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Sudan preparing for a place in the Gogian Confederacy
Gaza, Sudan and Israel
October 26, 2012 - Audio, 8.00 MIN
(Links at bottom of page to download free viewers.)
Hello and welcome to another Bible in the news, this is Matt Davies joining you from Ramot, on the Eastern side of the sea of Galilee in Israel. The top stories on the news stations here are linked to events occurring in the Gaza strip and their connections with the Sudan in Africa.
Israel previously governed the Gaza strip after they had gained control of it in the 6 day war of 1967. In an attempt to make peace, the Israeli leaders signed the "Oslo Accord" in 1993 which gave control of Gaza to the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). Israeli forces then left the area. Peace was not forthcoming - as the Palestinians started producing and firing Qassam rockets over the border into Israel.
In 2005 Israel forced its citizens to withdraw their settlements from the area. Again this was an attempt for peace which failed.
In 2006 Hamas, a Palestinian organisation came to power. This group is considered a terrorist organisation by the United States, the European Union, Canada, Japan and of course, Israel.
The intense rocket fire from Gaza upon Israel has been a massive problem for Israel.
The IDF (Israeli Defence Forces) report that over 8000 rockets have been fired into Israel from Gaza since 2001. On Wednesday 24th October 2012, the IDF blog featured a report which highlighted the escalation of attacks:
"In only 14 hours, 73 rockets were launched from Gaza by Hamas and other terror organizations and hit southern Israel. Two workers were injured severely when a rocket hit a farm near Kissufim, and 3 other civilians were injured lightly."
The BBC on Thursday reported that a truce had been met. They recorded that Benjamin Netanyahu had said:
"We didn't ask for this escalation and didn't initiate it," he said on Wednesday. "But if it continues, we are prepared to embark on a far more extensive and penetrating operation."
One recent item of news connected with the problem of Gaza is a recent airstrike in the Sudan on an arms factory. The BBC website issued a report on Wednesday entitled "Sudan blames Israel for Khartoum arms factory blast". The report said:
"The Sudanese government says it believes Israel was responsible for explosions at a military factory in the capital Khartoum on Tuesday. Culture and Information Minister Ahmed Bilal Osman said four Israeli planes attacked the factory and two people were killed. Israel has not commented. Sudan has blamed Israel for such attacks in the past. Correspondents say Israel believes weapons are being smuggled through the region to Gaza. Leaked US State Department documents three years ago suggested that Sudan was secretly supplying Iranian arms to Hamas in the Gaza Strip."
It will be interesting to see how this situation develops.
The Bible predicts that the Sudan will be against Israel in the latter days, so antagonism between Sudan and Israel is exactly what we expect to see before the return of Jesus Christ to the earth.
You don't actually find the word "Sudan" in the Bible but you find the ancient territory of the Sudan called in the Bible "Cush". This word is sometimes translated "Ethiopia" in the English Bible.
In Ezekiel 38 we have recorded for us the great controversy of the nations in the latter days. In verse 1-9 we have recorded a confederacy united together against Israel which invades from the north. The confederacy is headed up by a leader the Bible calls Gog. The Bible prophesies of the Jews being defeated and on their last legs before Jesus Christ reveals himself in power and glory and saves them. The Jews will then look on one who they pierced and mourn (Zech 12:10) - the Lord Jesus Christ.
What is interesting about the prophecy of Ezekiel 38 in relation to the news stories we have looked at, is verse 5 which mentions some of the nations which are in this confederacy:
"Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them;"
The word translated "Ethiopia" is the Hebrew "Cush". A power which will be antagonistic against Israel before Christ returns.
Daniel chapter 11 is another prophecy about the great northern invasion against Israel in the latter days. This prophecy mentions "Cush" too.
Verse 42 says that the northern power will "stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape."
In verse 43 it says "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."
The word translated "Ethiopians" here is the Hebrew "Kuwshiy" and this is one of many connecting factors between the events described in Ezekiel 38 and the prophecy of Daniel 11.
The phrase "shall be at his steps" is a literal rendering which means "shall follow in his train" as other versions render it. In other words the Sudanise will be confederate with the Northern invader when he attacks Israel.
As Bible students therefore it is very exciting to see the small details of Bible prophecy coming into the picture. These events might seem almost insignificant to most people but once Bible prophecy is understood we cannot help but be amazed at how accurate it is, and how close we must be to the time that the rest of the prophecies come to pass. Soon Messiah will indeed return and re-establish God's Kingdom.
As we see the signs of the times we are reminded of the Proverb:
"Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he."
Proverbs 29:18.
This verse links having a vision with keeping God's law. Therefore as we see these signs of the times coming to pass before our eyes and the vision of the future coming into focus, we need to ask ourselves - "are we happily keeping Gods law" or are we serving ourselves.
This has been Matt Davies joining you for Bible in the News.
Bible in the News provides a weekly analysis of world politics and events
in the light of Bible prophecy — the Bible in the News!
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