You may view the 5 minute update in two ways:
1) Listen to the audio
2) Watch the video
In this week’s 5 minute update, we focused on three things:
1) The current status of the Israel / PLO peace process
2) The current status regarding potential war with Iran
3) The current status of the US economy
Regarding the current situation with the Israel / PLO peace process, the Arab League made an announcement to back “indirect talks”. The talks will begin this week with the help of US Middle East envoy George Mitchell conducting shuttle diplomacy between Jerusalem and Ramallah. US Vice President Joe Biden is visiting Israel to help to restart negotiations. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated that he not only wants to start a peace process but also to complete it. In order to gain Arab League support for “indirect talks”, the US sent a letter to the PLO that the US will assign blame if the “indirect talks” fail and take appropriate action. This “appropriate action” seems to be a threat to Israel that if talks fail that the US would recognize a PLO state through the United Nations. The US wants to see a PLO state based upon 1967 borders. With these assurances, the Arab League gave approval for the “indirect talks”. In anticipation of a peace agreement, the PLO have asked their “map experts” to be involved in the talks. The PLO and the Arab League is only proposing that the talks last no more than four months. President of Israel, Shimon Peres stated that he believes that Netanyahu is sincere in wanting a peace agreement with the PLO but is being hindered by the right wing of his government. In practical reality, if Netanyahu comes to an agreement to establish a PLO state and divide Jerusalem, he will need the support of the Kadima party to prevent the collapse of his government. Under this scenario, I believe that Kadima will support Netanyahu.
An agreement to divide Jerusalem and establish a PLO state is a tribulation event.
The link to these articles are as follows:
1) Arab League backs indirect talks
2) Netanyahu hopeful of restarting peace talks
3) US vows to assign blame if the Israel-PA talks fail
4) Indirect talks won’t start where peace talks left off between Ehud Olmert and Mahmood Abbas
5) PA map experts called up ahead of talks
6) Peres: Netanyahu’s peace moves restricted by the right wing
Regarding the current situation with Iran, US Senator John Kerry visited Israel and told reporters that the US and Israel were in agreement in how to deal with the Iranian issue and that Israel understood what the US is trying to achieve through diplomacy. The US does not want Israel to act alone in dealing with Iran. China again rejected harsh sanctions against Iran and insists on a diplomatic solution. Meanwhile, a three party meeting took place in Syria between the Syrian president Bashar al Assad, the Iran president Mahmood Ahmadinejad and Hisbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah to discuss options should a regional war happen in the Middle East. The Iranian president expects war to break out somewhere between spring and summer of 2010.
A war between Iran and the USA is a tribulation event.
The links to these articles are as follows:
1) Kerry: Israel probably won’t go alone on Iran
2) China rejects Iran sanctions and pushes for diplomatic solution
3) That was a war council in Damascus
Regarding the US economy, things are looking bad for state budgets. States face a $156 billion shortfall in 2010. Bank loans have fallen 14% this year. The M3 money supply has fallen 5.6% since September. It seems that the Federal Reserve is permitting credit to contract and this is a warning signal of an economic collapse of the US dollar. Globally, the IMF is calling for new power to supervise the global financial system.
When the US dollar collapses, this would be a tribulation event. It will result in the establishment of one world government and one world currency.
The link to these articles are as follows:
1) Don’t go wobbly on us now, Ben Bernanke
2) IMF wants new power to supervise the global financial system
These events are related to the tribulation. An agreement to divide the land of Israel and the city of Jerusalem is a tribulation event. A US attack against Iran is a tribulation event. A collapse of the US and world economy is a tribulation event (fall of the financial Babylon system). From a Biblical prophetic perspective, the reason why the God of Israel would allow these events to happen is because it will result in the end of the exile of the house of Jacob and the reunification of the 12 tribes of Israel (Ephraim and Judah).
We will to be “watchmen on the walls of Jerusalem” and we will not rest until the God of Israel makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth (Isaiah 62).
Shalom in Yeshua the Messiah,
Eddie Chumney
Hebraic Heritage Ministries Int’l