As we pray for the peace of
Jerusalem
Prophetic News and
Commentary
Reporting Monday,
April 17, 2006
Jeremiah 6:17 Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet….
Isaiah 62:6 I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O
Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make
mention of the LORD, keep not silence,
V:7 And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise
in the earth.
Psalms
122:6 Pray for the peace of
Disclaimer:
The opinions shared in the comments section of each article are the opinions of
the commentator and are not meant to be an exact end-all to the study and
interpretation of end-times events and how it relates to biblical
prophecy. Much of prophecy is subjective and open to many different
interpretations. What we wish to accomplish in this report is to
encourage the reader to be as the Bereans and search
the scriptures to see if these things are so (see Acts 17:10-11)
Note: Due to copyright concerns entire News Reports will not be posted on this page. Please refer to the link for the full report. Fair Use allows for partial posting of news reports where the report has significance to the purpose for which we are posting - in our case where news reports have potential prophetic impact.
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The following articles are compiled
by:
Palestinians: Tel Aviv Bombing Justified
By LAURIE COPANS, Associated Press Writer
April 17, 2006
TEL AVIV, Israel - A Palestinian suicide bomber struck a packed fast-food restaurant during Passover on Monday, killing nine other people and wounding dozens in the deadliest attack in more than a year.
In a sharp departure from the previous Palestinian government's condemnations of bombings, the Hamas-led administration said the attack resulted from Israel's "brutal aggression." The bloodshed and the hard-line stance could set the stage for harsh Israeli reprisals and endanger Palestinian efforts to secure desperately needed international aid.
Israel said it held Hamas responsible for the attack — even though another group claimed responsibility — and Israel's security chiefs were meeting later Monday to discuss what action to take. Security officials said a ground operation in Gaza was not being considered.
The attack occurred just two hours before Israel's newly elected parliament was sworn into office, and Prime Minister-designate Ehud Olmert said Israel would react to the bombing with appropriate means.
The White House condemned the attack and warned of grave consequences for the new Palestinian government.
Study: Bay Area Quake Would Be Staggering
By TERENCE CHEA, Associated Press Writer
April 17, 2006
SAN FRANCISCO - If an earthquake like the one that devastated the city in 1906 struck today, the toll would be staggering: tens of thousands of buildings damaged and hundreds of people dead, according to a new study.
The report released Monday calculated that a repeat of that 7.9-magnitude temblor would cause 1,800 to 3,400 deaths, damage more than 90,000 buildings, displace as many as 250,000 households and result in $150 billion in damage.
"We already witnessed the effect of the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people from last year's hurricanes," said Bill Ellsworth, a geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey in Menlo Park. "It would have huge social and economic effects on the entire country."
The study, "When the Big One Strikes Again," was released the day before the 100th anniversary of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. It was prepared for what is being billed as the biggest earthquake conference ever.
Afghan Christian Convert Flees to Italy
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
ROME — The Afghan man who faced the death penalty for converting from Islam to Christianity received asylum in Italy Wednesday, despite requests by lawmakers in Afghanistan that he be barred from fleeing the conservative Muslim country.
Abdul Rahman arrived in Rome days after he was freed from a high-security prison on the outskirts of Kabul after a court dropped charges of apostasy against him for lack of evidence and suspected mental illness.
The case has attracted wide attention in the West and led to calls by the U.S. and other governments for the Afghan government to protect the 41-year-old convert.
Comments: Luke 21:10-12 Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven. But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake.
Every day we hear of wars and rumours of wars, of earthquakes, famines and pestilences, and of our Christian brethren in other lands being persecuted for their faith. This is the best news that we could hope to hear. “What,” you ask, “Are you crazy?” (The short answer is “Well, yes I am,” but that’s another story.) Jesus assures us later in the same discourse that: Luke 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. We could be that generation which never tastes of death. There is nothing left to be fulfilled prior to the Rapture. And that, my friend, is Good News.
Librarian attacked by profs for promoting 'Marketing of Evil'
College employee accused of 'sexual harassment' for recommending Kupelian's best-selling book
Posted: April 15, 2006
1:00 a.m. Eastern
© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com
In what is being called an "astonishing" and "shameful" case of campus persecution, a librarian at Ohio State University's Mansfield campus is being formally accused of "sexual harassment." His crime? Recommending that the school's freshman class be required to read WND Managing Editor David Kupelian's controversial best seller, "The Marketing of Evil."
Scott Savage is head of Reference and Instructional Services at the Bromfield Library on Ohio State University's Mansfield campus.
The school's Office of Human Resources put Savage under "investigation" after three professors – Hannibal Hamlin, Norman Jones and J.K. Buckley – filed a complaint of discrimination and harassment, saying Kupelian's book made them feel "unsafe."
In his role as a member of OSU Mansfield's First Year Reading Experience Committee, Savage had suggested new students read "The Marketing of Evil," as well as three other books – "The Professors" by David Horowitz, "Eurabia: The Euro-Arab Axis" by Bat Ye'or, and "It Takes a Family" by Sen. Rick Santorum. Savage made the recommendations after other committee members had suggested a series of books with a left-wing perspective, by authors such as Jimmy Carter and Maria Shriver.
The attacks on Savage stem directly from faculty members' reaction to "The Marketing of Evil," according to the Arizona-based public-interest group Alliance Defense Fund, which is defending the librarian.
Comments: Isaiah 5:20-21 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!
The battle lines are clearly drawn. Promoting a Biblical worldview vis-a-vis homosexuality is now called “sexual harassment.” The arrogance of the Sodomite community knows no bounds, and the academic authorities support them in this. Apparently freedom of speech does not apply to Christians anymore.
Gal 6:7-8 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
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The following articles are compiled
by:
Leo Wong
Catholic Group demands Da Vinci Code disclaimer
Source: BBC NEWS
April 17, 2006 -- Catholic group Opus Dei has asked for a disclaimer to be placed on the film of The Da Vinci Code, released next month. The organization said it had written to Sony Pictures executives in Japan to ask the studio to emphasize that the film was a work of fantasy.
Based on Dan Brown's novel, The Da Vinci Code claims Jesus Christ married Mary Magdalene and had children, which was covered up by the Catholic Church.
Sony has said it is not a religious film, and is not meant to criticize.
"Some media have written that Sony is examining the possibility of putting at the beginning of the film an announcement to clarify that it is a work of fantasy and that any similarity with reality is purely coincidental," Opus Dei said in a statement.
"Any such decision by Sony would be a gesture of respect toward the figure of Jesus, to the history of the Church, and to the religious beliefs of viewers."
Comments: Who is Sony anyway to say that this blasphemous Da Vinci Code production isn’t about religion? Such audacity! If the Western media had mocked Japan’s religion of Shintoism, the Japanese would have been in an uproar about the disrespect shown toward them. But this is a so called “fantasy” film written by an author named Dan Brown, a Hell bound reprobate. He apparently made a pact with the Devil to debase the personage of God’s Son Jesus Christ. Anyone associated with the Da Vinci Code travesty from the author down to the director Ron Howard (Mayberry’s Opie Taylor) and actor Tom Hanks are in grave danger of God’s immediate judgment, but if judgment is deferred, they will surely in a future day stand before God to answer not only for their rejection of Christ as their personal Savior, but for being Satan’s willing servants.
The Da Vinci Code may be some sick fantasy conjured from a demented mind, but millions of unsaved viewers and undiscerning Christians will be deceived into thinking there’s some truth in it. Satan as the wily serpent sowed doubts into Eve in the Garden of Eden when he asked her, “Yea, hath God said?” Similarly, believers seeing this film may have doubts about the Lord Jesus Christ claiming who He was, the sinless One who went to Calvary’s cross to die for the sins of those who will believe in Him. Jesus did NOT marry anybody and He didn’t foster any children. That’s a fabricated lie from the Devil! Christians who love the Lord Jesus shouldn’t pay money to watch it. Not only is it dishonoring and betraying the Lord, but the profits will fatten the coffers of Sony and might lead to a possible sequel. Sin added upon sin. Sony Pictures shouldn’t even have produced it let alone place a disclaimer that it’s pure fiction. (If there’s any disclaimer, it ought to say, “This film is an abomination to Jesus Christ. Watch it at the risk of your soul’s eternity destiny!”) Corporate greed and an overt attempt to attack Jesus were the motivating factors behind the film. The last days are characterized in Romans 1:30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents.
The persistent and increasing frontal attacks on Jesus is a sure indicator that the Devil knows his time is short.
Suicide bomber kills 6 in Tel Aviv, Israel
Source: CNN.com
April 17, 2006 -- A suicide bomber set off a blast Monday in a restaurant at the old central bus station in Tel Aviv, Israel, killing six people, police and ambulance services said.
The bomber also died.
The bomber scuffled with a security guard outside a falafel stand, tried to push himself inside and blew himself up, a police commander said.
Police said 49 people were taken to hospitals. One of those victims later died of his wounds. Another eight people were critically wounded and 12 others were in moderate condition, ambulance officials said.
The Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility. Palestinian Islamic Jihad is dedicated to the creation of an Islamic Palestinian state and the destruction of Israel. Israel and the United States consider the group to be a terrorist organization, and it has carried out military operations against Israeli soldiers and civilians.
Comments: The carnage continues in Israel. This time around, Islamic Jihad, the equally violent twin to Hamas, did the killing. What will Israel’s Defence Force do now? Retaliate of course and around and around it goes. There’s no foreseeable end to the carousel of violence between Arabs and Jews. Tel Aviv is relatively far away from Jerusalem (the usual hotbed of violent attacks), but this determined bomber was fixated on shaking up the complacent citizens of Tel Aviv. The message is “We can attack any Israeli city and town no matter how far‑flung it may be”.
Is it too simplistic is envision that there will ever be a time when Israel will be dwelling securely in the land of unwalled villages without gates? Ezekiel 38 does say that time will come about, but from a human standpoint, that does seem to be far fetched; however God’s prophetic Word will come to past.
There will soon appear on the world stage a superhuman man (empowered by Satan) called the Antichrist who will bring about peace between Israel and her neighbors. He will have all the answers and the whole world will marvel at him. How will he put a stop to the Mideast violence? Perhaps he will physically separate the Arabs from the Jews within the peace treaty established borders of a New Israel. He will confiscate all armaments. Israel will have to surrender her nukes to him. His military will patrol the streets of all Israeli cities and towns. Any and all potential troublemakers will be arrested and imprisoned. (There will be no messing around with this dictator.) Perhaps every person will be tagged with his Mark and tracked to monitor their every movement. Peace will come at a price, the loss of individual freedoms. Israel will gladly accept the tradeoffs in exchange for no more blood letting. Too many Israel men, women and children have been blown up into pieces of flesh. Alas, the Antichrist will have the Jews where he wants them to be, trusting in him for their peace and security and when the appointed time arrives, he will bring about Holocaust 2.
Jeremiah 30:7 Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.
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In 3 weeks, Witch School plans to cast a spell over the world
Source: PR Web
April 17, 2006 -- Did you ever want to cast a spell for peace, love, hope and prosperity? Well Witch School is organizing an experimental global spell casting marathon for exactly that purpose. On May 5th, hundreds of active participants are dedicated to providing the magical force that will help cast this world wide spell and energize the whole mystic field of the planet.
According to the Most Rev. Donald Lewis, “We are putting together a mystic group to energize the activated Crystal Web and help allow divine energy to channel through people. By allowing people to directly channel Celestial energy, we hope they may help themselves and others find love, hope, prosperity and even peace. In the simplest terms, we are creating a spell that allows people to do amazing things for others.”
”We are working on this global spell as part of the one year anniversary of Mini‑Spells. With these small packets of personal magic, we will help thousands to use magic, many for the first time”, according to Ed Hubbard, CEO of Witch School. He continues, “We will also have hundreds of Witches casting spells and adding new stones to our Crystal Web. It will allow anyone to cast their own spell for love, prosperity, hope and peace. Together this many spell casters will have a wonderful and yet unknown effect on this world. We will see signs and wonders if we are truly lucky.”
Comments: Micah 5:12 And I will cut off witchcrafts out of thine hand; and thou shalt have no more soothsayers. Acts 8:11 And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries. Revelation 9:21 Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.
Witches, warlocks, Black Magic, séances, horoscopes, casting of spells, potions, Harry Potter, etc., are prevalent everywhere it seems these days. Back in the 1960s, the TV show “Bewitched” enchanted viewers with a beautiful blonde witch named Samantha and in the 1990s, there was Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Hollywood was no longer typecasting witches as sporting a black hat and riding a broomstick like the Wicked Witch of the West in the Wizard of Oz. Witches are now pretty and, on the surface, lead normal lives. But when the sun sets, that’s a different story. Millions of people practise witchcraft and cast spells. They dabble in the occult and flirt with divination, something the Bible clearly warned us against. Yet the masses look to Satan for their love, hope, prosperity and peace, not aware that Satan only desires their company with him in the lake of fire.
May 5, 2006 may turn out to a magical day or it comes and goes without any fanfare. One thing for sure though, the forces of darkness will tighten their control of this planet’s inhabitants who pursue evil and shun good. The turning away from God and His Word will have that effect. There will be no peace for your soul if you’re running with the Devil’s crowd.
Witchcraft is setting the stage for the day when the Antichrist will ably explain the disappearance (we call this the Rapture) of millions of people who simply vanished into thin air. He will use the language those left behind would understand, i.e. he waved his magic wand and at the twinkling of an eye, millions of narrow‑minded, Bible thumping, intolerant, homophobic Christians were zapped into oblivion. Mark 13:22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.
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The following articles are compiled
by:
Rick Allinson
Prodi plan to leave Britain out in EU cold
Source: TimesOnline
17 April 2006 --ITALY’S election victor, Romano Prodi, has unveiled a plan to speed up the integration of a core group of European Union countries that threatens to leave Britain on the sidelines.
In his first newspaper interview since he narrowly defeated Silvio Berlusconi last week, Prodi told The Sunday Times he would accelerate measures to bind the main continental members into a tighter alliance and breathe new life into a European constitution.
…
“We need a strong relationship not just with France and Germany but also with the so-called group of six, countries like Belgium and Luxembourg — but not the Netherlands,” Prodi said.
Asked if this group would include Britain, he replied: “I believe it is difficult to include it among countries which are pushing for more integration. Britain has decided not to hold a referendum on Europe so it has not approved the European position. Evidently it believes in a policy which is more independent of the EU.”
Comments: Romano Prodi is no stranger to Europe; he used to be head of the European Commission. His unveiled plan for a core group of European Union countries is something biblical students of prophecy should keep a close eye on. A core group consisting of 10 EU member states would be significant. Already Prodi is saying Britain and the Netherlands should not be part of this group. Another interesting aspect to this article is that Prodi wants to breathe new life into the nearly dead EU constitution that was gravely wounded in last years French and Dutch referendums.
I’m not saying that this all fits into the prophecy puzzle of Revelations and Daniel, but this sure is interesting and deserves keeping an eye on.
Da 7:24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.
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1,000 miles of devastation
Source: TimesOnline
17 April 2006 --The worst Danube floods for a century have brought chaos and destruction to three countries THE Blue Danube of legend was yesterday a torrent of brackish floodwater after it burst its banks in Serbia, Romania and Bulgaria, causing widespread destruction and raising fears of mass evacuations. Romanian officials began a programme of controlled flooding, after the Danube reached its highest levels for more than a century, to prevent low-lying villages being submerged. The floods have been caused by high rainfall and melting snow from the harsh Balkan winter. Hundreds of houses have been flooded in the region and thousands of people have been made homeless.In Romania the waters flowed at a record rate of 15,900 cubic metres per second. The normal flow for this time of year is 7,900 cubic metres per second. “We are going through an unprecedented situation. Romania has never had such water levels,” said Madalin Mihailovici, director of the Agency for Romanian Waters.
Comments: I know I mentioned the subject of floods in yesterday news letter, but due to the worst Danube flooding in a century; it is worth mentioning this again. The Danube River is the second largest river in Europe and flows west to east. It passes through 9 countries, starting in Germany, then Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, and Ukraine. It finally empties into the black sea.
This is not the first time the Danube has flooded and it won’t be the last. Each year it seems that the flooding situation keeps getting worse. Unprecedented in 100 years, we hear this all the time. Weird weather, floods, hurricanes Tornadoes and earthquakes all seem normal in today’s paper even though the intensity is increasing.
This is not normal, we are just getting used to it in the news.
Mr 13:19 For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.
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Iran concerns send gold to fresh 25-year high
Source: Forexnews
17 April 2006 -- Concerns about Iran's nuclear brinkmanship with western governments and the United Nations Security Council and a steep decline in the dollar pushed gold futures to fresh 25-year highs Monday.
Gold for June delivery closed up $18.70 at $618.80 an ounce on the New York Mercantile Exchange, just off its intraday high of $619.30.
Oil prices break new record above $71 per barrel
Source:
Vanguard
17 April 2006 –OIL prices broke new records above $71 a barrel yesterday owing to mounting tensions over Iran’s nuclear ambitions and rapid economic growth in China, dealers said.
Around 1600 GMT, Brent North Sea crude traded at $70.94 a barrel, up 37 cents from Thursday’s closing level in London, and off a new high reached earlier yesterday of $71.40.
Comments: Another update on Gold and oil. Again these are two unprecedented indicators of war and a slumping economy. If anyone is skeptical of a possible war with Iran, just keep watching Gold and Oil. Like I said before, you can almost see the white horse getting ready to ride.
Re 6:2 And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
Keep
watching!
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