Ali Khamenei vows vengeance for Gen. Qasem Soleimani’s death / USA TODAY, January 3, 2020
Iran warned Friday a “harsh retaliation is waiting” for the United States after top Iranian General Qasem Soleimani was killed by the Pentagon in an airstrike.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed vengeance.
Khamenei said in a statement published by Iranian state media that the “cruelest people on earth” assassinated the “honorable” commander who “courageously fought for years against the evils and bandits of the world.”
Khamenei called for three days of mourning.
“His departure to God does not end his path or his mission,” the statement said, published by Fars News Agency. “But a forceful revenge awaits the criminals who have his blood and the blood of the other martyrs last night on their hands.”
Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami, an adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, appeared to threaten U.S. troops in the region. “This is the time to clear the region from these insidious beasts,” he said while leading Friday prayers in Tehran, according to state media. The cleric added: “I am telling Americans, especially Trump, we will take a revenge that will change their daylight into a nighttime darkness.”
Iran vows to ‘set ablaze place America loves’; crowds shout: ‘Death to Israel’ / Times of Israel, January 7, 2020
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — The leader of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard threatened on Tuesday to “set ablaze” the place beloved by the United States over the killing of a top Iranian general in a US airstrike last week, sparking cries from the crowd of supporters of “Death to Israel!”
Hossein Salami made the pledge before a crowd of thousands gathered in a central square in Kerman, the hometown of the slain Gen. Qassem Soleimani. His vow mirrored the demands of top Iranian officials — from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to others — as well as supporters across the Islamic Republic, demanding retaliation against America for a slaying that’s drastically raised tensions across the Middle East.
Salami said in February that Iran was “planning to break America, Israel, and their partners and allies. Our ground forces should cleanse the planet from the filth of their existence.” The previous month, he vowed to wipe Israel off the “global political map,” and to unleash an “inferno” on the Jewish state. He also said “Iran has warned the Zionist regime not to play with fire, because they will be destroyed before the US helps them.” Any new war, he said, “will result in Israel’s defeat within three days, in a way that they will not find enough graves to bury their dead.”
Iran vows additional strikes, says it can kill 5,000 US troops / Israel Hayom Staff, January 9, 2020
Iran sent mixed signals Thursday as tensions with the US appeared to ease, with President Hassan Rouhani warning of a “very dangerous response” if the US makes “another mistake” and a senior commander vowing “harsher revenge” for the killing of a top Iranian general.
A senior Iranian commander said Iran’s missile attacks on US targets in Iraq did not aim to kill American soldiers but sought to damage Washington’s “military machine” and were the start of a series of attacks across the region, state television reported.
February 11, 2020, Iran’s Revolution Day, marks estimated revenge timeline for Soleimani’s death / DEBKA, January 7, 2020
According to current estimates by DEBKAfile’s military and intelligence sources in the West and in Israel, the Iranians are deep in extremely thorough preparations for a military escalation with the US in the second week of February. They are meanwhile conducting exploratory passes prior to landing heavy blows on US bases and other targets at that time.
This time frame is highly significant since on Feb. 11, the Islamic Republic celebrates the anniversary of its Shiite Revolution. An onslaught on the US military would be the most appropriate form of celebration, in the view of its current leaders – especially in Iraq, where the American presence stands in the way of dominating their most coveted territory of influence.
Looking ahead, it is important to recognize that Iran’s paramilitary proxies can muster 280,000 men under arms in the Middle East, including 100,000 positioned along three of Israel’s borders: the Shiite Hizballah deploys 65,000 fighters in Lebanon and the Palestinian Hamas and Islamic Jihad maintain 20,000 and 8,000 armed men respectively in the Gaza Strip. It is hard to see Tehran neglecting to use these satellite groups for broadening its revenge operations for Soleimani’s death.
Mohsein Rezaei, Expediency Council secretary and adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, said at Tehran’s huge Monday ceremony: “Iran’s revenge against America for the assassination of Soleimani will be severe … Haifa and Israeli military centers will be included in the retaliation.”
What will happen next? How does Russia fit in with recent events?
Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him, and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal. I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out, with all your army, horses, and horsemen, all splendidly clothed, a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords. Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya are with them, all of them with shield and helmet; Gomer and all its troops; the house of Togarmah from the far north and all its troops—many people are with you. (Ezekiel 38:1-6)
Why Would Russia, China—and Iran—Plan Joint Naval Exercises? The Daily Beast, October 21, 2019
The planned joint exercise does not guarantee Beijing and Moscow would side with Tehran if Iran is attacked by the U.S. or Israel, but at a minimum it suggests that possibility. Iran wants to show that it may be isolated economically but not politically or militarily. And China and Russia want to show their solidarity while taking, for the moment, minimum risks.
For the moment, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s attention is fixed on the situation in Syria, which he will discuss with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at a summit meeting Tuesday.
Over the medium and long term, however, if China, Russia and Iran continue to develop their ties to protect their strategic interests in the Indian Ocean they will form a powerful trio, with Russia taking the lead.
The concept of collective security in the Persian Gulf was introduced by Moscow in July this year. The concept stipulates organizing an international conference on security and cooperation in the Gulf, which will later lead to creating a security and cooperation organization in the region.
In chilling detail, ex-envoy to US Oren warns of Israel-Iran ‘conflagration’ / The Times of Israel, November 5, 2019
Former Israeli ambassador to the US Michael Oren has described in chilling detail how a conflict between Israel and Iran could easily be sparked and descend into a massive conflagration, devastating Israel and other countries in the region.
Israel is already girding for a war with the Islamic Republic, and has carried out hundreds of strikes against Iran-linked targets in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq. A single miscalculation during one of those airstrikes could draw retaliation by Iran, Oren wrote in a column published in The Atlantic on Monday.
“The senior ministers of the Israeli government met twice last week to discuss the possibility of open war with Iran,” he began. “Israeli troops, especially in the north, have been placed on war footing. Israel is girding for the worst and acting on the assumption that fighting could break out at any time. And it’s not hard to imagine how it might arrive. The conflagration, like so many in the Middle East, could be ignited by a single spark.”
An Israel Defense Forces bombing run could inadvertently hit a sensitive target, or an Israeli official could step out of line and say something to embarrass Iran following an attack, Oren wrote.
“The result could be a counterstrike by Iran, using cruise missiles that penetrate Israel’s air defenses and smash into targets like the Kiryah, Tel Aviv’s equivalent of the Pentagon. Israel would retaliate massively against Hezbollah’s headquarters in Beirut as well as dozens of its emplacements along the Lebanese border. And then, after a day of large-scale exchanges, the real war would begin,” he continued.
Then, rockets would “rain on Israel” at a rate as high as 4,000 a day. The Iron Dome missile defense system would be overwhelmed as projectiles attacked civilian and military targets throughout the country, said Oren, who served in Washington, DC, from 2009 to 2013.
Foreign-policy experts predict that an Iranian attack on Israel is just a matter of time / Jewish News Syndicate, November 4, 2019
As Iranians took to the streets this week to commemorate 40 years since the U.S. embassy takeover in 1979, Iran announced new violations of the nuclear deal it signed in 2015. The rogue Islamic Republic admitted that it now operates 60 advanced IR-6 centrifuges and is working on a new type of centrifuge that will work 50 times faster than what is currently permitted under the deal.
This announcement comes after Iran has engaged in attacks on oil tankers and Saudi oil facilities, shooting down an American drone, and, of course, its ongoing and aggressive efforts to build a war machine against Israel in Syria and elsewhere.
Iran supports Hezbollah in Lebanon and the terror organization is estimated to have as many as 100,000 missiles. Iran is also trying hard to create an independent war machine in Syria, which Israel has been working to dismantle.
Iran has the capability to attack Israel from multiple locations, including Lebanon and Syria—and now Iraq and possibly Yemen—as Netanyahu mentioned recently.
If Iran does indeed attack, there will have to be a massive retaliation against Iranian interests.
“Confrontation between Iran and Israel is unavoidable,” said Gilboa. “There is great probability for some Iranian military action; this is something Israel is preparing for.”
“Our assumption,” said Amidror, “is not a question of if, but when.”
One of the critical signs are pointing to the imminent Rapture of the Church is the invasion of Israel. This invasion was foretold in Ezekiel 38 – 39, and in Psalm 83:
God, do not keep silent.
Do not be deaf, God; do not be idle.
See how Your enemies make an uproar;
those who hate You have acted arrogantly.
They devise clever schemes against Your people;
they conspire against Your treasured ones.
They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation
so that Israel’s name will no longer be remembered.”
For they have conspired with one mind;
they form an alliance against You—
the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,
Moab and the Hagrites,
Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek,
Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre.
Even Assyria has joined them;
they lend support to the sons of Lot. (Psalm 83:1-8)
What is amazing is that the Book of Ezekiel was written between 593 and 571 BC, and Psalm 38 was written around 1,000 BC. What other religious book has specific prophecies with specific nations, from thousands of years ago, that are manifesting now?
The historically miraculous rebirth of the Jewish state in 1948, after 2,000 years of nonexistence, and the conquering of East Jerusalem during the Six-Day War in 1967 and other factors seems to have set the stage for a time clock for the “last days” of Israel and the fulfillment of many remaining prophecies relevant to that period. And, indeed, today Russia, a great power to Israel’s far north and the Shia Muslim nations, particularly Iran, are growing increasingly intertwined and hostile toward Israel.
Bible scholars have long identified Gog as the leader of Russia, and the land of Magog as Russia.
The invasion of Israel will be primarily motivated by greed for their great wealth. The recent annexation of Crimea will be their strategy. The Crimean Peninsula was invaded and annexed by the Russian Federation in 2014. They used the excuse of the Ukrainian revolution, and Russian masked troops occupied key Crimean locations, including airports and military bases, following Putin’s orders.
The “hook in the jaw” will be an escalation between Iran and Israel, that will reach the point of no return. As the experts conclude, that ultimate confrontation is inevitable.
In fact, the invasion is likely to happen at any moment.
Russian will then step in to defend her ally. Putin is inclined to make calculated geopolitical moves, with an impressive sense of timing and optimum use of Russia’s strategic cards.
He is trying to prevent an escalation involving Iran, but when the real war begins, he will use it as an excuse to invade Israel and try to annex it, just like he did with Crimea. This is Gog’s plan – to make Russia great again.
Yes, it is coming, and it will happen.” This is the declaration of the Lord God. “This is the day I have spoken about. (Ezekiel 39:8)
Who will defend Israel?
Now on that day, the day when Gog comes against the land of Israel”—this is the declaration of the Lord God—“My wrath will flare up. I swear in My zeal and fiery rage: On that day there will be a great earthquake in the land of Israel. The fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the animals of the field, every creature that crawls on the ground, and every human being on the face of the earth will tremble before Me. The mountains will be thrown down, the cliffs will collapse, and every wall will fall to the ground. I will call for a sword against him on all My mountains”—the declaration of the Lord God—“and every man’s sword will be against his brother. I will execute judgment on him with plague and bloodshed. I will pour out torrential rain, hailstones, fire, and brimstone on him, as well as his troops and the many peoples who are with him. (Ezekiel 38: 17-22)
“As for you, son of man, prophesy against Gog and say: This is what the Lord God says: Look, I am against you, Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. I will turn you around, drive you on, and lead you up from the remotest parts of the north. I will bring you against the mountains of Israel. Then I will knock your bow from your left hand and make your arrows drop from your right hand. You, all your troops, and the peoples who are with you will fall on the mountains of Israel.
I will give you as food to every kind of predatory bird and to the wild animals. You will fall on the open field, for I have spoken.” This is the declaration of the Lord God. (Ezekiel 39:1-5)
Ironically, the evil vow that Iran made against Israel will become true for the armies of Russia, including Iran.
“Now on that day I will give Gog a burial place there in Israel—the Valley of the Travelers east of the Sea. It will block those who travel through, for Gog and all his hordes will be buried there. So it will be called the Valley of Hamon-gog. The house of Israel will spend seven months burying them in order to cleanse the land. All the people of the land will bury them and their fame will spread on the day I display My glory.” This is the declaration of the Lord God.
“They will appoint men on a full-time basis to pass through the land and bury the invaders who remain on the surface of the ground, in order to cleanse it. They will make their search at the end of the seven months. When they pass through the land and one of them sees a human bone, he will set up a marker next to it until the buriers have buried it in the Valley of Hamon-gog. There will even be a city named Hamonah there. So they will cleanse the land.
“Son of man, this is what the Lord God says: Tell every kind of bird and all the wild animals: Assemble and come! Gather from all around to My sacrificial feast that I am slaughtering for you, a great feast on the mountains of Israel; you will eat flesh and drink blood. You will eat the flesh of mighty men and drink the blood of the earth’s princes: rams, lambs, male goats, and all the fattened bulls of Bashan. You will eat fat until you are satisfied and drink blood until you are drunk, at My sacrificial feast that I have prepared for you. At My table you will eat your fill of horses and riders, of mighty men and all the warriors.” This is the declaration of the Lord God. (Ezekiel 39:11-20)
With the preparations for the Ezekiel battle being seen daily in our news headlines, our need to be prepared for the Rapture has never been greater!
If you are not sure that you are saved, you can accept Christ into your life right now, by praying:
“Lord Jesus, I believe you are the Son of God. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. Please forgive my sins and give me the gift of eternal life. I ask you in to my life and heart to be my Lord and Savior.”
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Rapture and End Times 