The Brink of Destiny: Middle East Tensions and America's Spiritual Crossroads
May 10, 2024
Russ Scalzo
Could the escalating Middle East tensions signal the dawn of larger global unrest, even touching the pulse of American economic stability? We're tackling these pressing issues head-on, discussing the precarious dance of power between Israel and Iranian-backed forces like Hamas and Hezbollah. Amidst this geopolitical chess match, President Biden's recent proposal to halt arms to Israel takes center stage. As we peer into the prophetic lens of current world events, it's clear we must recalibrate our daily lives to align with the gravity of the times we're living in—perhaps the twilight of the era preceding Jesus Christ's return. We highlight the ministry of reconciliation and the sacred role of peacekeepers in a world teetering on the brink, advocating for a tender yet powerful conveyance of Christ's nearing return. In these tumultuous days, we're reminded to anchor ourselves in unwavering faith, for as Job 42:2 affirms, the Lord's plans shall prevail. Let us lift our eyes to the horizon, expectant and ready, for the arrival of the King is near.
Could the escalating Middle East tensions signal the dawn of larger global unrest, even touching the pulse of American economic stability? We're tackling these pressing issues head-on, discussing the precarious dance of power between Israel and Iranian-backed forces like Hamas and Hezbollah. Amidst this geopolitical chess match, President Biden's recent proposal to halt arms to Israel takes center stage. As we peer into the prophetic lens of current world events, it's clear we must recalibrate our daily lives to align with the gravity of the times we're living in—perhaps the twilight of the era preceding Jesus Christ's return. We highlight the ministry of reconciliation and the sacred role of peacekeepers in a world teetering on the brink, advocating for a tender yet powerful conveyance of Christ's nearing return. In these tumultuous days, we're reminded to anchor ourselves in unwavering faith, for as Job 42:2 affirms, the Lord's plans shall prevail. Let us lift our eyes to the horizon, expectant and ready, for the arrival of the King is near.
Welcome everyone. This is Russ Scalzo Chronicles of the End Times. I hope you're doing well today. Today we're going to take a look at some of the things that are going on around the world and in our own country that have all the potential of leading to the next great war and the collapse of the American economy. I so appreciate those who have reached out to me, said hey, you know, we haven't heard from you now for a while. I believe the last podcast was on April 27th. A lot of things going on, a lot of personal things. We've lost a very good friend, a lifetime friend, in the process of celebrating her life. So I appreciate those of you who have reached out. So let's get going. There's so much to talk about.
Speaker 1:
The first thing I want to bring up is something that is right in our face, and that is the Israeli war with Hamas and Hezbollah and the Houthis and all the so-called proxies. It's almost a joke, isn't it? Iranian-backed money, iranian-backed people with Iranian-backed agenda. So just a couple of days ago, president Biden and the United States has decided to put a pause on US supplied arms to Israel if the war goes in to Rafah and there is an actual invasion and Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel are determined to put an end to the terror from Hamas. Maybe someone should give Biden and his administration, as well as the entire Congress, a book called the Harbinger and I know probably many of you have read it, new York Times bestseller.
Speaker 1:
In Jonathan Cahn's book Harbinger 1, he states before its end as a nation, there appeared in ancient Israel nine specific warnings and omens of national destruction. These same harbingers are now manifesting in America with profound ramifications for America's future and end-time prophecy. If you haven't had an opportunity to read it, please do. What I don't understand is why don't we demand Hamas to give up the hostages and threaten them? Why are we threatening Israel? For the same reason, our universities and college campuses are in an uproar because everything is upside down. It's the upside down world that we're living in right now. I don't know if you had a chance to see that clip, that interview from the young woman at Columbia University sitting there in Tent City as they took the United States flag down and put up the Palestinian flag and all the chaos that that produced. And then she says in the interview you better send food out here and water if you don't want people to dehydrate and die of starvation.
Speaker 2:
You mentioned that there was a request to have food and water be brought in. To allow it to be brought in, I mean, well, I guess it's ultimately a question of what kind of community and obligation Columbia feels it has to its students. Do you want students to die of dehydration and starvation or get severely ill, even if they disagree with you? If the answer is no, then you should allow basic. I mean, it's crazy to say because we're on an Ivy League campus, but this is like basic humanitarian aid we're asking for, like could people please have a glass of water?
Speaker 1:
Yes, it is crazy to say you are absolutely right. This is just one instance. know what you're protesting for. It's important.
Speaker 1:
The delusion has grown so great that truth really has no relevance. It's just what you think, it's what you feel. That's the new truth. Void of facts, void of the sensitivity of what's going on in the world. The leaders of Hamas have got it made in the shade. All they have to do is let America and all the other countries around talk about it, demonstrate about it, and they're on their side. They have an agenda. It's to destroy Israel, kill everyone, butcher them if need be. It doesn't matter.
Speaker 1:
We've talked about this kind of thing before. You see people brought to court today on hate charges. Right, they're sued and they're brought into court and judgments are brought against them for hate crimes. Well, how is this different and how is that defined? A person commits a hate crime when one of the specific set of crimes is committed targeting a victim because of a perception or belief regarding race, color, nationality, ancestry, gender, gender identity, religion, religious practice or age or sexual orientation. So how is it we can allow anti-Semitism to rage on and no one brought into account because of it? Doesn't that fit the description to a T? This isn't just on protesting so war would stop and there'd be peace in the world. That'd be great. We know that that's a delusion. It would be great, but there's not going to be that kind of peace until Jesus Christ comes.
Speaker 1:
But those of us who are in the know understand that Jesus Christ is coming back to the Mount of Olives. He's coming back to Israel. He's coming back to secure the promises that he made to his people, though they are rebellious and though they have been rebellious, so have we. God is a keeper of promises. It doesn't matter. His grace and his love and his mercy is what counts, and he is looking to cover everyone's sin, if they will let him.
Speaker 1:
So why does the enemy want Israel destroyed? The real enemy, satan himself and the dark forces that follow him. It's because Jesus is coming there. That's his landing spot. He has prophesied to come back to Jerusalem, that he will save Israel. Is it any different from the time that he convinced Herod to slaughter all children two years and younger to prevent the Messiah from coming. He knew who God was, yet he was convinced he could stop the Messiah from coming, anything he can do to try to foil the plans of God, even though we know that the scripture clearly says in Job, chapter 42, verse 2, I know that you can do all things and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. Still he is relentless and will continue to be relentless until he is bound and thrown into the lake of fire. He hates Israel because it represents all the promises of God. It represents the promises that God made to the church, made to each individual in this world, the line of the Messiah, the coming King, redemption, forgiveness, everything. He hates Israel for it and it just enraged him in 1948, when they were declared a country once again, he almost had them exterminated by Hitler and the Germans.
Speaker 1:
Hate isn't a tool that we can use and put in our toolbox when we need it. Hate is wrong. That's an absolute. You want to hate something, hate sin, for sin destroys people. It's like a cancer. If, in fact, we hold back on what Israel needs and those proxies get together with Iran and they determine this is our opportunity, and they wait to the right moment and they attack from all sides. God is going to come and defend them. America should not want to be on the wrong side when that happens.
Speaker 1:
Concerning God, never forgetting Israel this is what Jeremiah, chapter 31, verses 36 through 40, says. Only if these decrees vanish from my sight, declares the Lord, will Israel ever cease to be a nation before me. This is what the Lord says. Only if the heavens above can be measured and the foundations of the earth below be searched out will I reject all the descendants of Israel because of all they have done, declares the Lord Then again in Isaiah, chapter 49, beginning with verse 14,. But Zion said the Lord has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me. Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has born? Though she may forget, I will not forget you. See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands and your walls are ever before me. God is jealous for the city that he gave to Israel. He is jealous for his people and that his promises would be fulfilled before the entire world, so they could see who God is his integrity, his faithfulness, his loving kindness, his mercy. There is none like him. Things continue to change, but God does not change. He is the same yesterday, today and forever, and he keeps his promises.
Speaker 1:
There are churches all over America that are preaching and teaching replacement theology, saying the church has taken the place of Israel. They're the new Israel. Israel doesn't matter anymore. This way, it gives them license to condemn Israel and cross them off God's list. But that is a lie from hell. Paul warns the church in Romans, chapter 11. He says I do not want you to become ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited. Israel has experienced the hardening in part, until a full number of Gentiles has come in, and so all Israel will be saved.
Speaker 1:
As it is written, the deliverer will come from Zion. He will turn the godliness away from Jacob, and this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins. This is what happens when people stop reading the word of God and stop studying. Did you know that we're not just supposed to read the word of God as a devotion? Did you know that we're not just supposed to read the word of God as a devotion, but we are supposed to study it and show ourselves approved, like the scripture says, a workman that need not be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth. When we speak, we must speak in truth. We must know what we're saying so we can encourage one another and we can also correct one another through the scripture. Let's move on.
Speaker 1:
As I mentioned before, when I first started teaching this subject over 40 years ago, there was a lot of disbelief in people's eyes as I spoke. How could someone control all the economy of the world? How is that possible? Why would all the countries of the world decide to get together and form one currency? So many questions. But today it's getting obvious the BRICS, those nations that have come together Brazil, russia, india and China, and South Africa. They admitted four new members last year Egypt, ethiopia, iran, united Arab Emirates Egypt, ethiopia, iran, united Arab Emirates and further expansion is on the horizon. They are well on their way to forming their own currency. What influence will that have on the US dollar? I am not a financial expert, but I sure do listen to a whole lot of it. I am convinced that we are on the brink of a worldwide economy and it will be forced upon us because of an economic collapse. We have two major wars going on right now and the possibilities of those wars escalating is pretty high.
Speaker 1:
If you add all these things together, how can we not believe that we are living in the final days before the coming of Jesus Christ? Let that inspire us to move forward and leave all the foolishness behind. Read our Bibles to live like Jesus wants us to live unselfish, putting others first, reaching the loss for Christ. Let's make a commitment to stay on mission. We have one mission in this life and that's to live and love like Jesus.
Speaker 1:
Remember that you and I have the ministry of reconciliation. That's what Jesus Christ has given to us. We have the way, and we have the life, and we need to share it. Let's argue, scream, people, argue, and yell; let us be the peacekeepers. Let us be the ones who declare Jesus is coming in truth, hold nothing back, yet are always in love and concern for people, not argumentive and trying to prove but save their souls. Thanks for listening. This is Russ Scalzo for Chronicles of the End Times. Keep looking up. Yes, the King is coming.
