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I'm very optimisticReader comment on item: A Conservative in the Age of Trump Submitted by Michael S, Jan 24, 2017 at 03:53 HI, Robert If you search Christian prophetic sites on the web, you will find that they offer no help whatever, in analyzing current conditions. For one thing, none of them agree with each other. More importantly, I have yet to see a prophetic website, wherein the author does NOT claim to understand all prophesied happenings. I definitely believe what the Bible says. In trying to put current events into perspective, though, I am simply applying the few prophetic scriptures I think I understand, and applying them to the current situation. I know so little, in fact, that I can tell you everything I THINK will happen, in three paragraphs: Ezekiel 38-39 talks about a Middle East War, involving Turkey, Iran, Sudan and Libya attacking Israel "In the end times, after they have returned to the Land of Israel and live securely" (paraphrase). It does not take much of a knowledge of history, to understand that this describes today's situation. Israel will win, and will be using their enemy's weapons for fuel for seven years. I would say that's a more optimistic outlook than most that I've seen, religious or no. Sometime AFTER those seven years, probably immediately afterward, the great World Leader of the time, who had had a good relationship with Israel up to that time, will betray them and begin an intense persecution that will last 3-1/2 years. I would not call that "optimistic", but it does not require a phsychic understanding to foresee it happening. Barack Obama came very, very close to this. This persecution is to end with an attack by "all the nations of the world" (which translates to "the UN") against Israel -- almost identical to our lining up nearly everyone to attack Afghanistan after 9/11. Again, I am not being overly "pessimistic"; I am just extrapollating into the future from the very recent past. These events are described in Revelations, with much material coming from Daniel and other Old Testament books -- written some 2,500 years ago. Zechariah 14 describes the outcome of this UN attack on Israel: nuclear war; which, in ordinary parlance, is "World War III". That war is so-named, because it was preceeded by World Wars I and II. World War I was foolishly described as "The war to end all wars." The fact of World War II showed this optimism to be utter foolishness; yet the secular prophets of today have applied the same saying to World War II. Despite these prophesies, we had regular air raid drills, all the time I was in grade school; and when I was in high school, B-58 bombers used to make practice runs over my city every day, literally like clockwork. We used to time our supper by them, because they happened at 5 PM sharp, along with their sonic booms that shook the house. I those days, there were only six nuclear states. Now there are nine, with several others that could amass large arsenals in the matter of a few months. Am I being "pessimistic"? Or just realistic? And remember, I am not basing this on Ezekiel's prophecy, which exactly described the effects of a nuclear war 2,500 years ago: I am basing my prediction on the facts of life in our times. As for the Bible, it predicts a happy ending: Messiah appears, the dead rise, and the good guys win. Can you get more optimistic than that? You mentioned Kissinger, and his advice to President Nixon concerning Russia and China. What you are suggesting, is described in "The American Conservative": http://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/the-reverse-kissinger/ When Nixon pulled that play, it was a surprize to everyone. Today, everyone can see it coming, and most people expect it. If the Russians and Chinese manage to be fooled by it, shame on them! Instead, I expect a LOT of diplomacy in the coming years, with everyone thinking he can outsmart the other guy and nobody really having a clue about what their words and actions will actually produce. At the moment, I am seriously concerned about President Trump reconsidering his promise to locate the US Embassy in Jerusalem. If he changes his mind on that promise, after threats from non-entities like Mahmoud Abbas and losers like Francois Hollande, you can bet Putin and Xi will have broad grins on their faces: They will have Trump in their pockets just as surely as Al Capone could buy Chicago policemen for 25 cents each. In this instance, it is impossible to have an optimistic outcome, short of praying for miracles. I AM optimistic, and I DO pray for such miracles. Shalom shalom :-) Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments". Reader comments (60) on this item
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