Relax.  Don’t panic.  Yesterday’s attack on Syria’s chemical facilities by the U.S. and allied forces in no way changes the trajectory of the prophecy of Zech. 1:12 from being fulfilled.  For those that have written me, re-read that prophecy again.  You’ll see that it very specifically pertains to just one nation–Israel–NOT the surrounding Arab countries that surround her.  And, if you think about it, the U.S.-lead attack actually validates Zechariah’s prophecy.

Since Israel’s rebirth in 1948, she has really only had one consistent ally the entire time, the United States.  President Harry Truman was the first world leader to formally recognize their sovereignty and he did it on the exact same day that Israel declared their independence: May 14, 1948.   The U.S. has been their only ally to support them in every conflict they’ve faced for the past 70 years.  But, it has been Israel alone who faced non-stop, 24-hour a day threats to their mere survival.  Yet, in the face of such risks, not only has she survived, but has thrived like no other country in the Middle East in modern history.

Just because a conflict occurred yesterday with a nation that borders Israel, this does not, by default, involve Israel.  To the contrary, it circumvents any military participation of the Israeli Defense Forces completely.  You could argue that this coalition effort, bypassing Israel, is a first step in the 70 years of indignation drawing to a close.  Israel, we’ve got your back.  Have a beer and chill.  Starman’s got your back.  You’ve done what was required of you for 70 years.  Now, sit back and watch as Yahweh uses other people and other nations to steer world events in the Middle East.

And believe me, Yahweh DOES use other men to achieve his will on earth.  When the U.S. took the lead to avenge our losses of Sept. 11, 2001 against those terrorist nations that were responsible for the attacks, this set the wheels in motion for the world’s attention to begin focusing more on the Middle East that it had in recent memory.  These cataclysmic world events are not random nor are they done without the expressed involvement of Yahweh in each action.  Don’t believe me?

Amos 3:6–“Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and Yahweh hath not done it?  ⁷ Surely my Lord Yahweh will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.”

No question, what happened in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington D.C. were acts of pure evil.  But since we have access to “the prophets”, the Former, the Latter and the Minor, we have the tools to know what these events mean and what will come.

Which brings us back to the sudden multi-national military attack on Syria yesterday.  Already, hysterical voices are hyperventilating as they condemn, in the strongest terms, our out-of-control President!  It’s just a Wag-The-Dog moment, to distract our attention from all of his administration’s growing problems!  He’s about to launch WORLD WAR III!  He doesn’t know what he’s doing!

Obviously, nobody would dare say that President Trump is a paragon of virtue.  But, who is?  Was Barak Obama a more virtuous man?  Was George W. Bush?  Bill Clinton?  Even as we look around the world and see people that are leaders of nations, it could be argued that we really could not do any worse than those in power today.  And this too, was prophesied to be the condition on earth during these latter days–

Dan. 4:17–“This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.”

You might appreciate that the Hebrew word translated as “basest” is from the word shĕphal, which literally means the lowest of the low.  Since Yahweh has deliberately placed President Trump into office at this time and used his prophet Daniel to describe his character to a “T”, can’t we all just give it a rest now and move on?

But, I digress.

This morning, we’re hearing all kinds of hyperbolic statements coming out of both Syria and Russia.  The funniest one, coming directly from Putin himself, dared equate President Trump to Adolph Hitler.  Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.

It is highly unlikely that there will be any retaliation against the righteous indignation of those allied forces.  One of the reasons is because the world really does recognize the superior military might of the U.S. and they are reluctant to engage with it.

But the other reason, and I would argue, the most likely reason that it’s improbable to see any push back is because of the religious culture in Syria, which is predominantly Muslim.  In that culture, whenever any first-strike attack occurs, their religious belief is that the attack was the will of Allah.  Therefore, any retaliation of Allah’s attack is a repudiation of Allah himself!

This was the outrage expressed on several occasions when the Palestinians would send a suicide bomber into Israel, killing several people or would shoot a missile, killing an Israeli soldier.  Israel’s stated policy (so that there’s no misunderstanding) is that they will always immediately retaliate for any such attacks.  After Israel’s response to the first attack, it was only their RESPONSE that was condemned by Middle East news sources, not the initial attack itself.  Those crazy mideasterners….

What happens next?  Here are several things to watch for in 2018 and beyond.

The indignation against Israel will end.  There will be a radically different spiritual understanding in Israel, unlike what they’ve known since their inception.  (More on that in a moment.)  A renewed focus on rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem will begin.  The location of the new Temple will not be the current Temple Mount.  It will be constructed 1/2 mile to the east, across the Kidron Valley, upon the Mount of Olives.  The Levitical priests will begin to realize that animal sacrifices will no longer be needed and they’ll learn that the Temple will be used in a different way than the two former temples.  The Arab world will begin to have a different relationship with Israel.  No longer will their goal be to drive the Israelis into the Mediterranean Sea.  Instead, a new alliance will be formed.  Zechariah talks about this too in chapter one.

Zech 1:15–“And I am very sore displeased with the heathen [a.k.a.: the Arabs] that are at ease: for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction.  ¹⁶ Therefore thus saith Yahweh; I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies [Heb.: “compassions”]: my house shall be built in it, saith Yahweh of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem.”

To say that the Arab nations helped forward the affliction is an understatement.  They have been the sole cause of Israel’s affliction for their entire modern existence.  But, pay close attention to verse 16.  Now that the 70 years of indignation are ending, Zechariah is describing what will come next.  Yahweh’s house is the Temple.

As I mentioned, Israel will come to a new spiritual understanding, unlike anything they’ve ever known.  You may know that Jewish faith does not believe that Yahshua Anointed, who came in the 1st century A.D., was the actual promised Messiah.  They are STILL awaiting of the Messiah to arrive for the first time.  They reject the belief that it was actually him and that they killed him.  Something is about to happen, as described by Isaiah.

Isa. 25:7–“And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations.”

The mountain Isaiah is referring to in this passage is the Mount of Olives.  The VAIL that is spread over all the nations is the vail that covers their eyes so they cannot see.  It covers their ears so they cannot hear.  And it covers their heads so they cannot understand.  Here is how Isaiah describes their condition at this moment:

Isa. 29:9–“Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.  ¹⁰ For Yahweh hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered.  ¹¹ And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed:  ¹² And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned.”

The result?  Until Yahweh permits that vail to be lifted, it’s not the fault of the people that they can’t see or hear.  It is impossible for them to do so.  Once that vail is lifted, and they can finally see, hear and understand, the reaction will be devastating.  This is because for over 2,000 years, the Jews have been anxiously awaiting their Messiah, their elder brother, sent to us by Yahweh himself to save all mankind.  When it is finally revealed to them that they are responsible for his execution, they will weep uncontrollably, like a parent that lost their only son:

Zech. 12:10–“And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me WHOM THEY HAVE PIERCED, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.”

Whom they have pierced.  This is a clear reference to Yahshua’s final moments as his life was fading on the cross and the Roman centurion pierced Yahshua’s side here:

John 19:34–“But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.”

But that brief time when Israel mourns will soon be replaced by joy.  One of the reasons for their newfound joy will be in Israel’s new relationships with her Arab neighbors.  To the world’s dismay, the nation which will begin this new dynamic is also the nation that will insist upon leading the effort for Israel to construct the 3rd Temple.  Here are two passages that cite the role of this nation in the upcoming Temple construction.

Ezra 1:1–“Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of Yahweh by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, Yahweh stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,  ² Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, Yahweh Elohim of [the] heaven[s] hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.”

2 Chron. 36:22–“Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of Yahweh spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, Yahweh stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,  ²³ Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath Yahweh Elohim of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? Yahweh Elohim be with him, and let him go up.”

Each of these passages identifies the person who was given the responsibility of building the Temple in Jerusalem.  Cyrus, the king of Persia, is synonymous with modern day Iran.  You read that right.

Modern day Iran will have a 100% change of heart in their dealings with Israel.  This change will be so radically different from their antagonistic stance that it will come as a complete shock the the entire world.  Check that: make it “most” of the world.  A few of you will have known in advance what’s going to happen.  Israel has stated publicly, on more than one occasion, that of all the nations of the world, it is Iran that poses the greatest risk to her survival.  It seems unimaginable that Iran will become Israel’s close ally instead.

When this happens, the other Arab nations will follow Iran’s lead, bringing the Middle East and the world a temporary time of peace that hasn’t been seen since Israel’s modern day founding.

One final note–not all of these events are going to happen in 2018.  They are going to happen BECAUSE of the 70 years of indignation ends in 2018, setting the table for all of the prophecies described above to happen over the next 7 years.

But Don’t Panic.  There’s more to come after those 7 years.  He’s not back yet.  We still have the two witnesses to arrive later.  That ought to be exciting.