By James and Natalie Ricks
Christ told his disciples that one crucial sign of the end time events was armies surrounding the city. ’And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh’ Luke 21:20. Could it be that the Jewish nation will allow those armies to get in place as part of a peace keeping buffer force? Many analysts are saying that Hezbollah’s attacks can only be prevented by a strong buffer force on the northern border of Israel.
The Jewish state has indicated that they would consider a European military force on their northern border. They want a force similar to the one that is in Afghanistan. Surprised? Well consider this. The U.N. peace keeping forces have proven unreliable all over the globe. America is preoccupied with many other military commitments. A European army is the next logical choice.
This would allow Israel to get used to the concept of outsiders for their protection. Then they might also need such a buffer force in the south with the Gaza strip terrorist problem. Then someday later they will need a similar military force in the West Bank to guard the eastern or Jordanian frontier of Jerusalem. Then they would be completely surrounded by foreign armies even if for the time being they were helpful. For now these proposed armies are a buffer against terrorist but prophecies imply that they will someday betray tiny Israel and desecrate the future Temple of God. See Matt 24:15. Read also II Thessalonians 2:4 and Revelations chapters 13:14-15.
These armies to fulfill Bible prophecies would have to increase in strength to be a threat but allowing them in position as a buffer could be the first fatal step. Then someday some future evil leader in a reconstituted Holy Roman Empire in Europe could suddenly turn those armies inward toward Jerusalem. They would no longer protect Jerusalem from a far outer ring but instead in lightening like warfare turn inward upon the city.
Who among the European powers is likely to have the strongest army contingents; France, Italy, Spain or Germany? Germany will be the strongest! Ironic isn’t it! The nation that uprooted the successful Jews of Europe and forced to form the Zionist state will be their future chief protector and betrayer. The prelude maybe is being set for this eventuality due to the current crisis in Lebanon.
Buffer zone thinking has been very dangerous in the past. One reason Chamberlain of Britain followed a course of appeasement toward Hitler was buffer zone thinking. The wealthy leaders of Britain feared the communist so much they wanted to allow an even criminal led Germany to be a buffer state to protect them from the vast Soviet Empire during the prelude to WWII.
Yassar Arafat’s mentor was an open NAZI Arab who participated in the final solution program to exterminate all the Jews of Europe. Westerners use western thinking to try and solve the problem. They believe that if the Jewish state gives land back to the Palestinians they will gain peace. Sharon tested the concept. He gave back the Gaza strip. It was celebrated as a victory for the terrorist by Palestinians. Israel got more attacks not less attacks. This hatred that goes far beyond anti-Semitism is at the heart of the matter. Palestinians want to drive out the Jewish state. No other solution is acceptable to them. The pressure for war will remain until the messiah comes again.
It is extremely unlikely that the leaders of the Hezbollah terrorist group truly believe they can defeat the powerful Israeli war machine. If they can appear to have parity with, or in some serious way, hurt Israel, they believe that their reputation, in much of the world, will be enhanced.
Does it not appear to you that even holding Israel’s powerful war machine to a stalemate will garner increased power and financial support for Hezbollah’s leaders and lots more financial support from other Arabs? It could be that they are counting on this show of force against Israeli cities to draw many more young recruits who want the glory of martyrdom which much of the Arab media glamorizes.
Public opinion research postulates that:
- Opinion is highly sensitive to important events, for example, the bombing of Pearl Harbor or the World Trade Center.
- Events of unusual magnitude are likely to swing public opinion possibly from one extreme to another. America swung from believing in Neutrality to demanding total victory after Pearl Harbor.
- Perception of the importance of an event is controlled by the amount and kind of media coverage it receives.
What kind of publicity will Hezbollah’s attacks engender within Islam? If the media portrays Hezbollah as strong and equal to Israel militarily, as well as determined, they could become even more dangerous. The fact that many in the Islamic world will fear and respect Hezbollah will enable it to build strength for future conflicts.
Some view Hezbollah’s attacks as war by proxy. Iran and Syria, considered being the major antagonists are using Hezbollah as Hitler used his “volunteer” pilots during the Spanish Civil War to generate fear of his air force among those subjected to the air saturation bombing carried out by these “volunteer” German pilots. Under the guise of helping Franco, these activities helped to psychologically set the stage for World War II. World wide media coverage of these activities gave status to the German War machine in the mid 1930’s which helped emboldened Hitler to start The Big War.
During the rise of Nazism, there was only one man who cried in the wilderness trying to warn the world of the Nazi menace. His great wisdom and truth went unnoticed until it was almost too late. That man was Winston Churchill... He was continually humiliated and berated by the media and the English people for 10 years. But he didn’t give up. Why did these European Leaders cave in to Hitler‘s demands for territorial expansion as they grew from country to country? They were weary of war and believed that they could satisfy Hitler if they gave him enough. The media assisted European leaders in this quest for peace at any price by slanting the news to give appeasement viability in the eye of public opinion. The media for the most part, did not challenge this feckless and fearful behavior. The media also, believed in appeasement as the price for peace at any cost.
We now know that the German generals were suspicious of Hitler and were ready to try to overthrow him if the British and French had stood up to Hitler at that crucial time. But the British and French leaders backed by public opinion and shaped by the media appeased Hitler as he directed three more land grabs.
Hitler, as do most bullies, assumed that Europeans were indeed weak and feckless and therefore was continually emboldened to make further demands and claims. Churchill was quoted as saying, we choose between war and shame”. “We chose shame at Munich in 1938 and will also get war anyway”. During the dark days of the war the people turned to Churchill, finally realizing that events had proven him right.
Is it possible that a similar pattern is emerging with Iran? They wish to be the major military power in the Middle East. Daniel 11:40 says the King of the South shall push at the King of the North. Verse 40 continued: ‘And at the time of the end shall the King of the south push at him. ‘And the King of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships: and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over’. It sounds like blitzkrieg.
We believe the King of the North is the Beast Power, a renewed Holy Roman Empire in Central Europe greater than any before it in military might. It will be ruled by a beastly man like Hitler. Who can fight against the Beast? See Rev 13:4. “And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast, saying, who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him? “Will Iran and allies in the Middle East in the near future, believe that they are powerful enough to push a future powerful united Europe?
This push could be done through a combination of terrorism, conventional weapons and maybe include nuclear bombs. World media could easily add to the problem. Hitler could have been stopped early in his build up of strength, but the major western powers were afraid. Appeasement caused Hitler to overestimate his military might. Will hostile Middle Eastern powers overestimate their might as the result of appeasement and slanted media coverage? Does western media ever criticize terrorist for hiding among civilians while fighting in civilian clothing assuring the death of many innocent civilians?
It could easily happen again. With anti-Americanism at a fever pitch among our media as well as the world’s, such a thing could happen again. The longer the western powers wait to address the problem the stronger will Hezbollah, Iran and Syria grow.
Some additional Laws of Public Opinion will have significant influence over the unity and level of support for the terrorists and the supporting states.
4. When an opinion is held by a slight majority or when opinion is not solidly structured, an accomplished fact tends to shift opinion in the direction of acceptance.
5. During critical times, people become more sensitive to the adequacy of their leadership-- if they have confidence in it, they are willing to assign more than usual responsibility to it; if they lack confidence in it, they are less tolerant than usual.
A crisis tends to unite people around established leadership and in a fervent manner. Will the Islamic extremists unite in support of Iran? Will they become very powerful or will they overthrow Iran’s leaders? There are rumblings (press reports) that moderate established Arab leaders are not happy with these developments. Could it be that they are leading the west to believe this for political purposes and are not telling their own people of their not approving of Hezbollah’s attacks? Will these ‘moderate’ leaders be over thrown and replaced by radical dangerous men?
What kind of media coverage with its large Islamic populations is produced in Europe which tends to be more anti-Semitic than American media?
What kind of coverage is in the mainstream American media? What kind of coverage is given in the far right media and the bloggsphere? (Internet)
The terrorist would prefer a short conflict with their getting a favorable prisoner exchange with Israel. This will enable them to appear as an equal power. Israel would prefer to delay the cease fire until they can significantly degrade Hezbollah’s fighting force. The world with the exception of America has been pressuring Israel to make such an arrangement. If Israel enters into such an agreement quickly, it will be a victory for the terrorists. As we write this article no such arrangement has yet been made. We expect world pressure to increase to make Israel appease their enemies with a quick cease fire.
Will Israel unite behind Mr. Ohmert their new Prime Minister during this crisis?
Could something happen in the near future to allow a united Israel to rebuild the TEMPLE ON THE TEMPLE MOUNT, For example, an ERRANT MISSILE DESTROYING THE DOME OF THE ROCK?
Remember public opinion is very fluid and subject to events and media coverage of those events.
God warns us to watch to see which way the winds of world events are blowing. Will we spot a gathering storm? Let us keep our eyes open. Is it defeat or appeasement (a public relations victory) for the terrorists and their supporting states?
Listen to the media for code words to see if the world’s pressure is for appeasement (victory for them) or the degrading of the terrorists. Remember that Bible prophecy tends to vary in the speed of its fulfillment. Sometimes events come very speedily such as the fall of the entire vast Communist Empire and the reunification of Germany. We all need to do some critical analysis to determine just how close we are to the setting of the stage for final end time battles.
