PRess Release
An Urgent Call To
Prayer Regarding Georgia
Dear Friend,
I am writing to you with a sense of grave urgency and a special call
to prayer. Here is the situation:
Russia’s vicious dismemberment of the tiny nation of Georgia
is the beginning of an unfolding sequence of Russian aggression. At
present, pipelines from Siberia that run through Russia supply the
majority of natural gas and oil used by Western Europe and Ukraine. A
pipeline from the Caspian Sea has been bringing one million barrels
a day of non-Russian oil through Georgia to Turkey and the Mediterranean
Sea. Russia wants to control all of those vital pipelines.
Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, is only 578 miles from Baghdad, the
capital of Iraq. Russia has helped neighboring Iran build its
two aggressive nuclear facilities. Georgia and Iraq are now
sandwiched between the dictatorships of Russia and Iran. The
Russian leader, Vladimir Putin, seems to want to dominate Caspian oil
and Persian Gulf oil to add to Russia’s own enormous supplies
of oil and gas. If he succeeds, Russia will gain a stronghold
over the economies of most of the world and can then act to bring America
to its knees.
Against that backdrop, consider what is happening in Iran. That
nation is under the domination of a fanatical group of Shiite Muslim
clerics. The president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, is a fervent
believer in the Mahdi, a mythical messiah figure who, according to
his belief, will come to make the entire world Muslim, but only after
a period of worldwide chaos and destruction during which all the Jews
will be killed.
Iran, despite warnings from the United Nations, is on an accelerated
course to build nuclear facilities and an atomic bomb. The Iranians
recently test fired an improved intermediate-range ballistic missile,
the Shahab-3, that is capable of carrying nuclear warheads to hit Israel,
Iraq, and most of Europe.
Ahmadinejad has repeatedly expressed a desire to use nuclear weapons
to annihilate the nation of Israel. He has declared that the
threat of nuclear retaliation from Israel against Iran does not concern
him because tens of millions of Iranian deaths will merely hasten the
coming of the Mahdi.
In the 1930s, Adolf Hitler made clear his diabolic plan. Early
on, the Allied Powers, France and Great Britain could have stopped
Hitler but they scoffed at his pretensions. In 1945, only after
World War II and 50 million tragic deaths, did the free world recognize
the cost of its indifference to the clear warnings from Hitler’s
own speeches and published writings.
In 2008, the nation of Israel does not have the luxury of ignoring
the ravings of a fanatic who soon will possess nuclear bombs with a
will to use them. The Western powers want to talk and negotiate
with Russia and Iran, but talk is futile. If Russia moves again
to crush a neighbor or enter the Middle East, and if Iran develops
an atomic bomb, time for talk will be over.
The Western powers have left Israel no choice but to strike Iranian
nuclear facilities now. However, it seems to me, after consultation
with Chris Mitchell (our CBN News Jerusalem Bureau Chief), that Israel
will not want to commence actions against Iran until after the United
States elections have taken place. In my opinion, Israel will
be forced to make a preemptive strike against the Iranian nuclear reactors
by air or submarine-launched cruise missiles during the brief period
between the U.S. elections and the inauguration of a new U.S. president.
But here is the downside for Israel. In Lebanon, on Israel’s
northern border, the radical group known as Hezbollah has, along with
Iranian help, completely rearmed and now possesses as many as 40,000
rockets targeting Israel. To the south of Israel, in Gaza, another
Iranian client, Hamas, is armed to the teeth and longing for an opportunity
to strike Israel. Of course, any Israeli strike against the nuclear
facilities of Iran will trigger a counter blow from Iran and possibly
Syria. But these are not the only dangers.
Would Russia then consider hostilities (such as I have outlined) the
excuse to enter the fight on trumped-up reasons in order to further
its ultimate aim of controlling Middle East oil?
As the potential conflict spreads, oil terminals would be engulfed
in smoke and flames. The Strait of Hormuz would be blocked, and
with it 40 percent of the world’s oil. The industries of
the world would face severe energy shortages and the economies of both
America and the European Union would face a devastating depression.
What if the United States decided to oppose the Russian expansion? The
Russians have enough long-range nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles aimed
at the United States to annihilate all of our cities. Would we
be willing to play a nuclear game of “chicken” with Russia
to save Israel? Probably not. Would the United States
risk war with Russia over Middle East oil? Perhaps, but unlikely. If
we act, it will be ugly. If we don’t act, our economy could
either be crippled or faced with continually escalating exactions demanded
by Russia for oil.
About 2600 years ago, God gave the Prophet Ezekiel a description of
an invasion of Israel after the Jews had been regathered to the Promised
Land from all over the world in the “latter days.” Ezekiel
wrote of an invasion force led by Russia that would include Iran and “Cush,” which
is Sudan. The other parties described by Ezekiel that constituted
the invading force could include some of the Muslim nations in the
former Soviet Caucasus region and possibly Turkey. According
to Ezekiel 38:12, they would come seeking “plunder and loot.” What
greater plunder than the oil riches of the Persian Gulf?
Will this unfold all at once? It’s difficult to say. But
what is clear is this: The Israeli strike against Iran will be the
trigger. From then on, dramatic events will follow in quick succession. It
all will conclude when God has rained fire on the islands of the sea
and on the invading force coming against Israel.
Where will the United States be in all of this conflict? According
to Ezekiel, the “young lions of Tarshish” will be questioning
the Russians about their aggression – questioning, but not acting
to stop it. Who are these “young lions of Tarshish?” Tarshish
was the region beyond Cadiz in Spain. In antiquity, explorers
from Tarshish came to Ireland, then across the ocean to North America,
traveling the Mississippi River as far as the present-day site of Davenport,
Iowa.
I believe the term “young lions of Tarshish” refers to
England and the United States of America. According to Ezekiel,
when the Middle East trouble begins, the young lions of Tarshish will
warn Russia and Iran, but refuse to act. We will suffer grave
economic damage, but will not engage in military action to stop the
conflict. However, we may not be spared nuclear strikes against
coastal cities.
In conclusion, it is my opinion that we have between 75 and 120 days
before the Middle East starts spinning out of control. If there
was ever a time for fervent prayer, it is now. Prayer can change
the course of history! The Bible says, “Seek righteousness,
seek humility. … that you may be hid in the day of the Lord’s
wrath.” “… the fervent prayer of a righteous
man availeth much.”
The believing prayers of tens of thousands of God’s people can
change the hearts of the leaders of Russia and Iran. God can
cause situations to arise which will save Israel. He is Almighty. With
God all things are possible!
With that in mind, I urge you to fervently seek God’s intervention
in the following areas:
- Pray that God’s mighty angels would surround and protect
our nation in these perilous times;
- Pray for unity among the body of Christ as we intercede for our
nation and our world;
- Pray that America’s leadership will seek godly wisdom as
they face critical events in the weeks and months ahead;
- Pray for the Holy Spirit to sweep across the globe, preparing hearts
to accept Jesus and enter God’s Kingdom before tragic events
unfold;
- Pray for God to change the hearts of leaders in Russia, Iran, and
other nations who wish to do harm to Israel.
Hopefully, our Lord will intervene and head off the disaster that
seems to be approaching. Let us pray together. With God
all things are possible!
God bless you. I remain …
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