Shalom from the Philippines! I am wrapping up my time here in this beautiful island nation. It has been a great season of rest and preparation. I have also enjoyed connecting with many friends. Just this past weekend, I had the joy of visiting the ambassador of the Philippines to Israel, His Excellency Ambassador Pedro “Junie” Laylo Jr. and his wife, Carijane, who just completed their term. In addition, I was blessed to spend time with my good friends Pastor Edwin and Milet Tugano from New Life Christian Center in Alabang. It is always a wonderful time being with people who love the Lord.
It was very exciting to see the launch of my new thriller, The Sick Man’s Rage, on Tuesday. I’ve already said much about it, so I’ll refrain here. I’ll only say that it is a great gift with the important purpose of sharing the Gospel in an exciting and action-filled story. Pick up your copies today!
This last week, Syria blew up. It has always been a powder keg with so many antagonistic groups living in the nation. So, while it wasn’t a surprise, it was important. I’m sure many are confused about who is who in Syria, and, even more so, how it all relates to Bible prophecy. I’ll explore a few of the details of the fighting below, but let me take a moment to back out to the big picture here.
Damascus is a city that the Bible predicts will be decimated (Isaiah 17:1). Widening out from the city itself, we can also see that Syria, which has been a bitter enemy of Israel since 1948, isn’t mentioned among the nations in the future war of Gog from the land of Magog described in Ezekiel 38. Ultimately, what we learn relating to the nation to Israel’s north is that Damascus must fall. This will contribute to Israel being strong, safe, and prosperous. It is then that the enemy will attack from the north.
For Israel to finally be safe and to prosper, we not only need a victory in our present wars against Hamas and Hezbollah, but we need a friendly US administration to expand the peace circle and stand strong against the axis of evil. This certainly seems to be the direction we are heading.
My friends, we are truly living in biblical times!
The MidEast Update
The Rapidly Shifting Syrian Civil War
There are so many moving parts and they are shifting so quickly that it would be impossible for me to lay them all out in this newsletter. That is why I will once again encourage you to subscribe to my Telegram channel. There you will find all the action as it happens, as well as analysis of what all is taking place.
Opposition forces (those against President Assad’s government) have launched a swift and unexpected offensive. Significant territories have been already captured, including the very important city of Aleppo. As their influence spreads, the strategic city of Hama is next on their list. In fact, some sources report that just this morning rebel forces have entered the city even as Assad’s leaders escape by helicopter..
Assad’s forces haven’t just been sitting by idly. They, with the help of Russia and Iran, have hit back hard, causing many casualties among the rebels. But it’s not just the government forces who are fighting the rebels. They are fighting each other. Rebel militias are fighting against Al Qaeda soldiers, while Al Qaeda soldiers are fighting with Kurdish rebels. It’s a mishmash of people who hate each other and who can’t seem to put their differences aside and unite in order to attack a common enemy. In Israel, we have our eyes on the Kurds, who at times have been our allies in the past. Fictional examples of this relationship are in my thrillers Operation Joktan and The Sick Man’s Rage. Ultimately, we aren’t rooting for any of the sides, because everyone except the Kurds wants to kill us. The last thing we want is to see Al Qaeda troops massing on our northern border.
Iran Mad at Turkey over Syria
Remember in the past when I’ve said that all of the Middle East is interconnected? The Islamic Regime in Iran is now angry at Turkey for the civil war in Syria. Tehran says that the rebel onslaught could not have happened without Turkish help. They aren’t the only ones with this opinion. The Kremlin lays the blame at Ankara’s feet, saying they also got help from Washington and London. Are they correct? Maybe. It wouldn’t be surprising. Meanwhile, Iran is putting teeth to their blame saying that if the Kurds turn around and attack Turkey, then President Erdoğan better not come running to Tehran for help.
Israel Forces Iranian Transport to Turn Back
While much attention in Syria has been focused on the ground, the skies above held some interesting action. An Iranian cargo plane lifted off Saturday night toward Syria. According to the manifest, it was loaded with humanitarian aid. This would have been true if it was headed to a region where the people primarily ate lead and gun powder. But, as that seemed unlikely, the Israel Defense Forces got involved. Fighter jets intercepted the cargo plane as it traversed Syria and informed them in no uncertain terms that there were two directions they could go. One was back and the other was straight down. Wisely, the Iranian pilots chose back. This is a huge demonstration of the power that Israel is gaining in the region.
Fighting Under the Ceasefire
Just because the ceasefire against Hezbollah has gone into effect, that doesn’t mean that the fighting has stopped. When Israel signed on to the agreement, they also reserved the right to destroy anything they found that could be used by the terrorist organization against them. That has led the IDF to continue to hit danger zones, including munitions storage and launch areas. Just yesterday, a drone was used to take out a Hezbollah rocket launcher in southern Lebanon’s Majdal Zoun. Meanwhile, Lebanese forces are just now finally deploying into areas from which the IDF withdrew, with the purpose of keeping Hezbollah out.
Israel’s Magic Vaporizing Machine
For some time, Hamas has had difficulty explaining the disparity between their highly inflated casualty rates and the actual number of bodies they are able to produce. However, after careful investigation, the Palestinian Investigation Squad or some such body discovered the truth. It was the Israelis using their amazing body disappearing weapon that was causing all the dead to vaporize into thin air. It makes so much sense! I’ve long told you that Israel is on the cutting edge. Here’s proof! Even our imaginary technology is mind-blowing!
A Tale of Two Presidents
The 45th and soon-to-be 47th president of the United States wrote in a post on Truth Social that if the hostages are not released prior to his swearing in, there will be “ALL HELL TO PAY” in the Middle East. In response, Hamas has threatened to kill all the hostages. That would be a horrific mistake on their part. Meanwhile, the 46th president took time out from his very busy schedule to pardon his son, Hunter, who was facing sentencing for gun crimes and tax evasion. Also waiting on the Hunter Biden dance card were federal prosecutors anxious for a little jig to the Ukrainian folk tune “Burisma”. Joe Biden promised months ago that he would not bail his son out with a pardon. The Right didn’t believe him, the Left pretended to believe him, but deep down everyone knew that this day would come.
South Korea’s Brief Implosion
Late night Tuesday, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol went on television and declared martial law, shocking the nation. Mayhem ensued. Military personnel entered the National Assembly building and were met by politicians and staffers armed with fire extinguishers. Scuffles ensued, windows were broken, but the military never made it into the main assembly hall. A little more than three hours after martial law was declared, 190 of the 300 members of the National Assembly voted unanimously to void the declaration. There has been constant fallout ever since. The heads of the departments of Yoon’s cabinet, as well as the senior secretaries, all resigned. The Assembly called for Yoon to resign too, and, when he refused to so, articles of impeachment were filed against him. A vote on his removal could come as soon as tomorrow. South Korean politics have also been sketchy waters to swim in. It will be interesting to watch how this plays out.
France Dissolves Its Government
Not wanting to be outdone in the political craziness department, the French National Assembly passed a no-confidence motion against the government of Prime Minister Michel Barnier. This is the first no-confidence vote to pass in France since 1962, and Barnier will go down as the shortest serving prime minister in the Modern Republic. President Emmanuel Macron, for his part, stepped over Barnier’s lifeless political body, declared that he would remain until the end of his 2027 term and promised to name a replacement.
United Nations being the United Nations
With the Syrian Civil War rekindled, the war between Russia and Ukraine threatening to go nuclear, and South Korea doing whatever it was that South Korea just did, the United Nations decided they would tackle the most pressing issue of the day. In a vote of 97 pro, 8 con, and 64 abstentions, the UN adopted a resolution calling for Israel to withdraw to pre-1967 lines. Good job focusing on what’s most important in the world. Just the United Nations being the United Nations.
The Ministry
When I arrive in Israel this coming weekend, I will hit the ground running. On Monday, I’ll be joining my dear friend Pastor Barry Stagner for a CONNECT Q & A. This is our time to answer your questions, so please join us for this enjoyable hour. Remember, our times for these video gatherings has changed. Again, we’ll be meeting on Monday, December 9, and the time will be 8:00 AM PST. I hope to see you there!
If you’ve been craving a clear and concise explanation of what’s happening in the Middle East, that is exactly what I’ll be providing for you on Tuesday, December 10, once again at 8:00 AM PST. The Syrian Civil War, the ceasefire – the MidEast Update will cover it all. Plan on watching!
I’ve been very excited for Wednesday’s CONNECT Anchor Podcast. Behold Israel’s own Pastor Mike Golay will be sitting down with me to discuss some of the recent struggles he’s gone through during the recovery from his accident. It’s a powerful time, and I invite you to be there a little later in the morning on Wednesday, December 11, at 10:00 AM PST.
If you didn’t watch yesterday’s “Explore the Bible”, you missed a great time. Dr. Rick Yohn and I answered the question, “Why Read the Old Testament?” As a Jew, the Old Testament has always been dear to me, and I was not surprised to discover that the same was true for Dr. Rick! If you’ve ever wondered why that first two-thirds of the Bible is so important, this is the video for you!
For those of you familiar with this ministry, you know that we rarely ask for financial gifts. But Giving Tuesday, just two days ago, is one of those rare occasions. If, after you give your regular commitment to your local church, you feel led to support this ministry, we would greatly appreciate it. It is your prayers and your gifts that help us accomplish all that we are able to do. Thank you, and may God give you a blessed Christmas season.
Awaiting His Return,
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