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What In The World Is Going On?
The string of events began at Boston’s Logan Airport at 7:45 a.m. yesterday morning. American Flight 11, a 767 with 92 on board, was supposed to fly from Boston to Los Angeles, but over New York state it was diverted and forced to fly south — directly into the north tower of the World Trade Center. A long day of carnage had then begun.
Back in Boston, United Flight 175, another 767 with 65 aboard, was already in the air, also bound for Los Angeles. It was 15 minutes behind the first flight when it, too, was hijacked. As news cameras rolled, the plane hit the south tower of the World Trade Center.
As onlookers watched in horror, the twin towers were engulfed in a fiery inferno. The hijacked planes had each just begun a cross-country flight to California, packed with as much as 200,000 pounds of fuel.
Trapped office workers first hung out windows, clinging precariously to the building, then several jumped 60, 80 even 100 floors to certain death as they were being burned alive.
Meanwhile at 8:10 a.m., American Flight 77, a 757 with 64 aboard, had taken off from Washington Dulles Airport, bound for Los Angeles. It, too, was hijacked and looped back into the Pentagon. It sliced in at an angle, leaving a deadly and ugly gash in the US military’s nerve center.
Horrified people in both cities fled on foot, as the landscape turned into a war zone. The hijackers had hoped for even more devastation: an 8 a.m. out of Newark Airport, United Flight 93, a 757 with 45 people aboard, was bound to San Francisco when it was hijacked as well — but it crashed short of its, coming down in rural western Pennsylvania, where eyewitnesses watched in horror. Speculation suggested that it was headed for Camp David, or even the White House.
Within the next hour, both World Trade Center towers collapsed as their steel girders literally melted in the intense heat. The implosion blanketed New York City in a cloud of toxic smoke and ash, and killed hundreds of rescue workers and thousands of victims still trapped inside.
Officials compared it to Pearl Harbor, but this time the enemy was unknown. In less than two hours, the landscape of New York City and the confidence of the United States were utterly devastated. It will be days, even weeks, before the final numbers are available on the casualties, and years before the financial impact can be ascertained.
World reaction ranged from astonishment to absolute horror as people on every continent watched the terrifying images from the United States fill their television screens. But in the West Bank and in Lebanon thousands of Palestinians celebrated. In the town of Nablus, Muslims danced in the streets, chanted “Allah is great!” and distributed candy to passers-by in a traditional gesture of celebration. Others fired weapons into the air in wild celebrations, and Iraqi television played a patriotic song that began ”Down with America!” as it showed the World Trade Center towers collapsing.
The prime suspect in the attacks is millionaire Muslim terrorist Osama bin Laden, who issued congratulations early today to the people who carried out the deadly strikes in the United States. He is a key suspect in many other terrorist attacks in the past several years. Washington wants him to be tried, but Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban militia rulers have refused to hand him over, despite tough U.N. sanctions. They call bin Laden their guest and a hero of Islam. According to one aide, bin Laden has described the devastation in the United States as “a punishment from Allah” and said, “There are thousands of Muslims who have vowed for jihad (a holy war) and martyrdom. They have experience to fight with all sorts of weapons.”
What is this dark religion called Islam? And what do yesterday’s events have to do with the last days? Let’s look at the Scripture:
Zechariah 12:3 And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.
Luke 21:25-28 25And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 26Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. 27And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
· As shocking as this statement may sound, yesterday’s events were not about the United States; they were about the United States being a friend to Israel! Only a couple of weeks ago, US representatives walked out of the World Conference on Racism, where Islamic groups were condemning Israel’s desire to protect her homeland as a racist act! The US has declared its friendship with Israel, and for that Islamic groups declared that she had to pay!
· The United Nations has passed more resolutions concerning Jerusalem than any other subject.
· During their 2000 years of exile, the Gentile nations have screamed at the Jews, “Go back to Jerusalem where you belong!” – now those same nations are saying, “No, you can’t have Jerusalem!”
· After the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and WWI, the nations of the world met at Versailles to decide what should be done with the lands belonging to collapsed empires. Men like Woodrow Wilson (US) and Lloyd George (UK) decided that the minimum to be done for the 16 million Jewish people would be to give them the historical land of Israel (including all of Jordan and the East & West banks) – still a tiny area for 16 million people!
· In 1920, the British Mandate began; they gave 80% of the land designated for the Jews to the Arabs and established the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan – leaving Israel only 20% of what was promised! And 60% of the Jew’s portion was desert!
· In 1947-48, the British pulled out, leaving Israel with no weapons; they fought the Arabs for the whole of the land; in 1967, the Jews finally captured the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and the Temple Mount after 2000 years.
· The Jews have had an attachment to the Biblical land of Israel for 3500 years; this has no parallel in the history of nations!
· The Arab world has 4,560,000 square miles of land area; Israel has 7,992 square miles of land area – less than 1/500th (1/5 of 1%); the Arab world has 21 nations – now they want a 22nd within the state of Israel!
· The Arabs have fought six wars with Israel since 1948 and lost every one of them; no nation in history has been required to give back conquests gained when they were attacked, but the world expects Israel to because of anti-semitism!
· The infamous handshake with Yassir Arafat on the White House lawn was not the beginning of a Peace Process, but of division; immediately afterward, he spoke at a meeting in South Africa in which he boasted of the White House event as being the first phase in the destruction of Israel; the peace process is really a PIECE process to dismember Israel in phases!
· Yassir Arafat, Osama bin Laden, and the terrorist groups Hamas and Hizbollah all hide their alliance in the common goal to wipe out Israel and any who support her. They also hide the fact that it is not only the “radical fringe” of Islam, but ALL of Islam that promotes violence against the “enemies of Allah.”
· It is hard for North Americans to understand the depth of this hatred. Today, in the Palestinian Authority, it is a crime punishable by death to sell land to Jews. The still unrepealed Palestine National Covenant still calls for the “liberation” of Israel by violence. Little girls on Palestinian TV sing songs glorifying suicide bombers.
· Here are direct quotes from the Palestinians in their own media:
· Yassir Arafat (October 21, 1996) – “We know only one word: Jihad, Jihad, Jihad!”
· Yassir Arafat (August 5, 1997) – “We must organize our homes and our movements in order to endure the coming battle, which we shall initiate.”
· Arafat’s Justice Minister, Freih Abu Meddein (April 17, 1995) – “The main enemy of the Palestinian people, now and forever, is Israel.”
· Yassir Arafat (June 19, 1995) – “We will continue this long Jihad, this difficult Jihad, via deaths, via sacrifices.”
· Afafat’s top PLO religious authority, Sheikh Ikrama Sabri, in a sermon (September 12, 1997) – “O Allah, destroy America! Paint the White House black!”
· At least since 1989, US intelligence has been aware of a conspiracy on the part of a radical Islamic group to wage Jihad (holy war) against the US government, considering her an infidel nation that supports other infidels such as Israel. Islam is fighting a holy war for control of the world! Mideast terror has taken root in North America!
· Violence and terrorism have been the means of spreading Islam from the very beginning by Mohammed and his successors. That is the teaching of the Koran. Their goal is the destruction of Israel and the eventual subjugation of the entire world to Islamic law!
· The slaughter of innocents is an honorable Islamic practice. Iran cleared minefields in its war against Iraq by using thousands of young schoolboys to walk along in front of troops and tanks; in one minefield alone in 1982, 5000 children were torn to bits exploding the mines. Such fanatical sacrifice is considered to be the highest achievement in Islam.
· Ayatollah Khomeini: “The Purest joy is Islam is to kill and be killed for God.”
· To the Muslim, violence and bloodshed are the highest expression of religion and the sure way to eternal reward. This encourages the most effective terrorists: suicide bombers. These fanatics are not looked upon as mentally unhinged, but they are honored as martyred heroes on a thousand postered walls in Islamic countries.
· Both the Koran and the writings of the Prophet Mohammed call for war against all non-Muslims.
· Surah 5:33 says that all those who oppose Allah are to be “killed or crucified, or have their hands and feet on alternate sides cut off, or will be expelled out of the land.”
· Surah 9:5, 29, 41 – “Slay the idolaters wherever ye find them, and take them (captive), and besiege them, and prepare for them each ambush … fight against such of those … as believe not in Allah … go forth, light-armed and heavy-armed, and strive with your wealth and your lives in the way of Allah!”
· Islamic law promotes incarceration without due process, the use of torture, political assassination, the cutting off of hands, feet, ears, tongues and heads, and the gouging out of eyes.
· Islamic law does not recognize freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of assembly, or freedom of the press. This is why non-Muslims are routinely denied even the most basic civil rights. Right now in Afghanistan (the nation harboring Osama bin Laden), several people are incarcerated, facing the death penalty for “promoting Christianity.”
· Islamic groups (especially the Black Muslims) are growing at such a rate in the US that population analysts predict that they could have a majority by the year 2010! When they have achieved that goal in other countries, they have immediately declared Islamic Law!
· WHERE COULD THIS ALL FIT IN BIBLE PROPHECY?
1. Revelation 18 describes the financial and political center of the Antichrist’s kingdom falling “in one hour” – with yesterday’s events, we have certainly seen how that could happen!
2. Daniel 2 declares that Antichrist will rule the world through a “ten-toed kingdom” in the last days. Twenty years ago, scholars generally interpreted this to be the European Community, but that theory has lost some impetus because the US remained such a controlling force in the world economy. Could it be that the world will demand more control of the world’s finances be moved to “neutral Europe” after this attack? If so, that would follow the trend of Bible prophecy.
3. Ezekiel 38 declares that a coalition led by “Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal” (the area occupied by the former Soviet Union) will march in a war on Israel. Twenty years ago, scholars thought this might be a war between communism and the free world. But most of the former provinces in this area are MUSLIM – this will be a war between Islam and Israel! And God will once again fight for Israel!
SO WHAT DO WE DO? DO WE PANIC? NO, WE PRAY! AND WE ANTICIPATE THE COMING OF THE LORD!
Luke 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
· God protected Noah’s family when judgment fell on the world! God protected Israel when judgment fell on Egypt! God protected Daniel in the lion’s den! God protected the Hebrew boys in the fiery furnace! God protected Paul and Silas in an earthquake! And God can protect you as well!
Psalm 91 (NLT) 1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 This I declare of the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I am trusting him. 3 For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from the fatal plague. 4 He will shield you with his wings. He will shelter you with his feathers. His faithful promises are your armor and protection. 5 Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor fear the dangers of the day, 6 nor dread the plague that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday. 7 Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you. 8 But you will see it with your eyes; you will see how the wicked are punished. 9 If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, 10 no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your dwelling. 11 For he orders his angels to protect you wherever you go. 12 They will hold you with their hands to keep you from striking your foot on a stone. 13 You will trample down lions and poisonous snakes; you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet! 14 The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. 15 When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue them and honor them. 16 I will satisfy them with a long life and give them my salvation.”
Here is a report of how the hand of the Lord moved yesterday, in the midst of history’s worst terrorist attack:
The following reports have been received at the World Network of Prayer:
Apparently all of our UPCI people who worked at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon escaped without harm.
A member of Brother Libby’s church works at the Pentagon. He was not there yesterday, as he was sent to San Diego.
A member of our church in Colorado Springs was called to a meeting at the Pentagon yesterday. At the last minute, the location was changed to Andrews Air Force Base.
Robert Linder, a minister in Manhattan, worked at the nearby Marriott but did not work yesterday.
Doug Davis had five people from his church that worked in the Towers. All escaped unharmed. One man worked on the 75th floor just below where the plane hit. He was able to get out of the building safely.
One of our church members was recently transferred to the Pentagon and was in the building when it all happened. She was in the same area of the blast just minutes earlier for a meeting. The meeting she was to be in was delayed for an hour so she went to the opposite side of the building. The plane hit right after she left.
A lady in a NYC church had carried a strong burden and prayed earnestly for two days for a deacon who works at the World Trade Center. On his way to work yesterday, he became very ill and returned home.
A man from Scotty Teets’ church worked in the office where the plane hit the first tower. Yesterday he overslept and heard about the crash on his way to work.
