quote:


To my friends who watch the Middle East,

There is an ominous end-of-days prophecy in Rev 13:16-17, speaking of that unsavory "Beast" who "forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name."

Now for decades, enthusiasts of prophecy "small and great" have all been monitoring the micro-chippers in order to elude their cryptic control of last day demise. On one hand it would make it a lot easier for the banks or supermarket checkouts if everyone had a mini-calculator tacked on their foreheads when they queue up for service. Would it be all that bad?

Moreover, in these days of economic earthquakes can we reckon that banks and supermarkets are really the most obvious venue for some beastly betrayal of Bible believers?

Two insightful articles surfaced this last week that suggest that micro-chipping might not be the only or even the best place to seek out a snare for the faithful. When we can't see the forest for the trees, it's time to lift our sights a bit higher.

Frank Gaffney, Jr., founder and President of Center for Security and widely-read columnist, has written an uncomfortable article on the now globally-feared crisis which -- in echoing US election rhetoric -- he calls, es They Can"http://www.israelunitycoalition.org/news/article.php?id=3290 Click on this URL to grasp the whole picture. But for busy folks who prefer their info in microchip bytes, here's the punch line of what Gaffney says that just might line up somewhat with Rev 13:16-17.

…Not surprisingly, therefore, the Saudis & Co. are not siimply seeking to insinuate Shariah-Compliant Finance into our capital markets. They are also advancing the creation of a parallel Shariah-governed society through various other means.

One of these techniques will be in evidence when the Saudi monarch himself convenes a meeting in New York City [it was actually held last week-vks] in the hope of imposing Shariah blasphemy laws worldwide. In light of the stated, and seemingly benign, purpose of the so-called "Culture of Peace" event hosted by King Abdullah at the United Nations - namely, promoting interfaith understanding and tolerance, numerous world leaders, including President Bush, will be present. Never mind that Saudi Arabia is arguably the most intolerant nation on earth, a fact even some in the Bush administration have acknowledged.
The real reason attendance at the King's séance is going to be impressive, of
course, has more to do with the hope that petro-largesse [i.e. oil] will flow to those who ingratiate themselves to the House of Saud. Abdullah appears confidently to have signaled that, if the West plays ball on the "Culture of Peace" agenda, the Saudis and their fellow Islamists will be constructive at what might be called the subsequent "Culture of Money" meeting in Washington. [ie. the "G-20" now underway as I write]

What will the answer be when the Islamists insist that free speech must not allow the slander, libel or defamation of Shariah, or other aspects of their faith? … why should we object? So what if, by so doing, we would effectively thereby be excluded from talking about - or even understanding - the Islamist threat we face, to say nothing of eviscerating the First Amendment? As the Treasury Department can attest, we need the money.

I think we're beginning to catch the nuance of the likes of a beastly identity, but will the real antichrist please stand up so that we can get a good look at him [or them as the case may be].

But as my faithful readers know, I do have a longstanding aversion from drawing conclusions from only one witness to the scene of the crime. As we note what is momentarily taking place in Washington, let's check up on what is already a done deal in London. Melanie Phillips, writing in the U.K. Daily Mail [we heard from her as well in my last MEAL bulletin] has given us a tad more food for thought:
Beware this Saudi deal to bail out Britain...with a devastating IOU.

She begins her somber observation with:

With all eyes fixed upon the political excitements in the U.S, few have paid much attention to a trip made by the Prime Minister several thousand miles in the opposite direction.

A week ago Gordon Brown, accompanied by his new best friend, the Business Secretary Lord Mandelson, went cap in hand to Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states to ask them to help bail out the stricken economies of the West by pumping billions into the International Monetary Fund.

It is more than a little strange that the British Prime Minister should have apparently taken it upon himself to speak on behalf of the IMF. But the real concern is that asking for help from Saudi Arabia is not like tapping your friendly neighbourhood bank manager for a bigger overdraft…No, this loan comes with a devastating IOU - nothing less than a big slice of control over Britain and the West by a regime at the heart of the attempt to bring about the Islamisation of the free world…

Alarming:
I have long been concerned by Britain's failure to acknowledge the true nature of the threat from global Islamism. This latest move is yet more alarming evidence of that process...Saudi Arabia is at the root of the Islamic onslaught against the West. It is Saudi's Wahhabi form of Islam which, along with its Shi'ite counterpart in Iran, aims to restore the dominance of Islam in the world and destroy rule by 'unbelievers'.

Then midway in her article:

Britain's major banks are eagerly embracing sharia finance, on the basis that it is a source of vast wealth…What they fail to realise is that ssharia is also a project for Islamising society, and wherever it is embraced it will use its position to do precisely that. The assumption is that sharia banking - which has at its heart the prohibition of interest - accords with ancient Islamic religious principles. Not so. Sharia banking was devised by mid-20th century Islamist ideologues specifically to further their strategy for global Islamic rule by creating separate administrative systems.

The wise will now recall that this planning hardly began on Sept 11, 2001.

Finally Ms. Phillips concludes with:

But our politicians and financiers seem blind to this prospect - because they are mesmerised by the seductive prospect of so much wealth...Moreover, the British establishment does not believe that what we are being subjected to is a religious war. That is why their response to the steady encroachment of Islamic radicalism in our society is so weak. …And that is why I fear the British Prime Minister is in danger of selling this country to those who are intent upon undermining our most treasured freedoms."

You will do yourself a favor by clicking on the above URL to read Melanie's whole article. We have been warned more than once from the secular stage not to mention 2000 years of Rev 13:16-17.

If we've never noticed before, the god$ of this age have brazenly ari$en. Focusing on microchips merely fogs the treachery of the real foe, as the global New World Order becomes ready to bow the knee in any direction for a few fast bucks! Et tu Brute?

Finally, we peeked at identity, but not at the number of this terrible twosome. If you didn't get to two, try counting again! I also suggest you read [or re-read as the case may be] Chapter 12, "Beasts and Antichrists, Prophets and Profits" in my most recent book as featured below.

So beyond this bit of last minute insight, what's our answer?

Intimacy with Abba, and never go outside without your Psalm 91 umbrella!

Blessings and shalom,

Victor Schlatter
Director, South Pacific Island Ministries,
Cairns, Australia

Website: http://www.spim.org.au

quote:

Christians are slighty different and would be as offended as they believe that we worship not at a central temple, but in spirit and truth????

quote:

Its becoming clearer to me just what Jesus meant when He said money is the root of all evil. I think you both have points, Sonic and Bob, and I believe Islam will be a big part of the beginning phase of this new world order. However, when all is said and done, there will be some level of tolerance until the fat hits the fan and Antichrist sets himself above ALL that is called god and worshiped. Just my opinion.

quote:


To me the one world government is just a way to centralize power…once that is accomplished (supported by military power, an oil alliance and monetary wealth) what is to keep this beast from demanding whatever he wants?

If it is a seven year process…3 ˝ years to gain control and 3 ˝ years to demand worship of some religion and I’ll kill you if you don’t. If it is only a 3 ˝ year program, it’s all the same scenario isn’t it?


I’m just thinking out loud but these things do seem logical to me. We have to think about where the power comes from and what supports it.

quote:

Christians are slighty different and would be as offended as they believe that we worship not at a central temple, but in spirit and truth????

I don't think it is the Christians we are talking about...they are hooked to Christ, that is if you believe OSAS and they will be the ones laying around without heads because they will not worship something else. Isn't it what happens to unbelieving Israel and gentiles that the program is intended for, them and those who say they are Christians but really aren't?

Bob

quote:

Personally I don't see this as showing that the middle east will become the beast mentioned in Revelation. Rather that the beast in Revelation will be made up of the worlds major nations, with the worlds money people, the over sea's investment bankers or the G8 or G20 or what ever 'G' they are going under, being the real manipulating power of this Empire once in place.

quote:

I have always believed that rather than creating one world religion, we are going to see a synchronisation of religions. By this I mean that the anti christ is going to claim to be the mahdi for Islamists, the returning Christ for christians, the messiah for Jews, the Buddha for Buddhists, etc. And leaders within all these groups will "endorse" him. Those who resist will be initially shunned, and then actively persecuted. This will be the pretence of "religious tolerance' - it doesnt matter what religion you are - as long as you dont criticise others who worship dear leader - and as long as you do it yourself under the cover of whatever religion you wish to choose. To continue to claim "one true way" will become very intolerant, backward, and stupid. Even more so than now. So, that makes these moves to promote inter-faith understanding and tolerance very interesting.