The Final Countdown

Spy satellites have picked up movement that indicates North Korea is preparing to test launch another missile. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said he believes North Korea is about to launch an ICBM with a range of 4,000 miles, putting parts of the United States within reach. Gates said that North Korea’s progress in nuclear and missile technology is “a harbinger of a dark future.”

A great war will happen at the midpoint of the Tribulation. It begins with the Russian led confederation of Arab nations (Psalm 83:4-5) breaking the peace contract orchestrated by the Antichrist (Daniel 9:27) to march on Israel. After this Russian horde is defeated (Joel 2:20; Ezekiel 39:6), the largest army ever assembled (Revelation 9:16) (comprised of Oriental nations) marches down the Euphrates river (Revelation 9:14; 16:12) to go to war with the armies of the Antichrist (Daniel 11:44). During this battle nuclear weapons will be used (Revelation 8:7; 9:18; Zechariah 14:12).

Much news comes out of North Korea this morning.

• North Korea restarts nuclear plant
• …Test fires new type of short-range missile
• …Plans long-range missile test
• …Claims no longer bound by armistice with South Korea
• …Threatens to attack US and South Korean warships
• Russia fears Korea conflict could go nuclear

A great war will happen at the midpoint of the Tribulation. It begins with the Russian led confederation of Arab nations (Psalm 83:4-5) breaking the peace contract orchestrated by the Antichrist (Daniel 9:27) to march on Israel. After this Russian horde is defeated (Joel 2:20; Ezekiel 39:6), the largest army ever assembled (Revelation 9:16) (comprised of Oriental nations) marches down the Euphrates river (Revelation 9:14; 16:12) to go to war with the armies of the Antichrist (Daniel 11:44). During this battle nuclear weapons will be used (Revelation 8:7; 9:18; Zechariah 14:12).

The Associated Press reports that a secret Israeli investigation has found that Venezuela and Bolivia are supplying Iran with uranium for its nuclear weapons program. Bolivia denies the charge. Iran has also dispatched six warships into international waters in what security analysts call “muscle flexing.”

Iran is mentioned in Scripture as playing a key role in the final years before Christ returns. President Ahmadinejad has repeatedly vowed to end the existence of Israel, statements that fulfill one of the last signs before Messiah comes (Psalm 83:4). Iran is working to make that happen, and is mentioned in Ezekiel 38:5 as one of the nations that joins with Russia to form a confederacy to wipe out Israel (Psalm 83:5; Ezekiel 38:8:16). It is also likely that Iran will take part in an attack against the United States (Jeremiah 51:11, 28).

Early this morning, North Korea conducted an underground test of a nuclear weapon, followed by the testing of three short range missiles.

A great war will happen at the midpoint of the Tribulation. It begins with the Russian led confederation of Arab nations (Psalm 83:4-5) breaking the peace contract orchestrated by the Antichrist (Daniel 9:27) to march on Israel. After this Russian horde is defeated (Joel 2:20; Ezekiel 39:6), the largest army ever assembled (Revelation 9:16) (comprised of Oriental nations) marches down the Euphrates river (Revelation 9:14; 16:12) to go to war with the armies of the Antichrist (Daniel 11:44). During this battle nuclear weapons will be used (Revelation 8:7; 9:18; Zechariah 14:12).

Mohamed ElBaradei, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said today that the number of nations capable of quickly assembling nuclear warheads could triple very soon, particularly among Middle Eastern states.

(ElBaradei) predicted that the next wave of proliferation would involve “virtual nuclear weapons states”, who can produce plutonium or highly enriched uranium and possess the knowhow to make warheads, but who stop just short of assembling a weapon. They would therefore remain technically compliant with the NPT while being within a couple of months of deploying and using a nuclear weapon.

“This is the phenomenon we see now and what people worry about in Iran. And this phenomenon goes much beyond Iran. Pretty soon … you will have nine weapons states and probably another 10 or 20 virtual weapons states.” ElBaradei pointed to the spread of uranium enrichment technology around the world, but he was most concerned about the Middle East.

“When you see a lot of concern about the Middle East, it’s a result of people feeling totally repressed by their own government and feeling unjustly treated by the outside world. This combination makes it a ticking bomb.”

In Russia, a National Security Strategy memo contained a revealing quote. From the Assosciated Press:

The document, which has been signed by President Dmitry Medvedev, listed top challenges to national security and outlined government priorities through 2020.

“The international policy in the long run will be focused on getting hold of energy sources, including in the Middle East, the Barents Sea shelf and other Arctic regions, the Caspian and Central Asia,” said the strategy paper that was posted on the presidential Security Council‘s Web site.

While these two stories may seem to have little to do with each other, they are actually very much connected. Russia wants the energy resources from the Middle East, while most of the Arab nations of that region want Israel obliterated. That is why the will join together in an attempt to destroy Israel (Psalm 83:4-5), and nuclear weapons will be used by both the Russian-led confederation (Joel 2:3) and Israel (Ezekiel 39:6).