“GUARANTEE THE SECURITY OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL”

 

Part VI

 

By Doug Krieger

 

G. H. Lang, 1950 –

 

“It has been of late the policy of Israel to seek aid from Gentile powers.  First Dr. Herzl sought the Sultan.  Then visits followed to this and that government.  Until recently the British were in question. This policy will lead finally to an agreement with Antichrist, in hope of his protection during the floods of distress then submerging the nations.  It will be an agreement with death and Hades because it will be known that he is being resuscitated from the world of the dead, and having alliance with him who has the power of death, the devil (Rev. 13:2-4; 17:8).  Thus extreme can become the apostasy of those privileged with divine revelation.  But they will be bitterly deceived.”  (G. H. Lang, The Histories and Prophecies of Daniel, pp 140-41)

 

Letter to President Bush from Evangelical Leaders – New York Times, July 29, 2007

 

“The only way to bring the tragic cycle of violence to an end is for Israelis and Palestinians to negotiate a just, lasting agreement that guarantees both sides viable, independent, secure states.  To achieve that goal, both sides must give up some of their competing, incompatible claims.  Israelis and Palestinians must both accept each other’s right to exist.  And to achieve that goal, the U.S. must provide robust leadership within the Quartet to reconstitute the Middle East roadmap, whose full implementation would guarantee the security of the State of Israel and the viability of a Palestinian State.  We affirm the new role of former Prime Minister Tony Blair and pray that the conference you plan for this fall (2007) will be a success.”

 

And to him they look . . .

 

“We hope this support (for President Bush’s two-state solution for Middle East peace for Israelis and Palestinians) will embolden you and your administration to proceed confidently and forthrightly . . . Mr. President, we renew our prayers and support for your leadership to help bring peace to Jerusalem, and justice and peace for all the people in the Holy Land . . . Finally, we would request to meet with you to personally convey our support and discuss other ways in which we may help your administration on this crucial issue.”

 

The Prophets Daniel & Isaiah:

 

“Till the end of the war desolations are determined.  Then he (Antichrist) shall confirm (lit. “cause to bear” – i.e., “enforce”) a treaty (lit. a “defense pact”) with many for one week; but in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering” (Daniel 9:26b-27a).

 

“And in his place shall arise a vile person, to whom they will not give the honor of royalty; but he shall come in peaceably, and seize the kingdom by intrigue.  With the force of a flood they shall be swept away from before him and be broken, and also the prince of the covenant.  And after the league is made with him he shall act deceitfully, for he shall come up and become strong with a small number of people.  He shall enter peaceably . . .” (Daniel 10:21-24a).

 

“Therefore hear the word of the Lord you scornful men, who rule this people who are in Jerusalem, because you have said, ‘We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol (hell) we are in agreement.  When the overflowing scourge passes through, it will not come to us, for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood we have hidden ourselves’ . . . I will make justice the measuring line, and righteousness the plummet, the hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters will overflow the hiding place.  Your covenant with death will be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol will not stand; when the overflowing scourge passes through, then you will be trampled down by it . . . it will be a terror just to understand the report” (Isaiah 28:14-19 segments). 

 

We have entered earth’s most decisive hour—the convergence of all things is at hand . . . for this hour the prophets foretold and with this precision in mind, may those who know their God behold the travesty of the moment, the gravity of the sequence of events about to transfigure the final generation that shall behold the coming of the Son of Man, and the crushing of the image of Gentile World Powers by the stone uncut by human hands, rejected by its builders, but chosen of God and destined to become that great mountain filling the whole earth with divine authority and glory (Daniel 2:35).

 

For this cause do we call the people of God to bear witness to the Scripture of Truth (Daniel 10:21) and to the Testimony of Jesus (Revelation 1:2) – we admonish those who “keep the commandments of God” and “have the testimony of Jesus” (Revelation 12:17) to steadfastly, and without compromise, align themselves with divine destiny’s inexorable quest toward righteous consummation and vindication, and so prepare their hearts for the coming of that great and terrible Day of the Lord.

 

And, what are we to make of these overtures, these strategies of justice and peace to be accomplished between age-old belligerents—between Isaac and Ishmael—so assiduously crafted by well-meaning brethren who follow the faith of Jesus that will “embolden” our President’s fall peace offensive?

 

Dare we speak in riddles, in obscurities demanding decoding—somehow so complex are these abstractions (for the Gordian Knot of ceaseless hostility abides the Middle East) that to address them in any other manner, as if this region’s offenses vis-à-vis the world’s confrontations actually do merit the language of the prophets to contest their significance and peculiar sanctity.  The Holy Land, in spite of the new dispensation whereby the Spirit made available to all the promise of Life without the physicality of real estate, nevertheless holds in abeyance the demands of covenantal promise inextricably bound to the character of the Almighty—hence, this debate far surpasses the petty, though extravagant, struggles found in other lands.  Somehow, we’re all riveted on this plot, engaged in its process and even participating in its outcome.

 

Is this not reason for these brethren to have written their appeal and encouragement to strengthen our leader’s hand in dealing with this most formidable entanglement—especially, as their claims for involvement center upon the embrace of “the biblical promise to Abraham:  ‘I will bless those who bless you.’ (Genesis 12:3)?”  Whereas it may be duly noted the antithetical portion of that same verse concludes: “Whoever curses you I will curse.”   

 

“ARE YOU FOR US, OR FOR OUR ADVERSARIES?”  

 

“And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, ‘Are You for us or for our adversaries?’  So He said, ‘No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.’” (Joshua 5:13b-14a).

 

The President’s most recent flurry to resolve the irresolvable occurred on July 16, 2007—the same day that Christians United for Israel (a coalition of Christian Zionists under the umbrella of mega church pastor John Hagee of Cornerstone Church of San Antonio, Texas) gathered in Washington, D.C., to lobby both Congress and the Executive to “stand by Israel.”  This coalition of evangelicals does not support the aforementioned coalition of “progressive evangelicals” who advocate a two-state solution—hence, the quote from Joshua 5.  To Hagee et al the prospect envisioned by the President, and now supported by the self-declared evangelical peace pragmatists, is no solution at all—but a disquieting sacrifice of Israel’s security, a shameful compromise of her biblical claims to Judea and Samaria; and, in fact, harkens back to a former “solution” the Jews know all too well.

 

 

For these American evangelicals to cajole Israelis to “promote the genuine and long-term well being of our neighbors (i.e., Palestinian) . . . to encourage her to remember . . . the profound teaching on justice that the Hebrew prophets proclaimed so forcefully as an inestimably precious gift to the whole world” smacks a bit disingenuous, given America’s rather sterling record of good neighborliness toward her native populations; for example, Mexican and even Canadian incursions and landed appropriations.

 

Timing seems to occur in pairs.  While the open letter from Evangelical Leaders was appearing in the New York Times on July 29, 2007, the World Evangelical Zionists and World Likud (Christians and Jews/Israelis) were assembled in Southlake, Texas, near Ft. Worth to strategize—speakers included leaders from the Zionist Organization of America.  Evangelical-Zionist “conspiracies” are rampant between the two camps (Evangelical and Jewish Zionists)—no doubt causing a greater degree of frustration among the aforementioned evangelical progressives, since a great deal of this activity is inspired by Southern preachers . . .

 

 

 

“IN THE WATCH-FIRES OF A HUNDRED CIRCLING CAMPS”

 

The sea change in all these pontifications and pronouncements is the growing chasm, this open sore of policy discontent, now seen before the whole world within the American evangelical camp.  Perhaps a history buff would declare that the same antithetical religious forces which propelled us into our own Civil War are now at work, once again, this time to free the Palestinians, as the slaves were freed.  It is not altogether impossible when the likes of Wheaton and Oberlin—bastions of abolitionist activism during the War Between the States—can affix their signatures to this appeal to “justice and peace” to surmise as much.

 

And, although the more visible leadership of the pro-Israel “forces” in Americana are decidedly Southern (e.g., John Hagee, Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell (now deceased), and now Ron Nash – to name but a few), there are sprinkles of these convictions in the North, just as there are Northern sentiments in the South who can align with the Presidential letter drafted by the predominantly Wheaton-Oberlin-Fuller Seminary constellation of evangelical interests.

 

The “Israel issue” is far more complicated amongst evangelicals than so-called main-line an ever-shrinking Protestant denominations, as well as Catholics (now undergoing a veritable moral failure of unparalleled magnitude, resulting in abject silence to forcefully and confidently speak out on the great moral issues of our time—all compounded by Pope Benedict XVI’s exclusive remarks relative to the one-true Church able to save).  To the mainliners and Catholics who see no theological relevance in the modern state of Israel, the issue is straightforward:  Two state solution or, in the extreme, a Northern Ireland of power sharing within one state—viz. the devolution of the modern state of Israel.

 

What complicates evangelicals is their adherence to the Word of God and its interpretation.  Premillenarians who see in Israel’s founding the fulfillment of biblical promise tend toward a very pro-Israel activist one state solution:  The Jewish State of Israel; however, progressive evangelicals, who may be premillenarian, are, nevertheless, and given the present stress within their communities toward “peace and justice” issues (e.g., witness Rick Warren’s efforts), are persuaded that a rump Palestinian state would suffice Israel’s blessing if only it (especially Israel) were guaranteed her security by the United States of America.

 

Evangelicals who adhere to biblical interpretations which accord little or no biblical relevance to the modern state of Israel, have, like their theological counterparts within Roman Catholicism and main-line Protestant denominations (now, nigh wholly absorbed in “peace and justice”) no proclivity to eschatological significance when it comes to Israel, and ipso facto resort to blatant appeals to righteous indignation, denounce her as racist and refuse to accord her any and all claims to chosenness and prophetic fulfillment.  What you see on the eastern edge of the Mediterranean is naught but an aberration, a refusal to compromise, a fluke of history, and worse, an apostate expression of the worst wrought by Western Civilization, manipulated by the recalcitrant Jew, in the heart of Islam—causing imminent and ceaseless political consternation throughout the Middle East, the world and

utterly exacerbating America’s current War on Terror.

 

Yes, “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” is being sung—but who’s doing the singing is at issue, as His “truth goes marching on?”

 

BIBLICAL RAMIFICATIONS

 

As Israel now polarizes the American evangelical Church—let alone the ramifications of this dispute resounding throughout Christendom and the nations at large—we are obliged to forewarn the unsuspecting pro-Israel elements within this evangelical wing, as well as her Zionist co-religionists and secularists amongst the Israeli population concerned for their security, that support for a two-state solution by their brethren amongst the evangelical progressives (and it is growing more vociferous) is not confined to the “evangelical left” – mainline Churches, Catholics and Orthodox persuasions.  There increasingly are more strident expressions of solidarity with the President’s solution than one would imagine—and those expressions are decidedly Jewish and Israeli in tone!

 

It is well-known that the Israeli “Peace Movement” – as well as American counterparts – is, in the main, aligned with the President’s resolution to the conflict.  The “many” of Israel are increasingly predisposed to seek relief from “the overwhelming scourge” which seeks to annihilate the State of Israel.

 

The prophetic declarations are ominous indeed.  Tragically, most of the aforementioned evangelicals are utterly antagonistic to, disinterested in or completely oblivious to America’s prophetic role—simply put:  America is not in Bible prophecy.  For the vast majority of Premillenarians who support Israel’s claims to the West Bank (Judea and Samaria), even Gaza and the Golan, their involvement in blessing Israel terminates at the commencement of Daniel’s Seventieth Week in the secret rapture of the believing Church—Israel fends for herself thereafter.

 

Armageddon is NOT on the radar of pro-Israel evangelical proponents—Israel’s affair with the devil is singular in nature . . . we’re outta here, good luck guys, Messiah’s on the way in any event.  Israel, in her desperation, cares little about such “nuances” (slightly major in nature though they be)—we’ll take whatever “immediate support” we can get—frankly, we’re not obliged to evangelical theology for the future, we’re too busy surviving now!  In any event if you Christians are “raptured out of here” – well, even we Jews might then believe!

 

Yet, the same Hebrew prophets who acclaim, as the progressive evangelicals attest, “the profound teaching on justice” – also, announce the end of days and the ultimate betrayal by Antichrist of the Jewish religion and Israel’s body politic.  The usurpation of the “priesthood and the kingship” is embodied in the nefarious, vile personage of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, whose subterfuge with the “many” (i.e., the majority of the Jewish leadership), is the archetype of the Antichrist who will orchestrate the same in a final and vast deception upon both “the many” (Daniel 9:27a) and “the elect” (i.e., upon Jews and Christians—Daniel 8:25; Matthew 24:24; cf. II Thessalonians 2:11). 

 

Indeed, when the “Prince of the Covenant” (Daniel 11:22) is overthrown, who else but the Man of Sin shall inherit this title—for it is he who shall “exalt himself as high as the Prince of the host” (Daniel 8:11), rising “against the Prince of princes” (Daniel 8:25).  The kingship (political authority in Israel) and the priesthood (religious authority in Israel) will be his and much more, for . . .

 

“All who dwell on the earth will worship him . . . they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, ‘Who is like the beast?  Who is able to make war with him?’” (Revelation 13:8, 4)

 

While American pro-Israel evangelicals look to the European Union and the likes of Javier Solana as the perpetrator and progenitor of the final Antichrist, whose peace efforts and ultimate Satanic incarnation bespeak of the “son of perdition” (even as Satan “entered into Judas” – Luke 22:3; cf. John 17:12; II Thessalonians 2:3), they—blinded by the false hope of the pre-tribulation rapture (condemning those who embrace the “faithful and true witness” who endures unto the end through those who hold fast the “faith of Jesus” (Revelation 14:12)—are purposefully or inadvertently oblivious to the impending flood whose inundating tsunami will engulf the whole earth.

 

Likewise, their evangelical co-harts, adrift with their theological bias against Israel’s materiality are being swept up in the euphoria of “justice for all,” must resoundingly embrace America’s role as a “city set on a hill cannot be hid” for a better world, a world made right through America’s Manifest Destiny now back on track through world leadership beholden to the finest ideals of democracy, peace and freedom.  To that end they are bound to strengthen the very hand that upholds the title of the world’s only super power—ridding her of those policies which conflict with that enlightened self image, including the contradictions held by the pro-Israel evangelical lobby.

 

SETTING UP THE PRO-ISRAEL EVANGELICALS

 

It must be remembered, these same Southern Evangelical leaders, and their counterparts in the North (if you would bear with me on these traditional metaphors) find it unbearable to discover they are in contention with their most favored son, George W. Bush—whom they unwaveringly embrace, and whose hand in social, moral, and foreign policy they unequivocally uphold.  What moral and consequent political dilemma they now confront!  Shall they strive to contend with the evangelical progressives who have (and make no bones about it) cast down the gauntlet of biblical blessing to be interpreted in pragmatic compromise—two-state Bush solution or bust?

 

There is one possible recourse to the evangelical squabble over Israel—let me explain . . .

 

THE INCIDENT SCENARIO – EVANGELICALS RESPOND

 

Just as 9/11 galvanized the American populous around the crusader policies of the President (as in virtually all national crisis), giving him (and still “the gift” keeps on giving him in the Senate/Congress superlative spying capacities) unabridged authority to wage war against the infidels of Islamic jihad; even so, the full militarization of our domestic police forces, including the military itself, could easily be implemented upon the unsuspecting American populous crying out for “peace and safety” as a result of an attack on American embassies and/or the much-touted Homeland Security gaff allowing “the incident” to occur upon the Fatherland.

 

Furthermore, Iran’s nuclear nightmare is not beyond the imaginative designs of this Administration wherein an all-out assault by CENTCOM upon Iran’s nuclear web could create a similar international incident to “our advantage.”

 

Pro-Israel evangelicals would, under this foreboding duress, wholly align themselves with the President’s Middle East two-state solution—a solution which would be a bitter pill for certain Israelis to swallow, but “the many” in Israel would have no other recourse.

 

THE INCIDENT SCENARIO – RADICAL ISLAM RESPONDS

 

What is far more realistic, and politically precarious—given the pressure for a peaceful two-state resolution by the President and his new-found allies—are reactions from militant Islam. 

 

It is not unthinkable for Hamas and their erstwhile Hezbollah allies—as well as Syria and Iran who front them—to consider the two-state solution as anathema to their ambitions to wipe Israel off the map.  The Saudis and Jordanians, along with Sunni allies in the region forever desirous to trade with the “Ships of Tarsish” and now (the Saudis) with the promise of billions in high-tech armaments via the USA, are preparing for the worst if the Iranian-Shiite Crescent reaches fulfillment.

 

Simply put—an Islamic incident is a far greater possibility than one might conjecture.  In order to confront Bush’s peace initiative head-on, there may be but one solution:  The no state solution.  As bizarre as this sounds, and as politically insane—a gradual and ever-spiraling cacophony of strategic blunders could easily find these Islamic antagonists enveloped in an all-out hot war with Israel.

 

What is far more likely—and, although you may not like to hear this, more biblical—is a series of “incidents” (let alone the “peace offensive”) which triggers the “end of the war” mentioned in Daniel 9:26b.  We affirm this “war” to be the final phase of the now six-fold Arab-Israeli conflict—the Seventh Conflict known in Isaiah as the “Burden” or “Oracle of Damascus” (Isaiah 17), and the trigger of the “Messianic Scenario” (a series of events leading to the Messianic Era) commencing in Zechariah 9, and concluding in Zechariah 14—involving Gaza, Lebanon, “the stronghold of Ephraim” or the West Bank/PA, and Syria.

 

This “Syrophenician War” is succinctly followed by the “Covenant With the Many” (Daniel 9:27a) and reads as follows:

 

“And till the end of the war desolations are determined.  Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week” (Daniel 9:26b-27a).

 

Is the Bush Peace Offensive – the resuscitation of the Roadmap to Peace – what triggers the immediate Islamic radical response above; a sort of preemptive Jihadist effort to thwart that which they feared the most to come upon them—the survival of Israel—let alone some sort of preemptive strike by the West, coordinated with Israel, against Iran and Syria?  Belligerents do strange things when inevitability grips their psyche—they do “things” that don’t make a whole lot of geo-political/strategic sense.

 

One thing is certain, this “cup of trembling” erupting within America’s evangelical community is precisely what the President needs, along with perhaps another “incident” of sufficient or even inconsequential result, to have the whole lot of the brethren solidified behind the President’s two-state solution.  Even Senator Lieberman will have been exhausted, throwing his support behind Presidential WILL, aspiring for peace in the Middle East, given the fact that the DEFENSE PACT, aforementioned by the enlightened evangelical progressives designed to guarantee Israel’s security by the USA, and soon to be seconded by both the pro-Israel Evangelical lobby, as well as “the many” in Israel, will be the singular proposal to assure Israel’s survival in an Islamic sea of hostility.

 

That, dear reader, is precisely where all this is heading—consternations to the contrary.  Notwithstanding the preponderance of geopolitical evidence facing American pro-Israel evangelical Christians that America is smack dab in the center of Gentile World Powers and the major player on the globe involved in securing peace in the Middle East, these same evangelicals are altogether inclined to blame their European counterparts as the ultimate focus of Antichrist’s home base.  This eschatological boondoggle is what distracts, depresses and denotes this exceedingly active, yet theologically distant support for prophetic Israel; thus, is this sixth part of America’s demise so dedicated, in the hopes that biblical literacy can still achieve her maximum persuasion in spite of those Premillenarians who cannot stomach a future confrontation with the powers of Antichrist, but are more than consigned to leave those duties “for your people and for your holy city” (Daniel 9:24) – the Jews; and, worse yet, to strengthen the hand of him who enforces a covenant/peace treaty with "many" in Israel!

 

ARNO FROESE AND THE MIDNIGHT CALL

 

German-born Froese has for decades been a voice of hope and persistent support for the people of Israel.  As many of our brethren who espouse the eschatology of the “secret rapture” – the imminent occurring of this rapture could happen any moment (according to their teachings).  As part and parcel of pretribulationalism (true Christians will be raptured before the Seventieth Week of Daniel’s prophecy (Daniel 9:24-27)) there is the dominant eschatology of a Revived Roman Empire which constitutes the base of Antichrist—and, again, America is not in the prophetical picture.  Focus upon European unity and its leadership is overwhelmingly assigned to the end-times’ scenario.

 

Brother Arno’s slant on European supremacy in the last days is, as we shall see later in this tome, consistent with British Premillenarians who, unlike their American counterparts, at least had the colonial fortitude to place the coming Man of Sin in their backyard!

 

However, that said, Froese borders on premillenarian heresy by suggesting that Rome’s imprint is much more vast than heretofore presumed. Furthermore, the USA, as well as many other nations, is included in the “system that is Rome.”

 

Listen to his concluding remarks in his piece on the Revived Roman Empire and the EU (although not much is said of the EU as the base of Antichrist):

 

“There’s not a doubt in my mind that the Roman system is making planet Earth rich. We also note that the European Union does not need to use force in order to bring about democracy, but nations are standing in line with their applications in hand, begging for admission into this prestigious club.  That is the Last Gentile Superpower!”  (Arno Froese, The Revived Roman Empire and the European Union, Midnight Call)

 

The “Roman system” prevails into the Twenty-first Century and, although, as you shall later see, Brother Froese includes America in that system, she, as well as the whole earth, will be subdued by that “Last Gentile Superpower!”

 

The longevity of Rome is the persistent theme of these brethren, including Froese; however, that measurement is exclusive of the New World and wholly domiciled in continental Europe, including the UK.

 

“The Roman Empire was, is and will remain in existence until Jesus returns to earth and puts an end to all world power structures.

 

When discussing an issue such as the Roman Empire, we must think long term: More than 2,000 years of history are involved.  If we include the other three empires, then we can add another 600 years. That’s a long time, but the Bible summarizes these four Gentile superpowers with one sentence: ‘in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed’ (Daniel 2:44). According to Scripture, these 2,600 years are merely ‘days.’ Therefore, we must think long term in order to see the entire picture.” (Ibid.)

 

 

As with virtually all American pre-tribulation eschatology, the emphasis upon the “fourth beast” is decisively Rome and her “revival” in the latter days upon continental Europe is definitive.  In our last article we quoted the esteem writings of one, G. H. Lang, who disabuses us of this expansive teaching and grandiose assumption on the part of so many well-meaning brethren; however, as Lang points out, the only fully-declared, in biblical print, fourth beast is a COMPOSITE of the original three:  Lion, bear, and leopard (Neo-Babylonia, Medo-Persian and Macedonian Greek—cf. Revelation 13:2).

 

It is altogether critical in the interpretation NOT to see the fourth beast now in its Roman exclusivity but as a perpetuation and consummation of primarily Western Gentile World Powers—most assuredly of those powers which dominate the ancient plains of Mesopotamia, ancient Babylon.  That is precisely why, at this most critical juncture in human history, we find the very leadership of the West, the United States of America, as the most prominent military power, not only subsuming the Plains of Shinar, but the foremost power leading the way toward Israeli security through peace and ultimate prosperity for the entire region.

 

Froese persists:

 

“The Identity of the Four Superpowers:  There is little doubt about the identity of the four superpowers — the gold, silver, brass and iron. They are Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome.” (Ibid.)

 

Now, interestingly enough, Froese aligns the USA with Rome’s governmental and cultural affairs (i.e., “the Roman system”)—so he understands the influence of his Rome but does not accord America’s evolution into a Gentile World Power characteristic of the final fourth beast of the Revelation . . . that privilege is assigned to Continental Europe . . . America is NOT that “Last Gentile Super Power.”

 

“The Roman process of making laws also had a deep influence on the American system. During the era of the Roman Republic (509 to 49 B.C.) lawmaking was a bicameral activity. Legislation was first passed by the comitia, the assembly of the citizens, then approved by the representative of the upper class, the senate, and issued in the name of the senate and the people of Rome. Centuries later, when the American Founding Fathers launched their bold experiment in democratic government, they took republican Rome as their model. Our laws, too, must go through two legislative bodies.

 

“The House of Representatives is our assembly of citizens, and like its counterpart in ancient Rome, the U.S. Senate was originally designed as a chamber for the elite (it was not until the 17th Amendment, in 1913, that ordinary people were allowed to vote for their senators).

 

“The reliance on Roman structures at the birth of the United States was reflected in early American popular culture, which delighted in drawing parallels between U.S. leaders and the noble Romans.

There was a great vogue for marble statues depicting George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, even Andrew Jackson in Roman attire.” (Ibid.)

 

Now, as Dr. Froese attempts to draw our attention to the paltry military prowess of the EU—while utterly ignoring and/or diminishing America’s supremacy as a result of her military-industrial complex and of her enormous armament buildup (now approaching nigh $1Trillion per year and billions daily as a result of the Iraqi incursion and her War on Terror)—he makes a horrendous geo-political blunder by his following statements. . . statements which he is forced to make in order to sustain his thesis that the EU will be the “Last Gentile Super Power!”

 

“One potential enemy had been done away with the fall of the Soviet Union; therefore, military power becomes less significant. Looking at the achievement of disarmament during the last two or three decades, one can see the tremendous reduction in weaponry and armed forces throughout the world. After all, it has become unthinkable if not outright impossible to imagine that Canada would attack the United States or France would invade England. Those days are history.

 

“We must add here that military activity is now closely tied to the economic picture. Virtually any attack on any country would greatly upset those economies involved and literally affect the entire world.

 

“China, the world’s largest populated nation, is ruled by communism, yet China is the largest U.S. supporter, even underwriting American debt by buying an immense volume of U.S. Savings Bonds. Ironic, isn’t it?

 

“Communism is supporting capitalism!” (Ibid.)

 

These remarks astound—they were made in an intellectual vacuum or perhaps on another planet.  The days of military spending have never been more exhaustive than today—thanks to the exorbitant military expenditures of the world’s foremost commercial empire:  The United States of America.  Indeed, military activity is tied to the economic picture; tied to such an extent that America’s military expenditures have never been greater in her search for the “hidden treasures” of the Middle East. 

 

Communist China, however, for their own aggrandizement, supports the USA, and, though they be so clever, are, notwithstanding, addicted to the opium of American capitalism.  What the British in a hundred years could not fully accomplish in her quest to addict the Chinese to opium and hence to the British pound, we Americans have cleverly surmised she could easily come under our economic habit and thereby support us all to the lifestyle to which we have become accustomed!

 

But these remarks, as we have discovered from many a dear American brother, reflect a predisposition to a faulty interpretation of Eighteenth-Nineteenth Century premillenarian colonial European eschatology, primarily outsourced to the world by the British.

 

Froese, at this juncture, does not project (at least in this article) the demise of American culture and influence—she is incorporated into the Roman system but is NOT the world’s “Last Gentile Super Power.”

 

WHO ORIGINATED THE “REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE” AS THE BASE OF ANTICHRIST THEORY?

 

Three primary works may be cited which expand the origins of the “Revived Roman Empire” as the base of Antichrist in the latter days—all three authors are British:

 

(1)     Benjamin Wills Newton:  The Prospects of the Ten Kingdoms of the Roman Empire, (Sundry Editions:  1849, 1863, 1873, 1955, 1965

(2)     George Hawkins Pember:  The Great Prophecies of the Centuries concerning Israel and the Gentiles, 1909

(3)     Samuel Prideaux Tregelles:  Remarks on the Prophetic Visions in the Book of Daniel, (Sundry Editions:  1847, 1852, 1864, 1883, 1965, 1980

 

The foremost proponent of the Revived Roman Empire as the base of the future Antichrist was B. W. Newton—a sort of Nineteenth Century ancestor of Hal Lindsey.  He saw great significance in the collaboration between one of the Rothschilds and the Sultan in the construction of a railway from Constantinople to Baghdad.  Newton saw in this impending merger a revived Eastern and Western halves of the Roman Empire . . . “a Roman world, from England to the Euphrates centered on Rome” (B. W. Newton, Babylon:  Its Revival, p. 17.).

 

Newton was identified with the Plymouth Brethren and was a colleague of John Nelson Darby.  In 1859 Newton held significant eschatological significance in the geo-political developments taking place in Europe at the time:

 

“The interests of France, Great Britain and Austria are more and more felt to be identical as respects the aggression of Russia; and this feeling Spain, Italy and Greece, will soon thoroughly share.” (B. W. Newton, Antichrist, p. 143.)

 

Newton had a dynamic manner in presenting predictive maps of the “ten kingdoms” which would one day constitute the Revived Roman Empire.  In 1863 he located a most impressive distribution of such states around the Mediterranean:  France, Spain, Northern Italy, the Neapolitan States, Austria, Turkey, Greece, Syria and Egypt, together with the British Isles. (B. W. Newton, Map of Ten Kingdoms of Roman Empire, London: Lucus Collins, 1863).

 

In 1879 Newton allowed himself plenty of time for the timing of those events which would bring the “ten kingdoms” together as the fertile soil of Antichrist’s arrival; to wit:

 

“Whether it may be long and deadly; or whether the way of the Western Roman nations may be smoothed so as for the resuscitation of the East under their guardianship to be quietly and speedily effected, it is impossible for us to say.” (B. W. Newton, Antichrist, p. 146.)

 

As noted, so restrictive was Newton’s Revived Roman Empire theory, and so concentrated on the physicality of the old Roman Empire environs, that he simply had to embrace those Islamic States which constitute serious problems for today’s Premillenarians.  Today’s inheritors of Newton’s original theories have now isolated the Revived Roman Empire to the EU, and specifically to the Western European Union of Ten States.

 

The forward of Newton’s “Babylon:  Its Future History and Doom with remarks on the Future of Egypt and Other Eastern Countries,” (3rd edition, 1890) Newton is affirmative:  “On Israel, and on Western Europe chiefly will rest the responsibility of causing the Revived Eastern Branch of the Roman World to be what it is to be.”

 

“The result of the late war with Russia has been to bring the Turkish dominions into recognized political connection with Western Europe... The ancient outline of the Roman Empire will again appear... At bottom, Mohammedanism, what is it but a sect of Christianity? When the Papists, and the Greek church and Judaism, and Mohammedanism, and Anglicanism, shall re-echo this sentiment, and when it shall become governmentally adopted by the nations of the Roman world, we shall soon see the ‘Ephah’ and ‘wickedness,’ its inmate, established in the land of Shinar.” (B. W. Newton, Babylon: Its Future, pp. 145, 150. ‘Shinar’ being the earliest Hebrew name for Babylon.)

 

The imposition of the “Eastern Leg” of the Revived Roman Empire, in the mind of B.W. Newton, meant that the current states on the Asian and African sides of the former Roman Empire (even in Newton’s day) had to be reunited with the Western Leg (harkening back to the Image of Daniel 2) in order for Daniel’s “ten-toed prophecy” to be “literally” fulfilled.  This was not problematic to Newton—even if the West was predominantly Christian and the East was overwhelmingly Islamic; after all, “Mohammedanism . . . is but a sect of Christianity?”  The convoluted thinking going on here is akin to the same geo-political nonsense taking place amongst those pre-millenarians who today, as B. W. Newton of yesteryear, insist on a literal and UNBIBLICAL Revived Roman Empire as the base of Antichrist!

 

The Scriptures make it abundantly clear that the Fourth Beast with the ten horns and the Image of Daniel 2 with ten toes, is the summation, the continuation of Gentile World Powers which will dominate the world at the “end of days” – especially, and in particular, that Fourth Beast must have preeminence over the Plains of Shinar, ancient Neo-Babylonia—just as Nebuchadnezzar, the Medes and Persians and Alexander the Great made ancient Babylon their strategic administrative center.  Be it summarily known as well, the unequivocal, indisputable and glaringly obvious presence of the Gentile World Power now occupying the Plains of Shinar today is none other than the formidable military presence of the United States of America—which has NO INTENTION OF LEAVING BABYLON for the foreseeable future, notwithstanding all the Democratic rhetoric to the contrary; and, most certainly, the Democrats (witness Obama’s gaff over sending troops into Pakistan even if the Pakistanis do not cooperate with us) know that warmongering sells—so let’s start sellin’ it to the American public!

 

Pardon my digression—the stupidity of the Democratic Congress to tax the American oil industry $16B (August 2007), and having that tax passed on to the American middle and lower classes at the pump, is one of the most preposterous, brain dead ideas ever to come forth from the halls of Congress.  It’s nothing more than a “green-pork barrel” piece of legislation. We’re dealing with a “world commodity” and that commodity has “world financial implications” – this will cause the military intentions of the USA to all the more invest their resources onto the Mesopotamian Plain as never before in hopes of securing more oil to fuel the American economy!  Imagine, takee petrol-incentives away from the oil industry passing on a hidden tax that we can ill-afford to pay.

 

CAMP ANACONDA - A DIMINISHING AMERICA?

 

It seems like only the Friends Society and a few left-wing blogs are clear about how long the USA plans to stay in Iraq—FOREVER!  Have you ever seen an anaconda (gigantic snake) crush its victim?  Well, that’s precisely the image that the USA wants to convey to Iraq, Iran, Syria et al.  We’re there to CRUSH THE OPPOSITION WITH OVERWHELMING FORCE—don’t even kid yourself otherwise; and, if it takes a hundred years, we’ll do WHATEVER IT TAKES.

 

That’s what the world’s second busiest airport in the world is all about—crushing the enemy by a superabundance of military high-tech hardware and munitions that simply will exhaust any foe.  If you don’t believe Bush, believe Reagan, he did the same thing to the Soviet Union!

 

Camp Anaconda, known also as Balad Air Base, sits around 68 miles north of Baghdad in perhaps the region’s most hostile area—the Sunni Triangle.  Nearly 30,000 troops are stationed at this 15 sq. mile military bastion with an airstrip more than 11,000 feet long (just under two miles).  We’re talking a major hub-style airport here—27,500 per month!  Nigh a 1,000 per day; 50 an hour or 1 per minute!  Did someone say busy?

 

“With 27,500 landings and takeoffs a month, Balad is second only to London's Heathrow Airport in traffic worldwide, Brig. Gen. Frank Gorenc, the base commander, tells Newsweek Senior Editor Michael Hirsh in the current issue.” (NewsMax.com, U.S. Prepares 'Super Base' in Iraq, April 23, 2006)

 

Along with an additional 8,000 contractors, the sprawling center bespeaks of a medium size American town—complete with Burger King, movie theaters, fast food courts, dance lessons, and an Olympic size swimming pool.  The base is known as ‘Mortaritaville’ by the soldiers occupying it.  But don’t kid yourself—you get to close to the ANACONDA and you’ll get crushed!  And, this is one of from four to six such bases in Iraq planned by the Pentagon (Wikipedia).

 

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to read between the following lines; however, you may not qualify if you’re looking at the EU as the base of Antichrist!

 

“‘It's safe to say Balad will be here for a long time,’ says Gorenc (Brigadier General Frank Gorenc), who feels at home in Iraqi skies, where the Air Force has been having its way since the first gulf war. ‘One of the issues of sovereignty for any country is the ability to control their own airspace. We will probably be helping the Iraqis with that problem for a very long time.’”  (U. S. Prepares ‘Super Base’ in Iraq  - NewsMax.com)

 

Yes-sir-e – the Iraqis are in full control of their friendly skies!

 

Now, Balad’s substandard tarmac simply isn’t good enough for our C-130s and F-16s and other aircraft—so let’s tear out the runways and plant new ones; after all, we Romans are big time into concrete!  NOTE:  Two other bases are slated for the British and Iraqi military. (Ibid.)  Principal:  Build them and they will come!

 

This in no way resembles Viet Nam – it resembles Germany after World War II and today’s South Korea and Japan.  Hang around long enough and you’ll get rich just like the Germans, Japanese and South Koreans—and even some “fringe benefits” could accrue if you’re lucky (e.g., China, Eastern Europe and even North Korea no matter how long it takes).  Dr. Froese is correct—wars take on economic imagery—JUST LIKE THEY ALWAYS HAVE!

 

The Friends Committee on National Legislation queries:

 

“If the U.S. is ultimately leaving Iraq, why is the military building ‘permanent’ bases?” (See full base build-up article “here”)

 

Why?  Because the United States of America has absolutely no intention of leaving Babylon – ancient or otherwise!  Don’t listen to what we’re saying.  If the Moslem World hasn’t figured it out yet—what we’re doing is speaking so loud I can’t hear what you’re saying.

 

 

Imagine, four to six of these crushing fortresses, complete with Americana, just there to protect around 20 million folks from themselves—talk about accessibility to “other Middle Eastern markets” like Iran, Syria et al—while keeping in check our Saudi, Jordanian and Gulf States buds (Dedan and Sheba), Jordan (Moab and Ammon of old) and, for the time being, the Egyptians (until they can’t take it any more and make a fatal move before being crushed by the anaconda). (cf. Daniel 11:41-43, Ezekiel 38:13)

 

Interesting, isn’t it, the choice of the MONSTER SERPENT (everyone’s worst nightmare) to be the vanguard of American super bases in the heart of ancient Babylon—subliminal message—thank you rocket scientists one and all!

 

Yep, complete with Microwave oven to keep the anaconda warm—cold-blooded creature that he is:

 

“In January 2005 it was reported that the Pentagon was building a permanent military communications system in Iraq. The new Central Iraq Microwave System is to consist of up to 12 communications towers throughout Iraq, along with fiber-optic cables connecting Camp Victory (another USA monster base smack dab in the middle of Iraq) to other coalition bases in the country.” (Iraqi Facilities, Global Security.org – 2005).  CAMP VICTORY—and let the world know that is precisely what America intends to do in Iraq AND the surrounding region—is the only fortification in that hapless land which keeps its original name; the others have pleasant-sounding Arabic/English names to persuade the masses that their fine efforts have achieved optimum success on the battlefields . . . CAMP DEMOCRACY was simply a bit too much and bespoke of women without veils, so we stuck with VICTORY. (Ibid.)

 

OLD NAME	NEW NAME (ARABIC)	ENGLISH
Banzai	Al-Adala	Justice
Cooke	Taji	Taji
Cuervo	Rustamiyah	Rustamiyah
Eagle	Al-Amal	Hope
Ferrin-Huggins	Al-Saqr	Falcon
Greywolf	Al-Tawheed Al-Awal	Union I
Gunslinger	Al-Tadamun	Solidarity
Headhunter	Al-Istiqulal	Independence
Highlander	Al-Isdehar	Prosperity
Iron Horse	Al-Watani	Patriot
North Victory	Al-Tahreer	Liberty
Outlaw	Al-Hurya Al-Thani	Freedom II
Steel Dragon	Al-Sharaf	Honor
Trojan Horse	Al-Tawheed Al-Thalith	Union III
Victory	Al-Nasr	Victory
Warhorse	Al-Hurya Al-Awal	Freedom I
Warrior	Al-Tawheed Al-Thani	Union II

 

Sadam’s old, and not completed (Al Faw or “Victory Over America”) palace completes the slap in the face to those who mess with the American Eagle—don’t even go there, lest we move into your palace, keep your name to spite your face after hanging you!

 

The superlative displays of staggering military expenditures, troop build-up, armament deliveries, far in excess for the immediate Iraqi theater of operations, unbelievable logistic enhancements and a host of other military preparedness, all point to a massive American military AND civilian presence in Iraq and throughout the Middle East for the indefinite time frame designed by the foremost military-industrial complex in the history of humankind.

 

All this, once again, coupled with the world’s most enormous foreign embassy ever to be built or ever will be built on the face of the earth—smack dab on the Plain of Dura (Daniel 3:1) which, interestingly enough, means: To Heap Up!  And, heap up we have.  We don’t know where Nebuchadnezzar set up his Image—the Image which would represent the Gentile World Powers—but we do know it was at Dura, that it demanded absolute worship and that it was made of solid gold (unlike Nebuchadnezzar’s vision of the Image which contained other metals—you might say that the “gold” went to Nebuchadnezzar’s head!); also, that its size was a fascinating 60 cubits high and 6 cubits wide, and, no doubt a perfect square (i.e., the width was the same as the length – 6 cubits) – hence, a series of 6’s or 666 – go figure, looks terribly familiar, doesn’t it?  No wonder that the Mark of the Beast is the number of a man as found in the Revelation:  666 – and, if you’re not worshiping that final Gentile World Power headed by the Beast, you can’t buy nor sell, so you better get ready to dance to the music or face the fiery furnace; but guess what?  The Son of God shows up in that fiery furnace! (Daniel 3:8-30; Revelation 13:18).

 

CONCLUSION

 

Our feeble attempts to persuade and to dissuade saint and sinner to witness these unfolding events from a truly Biblical perspective are a drop in the bucket  We shout into this wilderness, but who is listening?  We warn and cajole who will hear our pleadings . . . but the multitudes number into the billions?  Of course we seek to reach all who will hear us . . . bless God it only takes a few, who like peering into a three dimensional drawing where eventually, from the center, the streaks begin to move.

 

This, however, is no optical illusion—even though most evangelicals out there are allowing their outer eyes to play tricks with them.  Naturally, if one’s emerging Church focus and feel-good Churchianity requires a live and let live, seeker-friendly mindset—a mindset which one avant-garde preacher declared was just fine with him “because the return of Christ won’t be for a couple of hundred years in any event” –- you may just as well live that care-free style Christianity to the uttermost, or dabble in a “cultural Judaism” that has no biblical, prophetic framework whatsoever.

 

“THOSE WHO ARE WISE SHALL SHINE” – Daniel 12:3a

 

Fortunately, there are some who “know their God” and who will shine “like the brightness of the firmament . . . and turn many to righteousness” on that day.  And, what is best are those who Daniel the Prophet spoke of, who in the end of days, who diligently seek out the Scripture of Truth, for the time is near; therefore, the study of the prophetic Scriptures will and has radically increased as we “see the day approaching.”

 

“But you, O Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book UNTIL THE TIME OF THE END (my emphasis).  [Then] many shall run to and fro and search anxiously [through the Book], and knowledge [of God’s purposes as revealed by His prophets] shall be increased and become great” (Daniel 12:4, Amplified Version).

 

Below, are two witnesses to Daniel 12:4 – no, they are not traveling by car or plane—they are diligently seeking out through the Book God’s purposes as revealed by His prophets; for that which was once sealed is being opened as they anxiously search “through the Book.”

 

“The big news here in Israel today, boldly headlined in the nation’s largest newspaper, Yediot Ahronot, this morning, is Russia’s reported return to two naval bases that the Kremlin largely built and once controlled in neighboring Syria.  The move is said to be part of a large Russian weapons deal with Syria, at least partially funded by Iran, as I reported about in last weeks monthly news update.

 

“The dramatic Russian move will undoubtedly increase speculation among observant Christians and Jews that Ezekiel’s Gog and Magog invasion is drawing very near.  In light of author Joel Rosenberg’s popular novel about the theme, I get asked about this prophecy all the time now as I travel around the world, and especially if I see its fulfillment as possibly imminent.   

 

“Frankly I do NOT see Ezekiel’s penultimate prophesied event as taking place in the near-term future.  Instead, I suspect that the region could well witness an apparent massive clash between Syria and Israel, described in Isaiah chapter 17, unfolds in the not too distant future, to which Russia and other countries listed by Ezekiel would eventually react, but not immediately in the climactic way described by Ezekiel.” (Dave Dolan, The Isaiah 17 War against Syria/Jordan Comes Before Gog and Magog in Ezek. 38, Global Resource Ministries International Israel Update, August 06, 2007, as found on Philip’s Zionist Blog - Dolan is a Christian reporter in Israel.)

 

And, from the Israeli side another voice not siding with “the many” –

 

“Ever since the reestablishment of Jewish sovereignty in the Land of

Israel began in 1948, the Arab nations have done all in their power

to destroy it. It is a principle of Islam to maintain its sovereignty

over all lands in the Middle East, and its eventual aim is for

complete world dominance. Given the fact that most Arab leaders are

religious Moslems, it is an act of futility to assume that they will

willingly alter their religious beliefs even for peace. One would

hope that Israel would have leaders that would never make

negotiations that would compromise Jewish principles. Unfortunately

our leaders appear to have no principles and are prepared to rewrite

the Torah to please our enemies. This is the crux of our problems and

the reason why we will never see peace result from holding human

ideology above that of our Creator.

 

“Mr. Olmert may think that he is advancing the cause of peace by

suggesting a willingness to give away Jewish Land to our enemies. He

may think that he is taking bold new initiatives. The fact is that

Israel has been trying to give away the miracle of 1967 ever since

1967. For forty years our leaders have been dreaming of making peace

by undoing miracles.” (Gary Cooperberg, These Are Our Leaders? August 6, 2007)

 

So who’s destroying whom?

 

“Jewish tradition tells us that the Messiah will come only when most

people have given up hope for our survival. Looking at our situation from a political stance we clearly have reached a stage of hopelessness. Simple logic tells us that the days of Israel’s existence are extremely limited. It is just a matter of time until either our enemies destroy us, or we do it for them.” (Ibid.)

 

Where is so-called logic?

 

“Bush and Olmert and Peres may have plans for us, but the Creator of the Universe has His own plans which were drawn up even before the world was created. Can one imagine that those plans can be altered... even by the President of the United States? When given the choice to decide between trusting our own eyes and ears or to accept the words of our Torah and prophets, most people seem to prefer their own eyes and ears. This is logical. But it is a mistake. Were logic to have ruled here the State of Israel never would have come into existence, much less to have continued to exist and thrive over the last nearly sixty years.” (Ibid.)

 

Hope in the midst of hopelessness . . .

 

“This country is not a democracy. It is run by fools and exists in spite of them and only by miracles. Anyone who does not believe in G-d and Jewish destiny and continues to live here is clearly irrational. I live here with my children and grandchildren because I know that the G-d of Israel will never turn back the clock. His plan has already begun and it will not be stopped by any power on Earth. It makes no difference who is elected as our next Prime Minister. The only One who determines our destiny is the Living G-d of Israel. Recent history has proven this to anyone with eyes to see and ears to hear. So rather than fall prey to hopelessness as so many are doing today, let us proudly rejoice in the fact that the Jewish People has begun to return home, and will continue to do so until we are all once again united in service to our Creator.” (Ibid.)

 

In both of these statements there is the sound of Biblical fidelity and ultimate recourse—our human wisdom fails us.  Yet, within those who diligently fix their gaze upon Him Who sits in the heavens, upon His Anointed—who anxiously go “to and fro . . . through the Book” . . . to these the Scripture of Truth is unveiled . . . for the greatest plans of mice and men fall prey to the Almighty Who sits in the heavens on that day and shall LAUGH!

 

“Why do the nations rage and the people plot a vain thing?  The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His M