now Satan is changing his tactics. Instead of attacking evidence for the Creation, he is attacking the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. And he is doing it in exactly the same way as he attacked Creation, through a hoax. Over the last few years we have seen world academia clamour for such "fables". We've had "Holy Blood, Holy Grail", which claimed that Jesus Christ married Mary Magdalene. Then we had Dan Brown's plagerization of that same book, "The Da Vinci Code", which made similar claims. The Da Vinci Code itself is based on a hoax, the claim that a secret society called the Priory of Sion held the secret of the bloodline of Jesus Christ. Then we had the lost Gospel of Judas, which claimed that Judas was not possessed by Satan and betrayed the Lord Jesus Christ, rather it was all a plan to release Jesus from His body so He could travel to another planet. Are we getting the picture yet? 

Satan's plan was not to dispute the actual fact of Jesus' resurrection, he could not. He simply intended to cast doubt in the minds of those who would read these fictional accounts. The saying goes, repeat a lie often enough and people will start to believe it. All these books are based on lies, on manuscripts which have been rejected by the Church - not because the Church wants to cover up the truth, but because these texts are not the truth, plain and simple. So this brings us to our recent "discovery" by James Cameron. His discovery is once again based upon a hoax. A heretical text called the Acts of Phillip is used to link the name "Mariamene" to the Jewish name of "Miriam" (Mary), in order to build the case that Jesus Christ (Josua) was married to Mary Magdalene. The documentary will no doubt use this text to try and gain credibility in the world, while not mentioning the fact that it was written by a heretical sect and rejected by the Church over 1600 years ago. 

Quote: "While Feuerverger was busy with his calculations, Jacobovici went to Harvard to see Prof. Bovon, who established that Mariamene was Magdalene, based on a 700-years old text that was found in 1974 in an old monastery on Mt. Athos in Greece. That was the most perfect copy ever found of The Acts of Philip, one of the books that were eliminated from the New Testament, where Philip’s sister, a woman named "Mariamene" was mentioned. Bovon believes this woman to be Mary Magdalene.

Just like the "Gospel of Judas", which was used by the mainstream media to cast doubt on the veracity of the Scriptures despite its incredulous claims, the book of the Acts of Philip is also a forgery, describing a visit to hell, talking animals and a great dragon.

Quote: "Among the revelations turned up in this unexpurgated Acts of Philip, especially in the story of a visit to Hell, are glimpses of a heretical community whose members may have written or transmitted the text. Devoted to ascetic practices, the group flourished in Asia Minor during the fourth century A.D. Members were to eat no meat, drink no wine, shun wealth, and abstain from sexual intercourse. Both sexes wore men's clothing made only from plant fibres. Even the sacrament of the Eucharist was modified, with water replacing wine. Sect members believed that this level of purity not only guaranteed salvation after death, but allowed them to "talk with God" in this life... Such groups did not escape the notice of the official church. The council of Gangra (circa A.D. 343) declared such ascetic excesses to be anathema, and another fourth-century council, at Laodicea, "forbade the appointment of presbytides," says Bovon.

For this reason I think Peter's words of warning to believers who are living in the last days are particularly striking, "we have not followed cunningly devised fables". Peter, James and John were privileged to be eyewitnesses of Christ's majesty when He was transfigured before them on the Mount. Let us be wary of the wiles of the devil, and expose these claims for what they are.

PS. My friend Chris asked me to put up this link, to support the teaching of Creation in UK schools. If you live in the UK, please sign this petition.

Source YNet News, Wikipedia, Christian Cadre

Quote: "There is considerable tension between the global jihad groups in Lebanon and Hezbollah - not only because Hezbollah is Shi'ite rather than Sunni, but also because they have been involved in turf wars. Until its war with Israel last summer, Hezbollah was considered the sole power in southern Lebanon. It demanded that all other organizations obtain permission from it before carrying out any attacks on Israel. Shortly before his death, Zarqawi lambasted Hezbollah for this and accused its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, of "collaborating with Israel," because at that time - prior to its July kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers - Hezbollah was vetoing attacks by other groups.

Israel is also concerned that Hamas in the south is receiving special terrorist training from Iran and Syria, in preparation for when the organization decides to end its cease-fire (if you could call it that). Israel has lodged an official complaint against the European Union, stating that if the EU continues to turn a blind eye to smuggling on the Rafah border, that they will not renew their agreement which expires in two months.

Quote: "According to official sources in Jerusalem, some 100 Hamas terrorists crossed the Rafah border terminal in recent weeks. Intelligence information collected by the defense establishment indicates that the terrorists make their way to special training camps in Iran and Syria, founded specially to train and coach Palestinians for terror attacks against Israel should Hamas decide to terminate its ceasefire. Security officials in Israel said this phenomenon was part of the recent trend by which Iran and Syria have shown increasing involvement in developing Palestinian terror infrastructure in the Gaza Strip.

I thought it interesting about the news of Sudanese terrorists in Lebanon. I have often wondered how Sudan would join Gog's alliance against Israel as mentioned in Ezekiel 38-39, considering the nation's geographic distance from Israel. It looks like they are coming in advance. Looking at the Scriptures again, it seems this is exactly what the Lord prophesied through Ezekiel.

Ezekiel 38:5-7
Persia (Iran), Ethiopia (Sudan), and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet: Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah (Turkey) of the north quarters, and all his bands: [and] many people with thee. Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them. 

Source Haaretz, YNet News

Quote: "Asked if his organization sought to rebuild the third Temple, Stein's answer was unequivocal. "We want to establish the Temple again. Unfortunately, standing in our way is a hostile regime, the Israeli government, and rabbis who for political interest don't want this to happen." Stein even suggested that Muslims would agree to the project, saying: "The Omar Mosque (the Dome of the Rock), built by Khalif Omar, was actually intended to safeguard the site for the Jews. Islam hasn't always been so hostile. Despite its hatred and massacres against us, Islam sees in Judaism a source and a guide. I think the moment will come that Muslims understand the need to build the Temple and go along with us."

The Sanhedrin is not recognized by the Israeli government, but it claims to be the highest legal body in the land of Israel. The Sanhedrin is seeking to abolish the secular government and replace it with a monarchy that would rule by the Torah. For this reason I doubt the Sanhedrin will get their way this Passover. The excavations at the Mugrabi gate have been controversial enough without religious Jews plotting the destruction of the Mosque of Omar and the rebuilding of the Third Temple. The Bible says it will eventually happen though, but we're not told how. Who knows, perhaps when the False Prophet appears on the scene, who will seemingly unite apostate Christendom, Judaism and Islam, maybe then the Muslims will "understand the need to build the Temple".

Source YNet News

The recently formed Sanhedrin, a legal body consisting of 71 prominent Rabbis in Israel, has arranged to purchase a flock of sheep for sacrificial rituals ahead of the upcoming Passover. The Sanhedrin was formed several years ago, and was one of the first news items that prompted me to start this website. The Sanhedrin had not existed for over 1600 years, having been dissolved after the diaspora. The group reformed on the 13th of October, 2004, and are actively seeking to re-establish the monarchy of Israel. The Sanhedrin considers itself the highest legal body in the land of Israel, and opposed the government's decision to disengage from Gaza, stating that it was against Torah. They are also researching the exact location of where Solomon's Temple once stood to enable the building of the Third Temple.

Quote: "The present-day Sanhedrin Court decided Tuesday to purchase a herd of sheep for ritual sacrifice at the site of the Temple on the eve of Passover, conditions on the Temple Mount permitting. The modern Sanhedrin was established several years ago and is headed by Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz. It claims to be renewing the ancient Jewish high court, which existed until roughly 1600 years ago, and meets once a week. Professor Hillel Weiss, a member of the Sanhedrin, told Haaretz on Tuesday that the action, even if merely symbolic, is designed to demonstrate in a way that is obvious to all that the expectation of Temple rituals will resume is real, and not just talk.

The Bible of course states that the Temple rituals will resume, after the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem. Daniel's prophecy states that half-way through the seven year tribulation period, the Antichrist will cause the "sacrifice and oblation to cease", Daniel 9:27. It is during this time that the Antichrist takes his seat in the Temple and proclaims himself to be God (2nd Thessalonians 2:4). Another interesting link from my friend Ed, states that the European Union has up until now guaranteed the rights of Jews wanting to sacrifice animals.

Quote: "During the meeting, Vice President Frattini pledged EU support for combating anti-Semitism in Europe and for protecting Jewish religious rights. The Vice President assured the CER delegation that he regards attempts to restrict Jewish ritual slaughter (shechita) as contraventions of EU law and said he would be contacting the Belgian Interior Minister over the issue following attempts in the Belgian Senate to place restrictions on shechita in Belgium.

But this may not always remain the case, if EU continues to press for the increase in the protection of animal welfare across the continent. Another interesting passage in Scripture is concerning the rejection of Meshiach. It was the Jewish Sanhedrin that condemned Christ to death, and Jesus said that He had come in His Father's name and they received Him not, but if another shall come in his own name, him they would receive, John 5:43. I can't help but wonder if the Sanhedrin will be responsible in any way for the acceptation of the Antichrist or his false prophet.

Mark 15:1
And straightway in the morning the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council, and bound Jesus, and carried [him] away, and delivered [him] to Pilate.

Source Haaretz, Conference of European Rabbis, Welcome Europe