Sudan And Israel

Turmoil Continues In Iraq as British and American forces struggle to bring the nation under control. With each new development, the instability of the area is underscored and the potential is increased for further dramatic developments.

Turmoil in Sudan

The ancient land of Ethiopia today encompasses Ethiopia, Eritrea and Sudan. As scripture reveals, these nations will be allied with the Gogian host which comes against Israel in the latter days.

For the past 20 years rebels in southern Sudan have sought to topple the Arab-dominated government in the north. Two million people have died in this continuing conflict which has again flared into great violence. As the New York Times reports: “Sudan’s decades-old civil war was much about religion — the north is mostly Muslim, the south animist and Christian. This conflict is over ethnicity and resources; it pits Muslim against Muslim. The rebels here scored some early victories, and the government responded with a fury, angering countries that thought it was finally taking the country toward peace after decades of civil war The army has used helicopter gunships and old Russian-made Antonov planes loaded with bombs. But the Arab-African rivalry has long festered here, and the most ruthless weapon has been the mounted Janjaweed fighters, who know no rules of war. The Janjaweed ride camels and horses and use automatic weapons against those they come across. They ride into villages en masse and shoot anyone in sight. As the militiamen torch and loot, the villagers grab what they can and run.”

Here is an area of turmoil and violence which will readily march with the massed forces of God when they converge on Israel.

Israel

Israel has intensified its military pressure on Gaza as Prime Minister Ariel Sharon seeks support for his plan to unilaterally withdraw the 7,500 Israeli settlers who live here and the soldiers who guard them. While supported by the United States, Sharon’s own party is opposed. As reported by the New York Times on May 11, 2004; “in a party referendum on May 2, Mr. Sharon’s Likud faction overwhelmingly rejected his proposal to withdraw from Gaza and from four isolated settlements in the West Bank.”

In the ancient land of the Philistines, which has historically been occupied by gentiles, the Jewish settlements are viewed as “a historical mistake.” Today these settlements, and the army forces which protect them, are a flash point for conflict with the Palestinians. Sharon realizes this and seeks to remove an obstacle to peace in Israel but was voted down by a significant majority of the dues paying members of his own party.

Being in the midst of the events leading up to the return of Christ, we continue to watch with fascination and great interest as the Most High, who rules in the kingdom of men, draws the nations to that great day of God Almighty.