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A King of Kings Above All Kings

by Janet Treadway

Source: Dustin Scarpitti/Unsplash

A while back, after ISIS executed a Jordanian pilot, I read that Jordan's King Abdullah II immediately dropped what he was doing to head back to his home in Jordan. He promised to deal swiftly with those who did such a horrendous thing to one of his men. He instilled confidence in his people by acting quickly and by showing compassion in comforting the family of the man who was killed.
The story made me reflect on what a leader should be like. Two qualities stand out in my mind from King Abdullah's example.
First, he prioritized caring for his people. A good king should be caring. Jordan has taken in more than 2 million refugees. This is in a country the size of Indiana. Jordan's economy is among the smallest in the Middle East, with insufficient supplies of water, oil, and other natural resources underlying the government’s heavy reliance on foreign assistance. I have been inspired by Jordan for having such open arms in helping the poor and those who are fleeing dangerous situations, while Jordan is impoverished itself.
The other thing I respected in King Abdullah is that he was willing to fight for his people. He did not hesitate to act swiftly against a brutal attack on one of his own. A good strong leader will fight for his people. He will represent them. He will work to protect them.
While King Abdullah inspired me with his strong and caring leadership for his people, he is no comparison to the King our world desperately needs.
There are no solutions and no quick fixes to the many problems in our world. Mankind cannot fix their problems! Even men like King Abdullah II, those with strong and caring leadership, cannot fix it! The real enemy of this world is Satan, a spiritual enemy who uses spiritual tactics. He's the one who stirs up evil thoughts and actions. He's the one truly behind the brutality we see in the headlines. The good news is that he will be dethroned by the true King appointed by God, Jesus Christ. He is a King who loves us so much that He gave His life so that we might live. Our King is coming, and He will deliver the oppressed and judge swiftly the spiritual oppressors of the world.
Christ will also remove the evil physical leaders who have oppressed the weak and thrown out His laws. He will come in great power! "On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: king of kings and lord of lords" (Revelation:19:16And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.). Our King will dwell among His people and wipe away all tears from their eyes. They will fear no more.
Soon Jesus Christ will return, and the world will be ruled by His laws. It will be ruled by a caring King who fights for His people. Even the best human leaders can't be compared to our King above all kings. Let's all hope for our King's swift return.

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Current Events & Trends: Islamic State exploiting power vacuum

article by Darris McNeely, Milan Bizic, Peter Eddington, Rudy Rangel

For 13 years now al-Qaeda has been the face of terror and Islamic extremism, both feared and hated in the West. But now their hold on the Middle East and the loyalty of Islamic militants may be slipping.

Despite the insistence of senior al-Qaeda leaders that there is nothing wrong in the organization, Reuters reports that "counter-terrorism experts say al Qaeda's aging leadership is struggling to compete for recruits with Islamic State" (Noah Browning, "Al Qaeda Denies Decline, Acknowledges 'Mistakes' by Its Branches," Sept. 14, 2014).
Browning's report quotes the U.S. State Department in saying that al-Qaeda's "ability to conduct attacks and direct its followers" has been limited (ibid.). The terrorist group has been dealt several severe blows over the last three years, beginning with the assassination of its figurehead and leader Osama bin Laden in 2011. Bin Laden was seen as al-Qaeda's spiritual leader as well as its geopolitical and organizational chief.
Several more key attacks and assassinations have repeatedly weakened al-Qaeda by eliminating high-ranking personnel. While al-Qaeda remains active in many regions across the Middle East and North Africa, the cumulative effect on the group has been undeniably debilitating.
Just a few months ago reports of the weakening of al-Qaeda would have been welcomed as good news. But the power vacuum being left by al-Qaeda and its affiliates has been quickly filled by the Islamic State or IS, a group making headlines through its declaration of a caliphate, extreme brutality and speedy expansion.
Headed by self-declared caliph Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the Islamic State's influence is being felt strongly as far west as Turkey, where officials have closed the border with Syria in response to an influx of Syrian and Kurdish refugees fleeing IS encroachment ("Turkey Clamps Down on Syria Border After Kurdish Unrest," BBC News, Sept. 22, 2014).
Why is it important to keep a close eye on the activities of the militant, extremist Islamic State? Besides the obvious reasons of staying informed about the world and potential impacts upon your personal life, the Bible gives us a lens through which we can understand the real storylines behind the world's events.
Daniel 11 describes historic wars between two geopolitical powers called the king of the North, located north of Jerusalem, and the king of the South, located to the south of Jerusalem. In verse 40 the perspective switches to a prophetic view of future events: "At the time of the end the king of the South shall attack him [the king of the North]; and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through" (Daniel:11:40And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.). (To learn more, see our free Bible study guide The Middle East in Bible Prophecy and "Islamic Caliphate Declared: What Does It Mean? " in the Sept.-Oct. 2014 issue of The Good News. )
With the Islamic State's aggressive stance and strategic pushes toward the West, this situation is one that biblically minded individuals will want to keep a close eye on. (Sources: Reuters, BBC.)

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Why Would Syria Use Chemical Weapons Now?

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Why Would Syria Use Chemical Weapons Now?




by Mitchell Moss



Alleged victims of a 2012 Syrian chemical attack seen in a screen capture from a YouTube video uploaded by Syrian rebels.



Source: The Times of Israel

Last week, news reports broke that the regime of Syria's president Bashar al Assad apparently used chemical weapons in a massacre of civilians on a scale not yet seen in that country's two-year-long civil war. A year ago, U.S. president Obama drew a red line , stating that if Syria used them, America would recalculate its plans for dealing with the violent government crack-down on rebels attempting to overthrow the regime. Up to then, and to this day, he hasn't made any moves to intervene. The international community has likewise kept its distance.

Puzzlingly, the attack came at a time when United Nations weapons inspectors had been invited into the country. Those inspectors now on the ground will be reviewing the scene of the attack and if it confirms chemical weapons were used by the Assad regime, global support for stronger action will be almost unanimous. We'll find out what that stronger action looks like. Analysis of the situation exposes a precarious position—if America strikes, what's to stop Syria from retaliating by launching an attack on Israel? One of Syria's most loyal allies, Iran, has warned that an attack on Syria would lead to such an attack. If Syria does that, Israel will undoubtedly hit back with a barrage of its own. At that point, not to be dramatic, we're looking at the possibility of World War III.

But it all begs the question of "Why?" Assuming Assad launched a chemical attack on his own citizens, why would he do so right at the moment weapons inspectors are arriving, and why now after more than two years of uprising? A New York Times piece seeks to answer this question, and does a good job at explaining many possible reasons. Many of the reasons put forth in that piece could certainly be true and be factors.

But another explanation that I think could very well be a large part of all this turmoil is that there is a great struggle going on in the spirit realm. We know that the spirit realm, although unseen, is involved in human affairs—the story of Job, the angels of the churches in Revelation, the angels pouring out different events in the end time, etc. In another example and a fascinating passage of scripture, an angel appeared to Daniel the prophet and told him that he had been sent to see Daniel earlier, but was delayed for three weeks by the prince of the kingdom of Persia (Daniel 10). He was unable to overcome the prince of Persia until one of the chief princes of God, Michael, came to his aid. Clearly the princes referred to are angels or fallen angels. With regard to the prince of Persia and the prince of Greece (verse 20), those are evidently spirit rulers over these empires under the chief of demons, Satan the Devil. Apparently, there are spirits who rule over different nations, and the spiritual battles between them manifest themselves physically in our realm.

The latest attacks on the people of Syria presumably by their own leader, Bashar al Assad, make no logical sense. But if we look at things through the lens that there are spiritual forces at work who perhaps are eager to see a spiral downward into massive global war, things begin to come into focus.

As always, we should be praying for God to speed the day of his coming while drawing closer to Him in our lives, perfecting our character as Christians. And that He will protect us in the times of danger ahead.

Current Events & Trends: Is it wise for Israel to strike Syria NOW?

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Current Events & Trends: Is it wise for Israel to strike Syria now?


article by Jerold Aust, John Ross Schroeder


Your Bible reveals that at the time of the end, there will be much turmoil in the Middle East.


Source: Wikimedia "An Israeli air attack staged in Syria this week may be a sign of things to come. Israeli military officials appear to have concluded that the risks of attacking Syria are worth taking when compared to the dangers of allowing sophisticated weapons to reach Hezbollah guerrillas in neighboring Lebanon.



"With Syrian President Bashar Assad’s grip on power weakening, Israeli officials fear he could soon lose control over his substantial arsenal of chemical and advanced weapons, which could slip into the hands of Hezbollah or other hostile groups. These concerns, combined with Hezbollah’s own domestic problems, mean further military action could be likely" (Associated Press, Jan. 31, 2013).



Most everyone interested in geopolitics and especially the politics of the Middle East can see the handwriting on the wall. The situation is changing almost daily as extremist groups are taking advantage of social uprisings in countries run by Muslim dictators.



Syrian President Assad probably suffers sleepless nights, for the die has been cast and the precedents are set. Many Muslim Arabs want Islamic rule (see "Will the World See a New Caliphate? "), and they are willing to die for it. Considering that Israel is surrounded by Muslims and attacked by Islamic extremists, the only choice Israel has is to reduce the chances of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) falling into the hands of extremists.



Your Bible reveals that at the time of the end, there will be much turmoil in the Middle East, including a "king of the South," likely the leader of a Muslim confederation, who will set in motion a great conflagration (Daniel 11:40-45 [40] And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.

[41] He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.

[42] He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape.

[43] But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps.

[44] But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.

[45] And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.





See All...). To learn more, be sure to the Bible study aid The Middle East in Bible Prophecy .

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