Current Events & Trends: Is it wise for Israel to strike Syria now?
Your Bible reveals that at the time of the end, there will be much turmoil in the Middle East.
"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). To learn more, be sure to the Bible study aid The Middle East in Bible Prophecy.
An Article from:
Good News Magazine: March - April 2013
Course Content
Jerold Aust
Jerold Aust has served in the ministry for 52 years, as a public speaker for 58 years, a published writer for 38 years, and is employed by UCG’s Media and Communications Services. He is a Senior Writer, interviewer, and editor for Beyond Today Magazine and has taught Speech Communication for UCG’s ministerial online program and the Book of Revelation for ABC.
Jerold holds a BA in theology from Ambassador College, Pasadena (1968), an MA in Communication from California State University, Fullerton (1995), a distance-learning Ph.D (2006), and a Famous Writers School diploma in non-fiction writing (1973). Additionally, he studied post-grad communication at University of Southern California (1995), radio, TV, voice-overs, and Public Relations at Fullerton College (1995-1996), and graduate communication at Wichita State University (1978). Jerold has taught communication at the University of South Alabama (7 years) and ABC (17 years). His published works include, Ronald Reagan’s Rhetoric: Metaphor as Persuasion and EZSpeakers: Public Speaking Made Easy in 7 Steps. Jerold's overarching goal is to share with humankind its incredible destiny!
John Ross Schroeder
John died on March 8, 2014, in Oxford, England, four days after suffering cardiac arrest while returning home from a press event in London. John was 77 and still going strong.
Some of John's work for The Good News appeared under his byline, but much didn't. He wrote more than a thousand articles over the years, but also wrote the Questions and Answers section of the magazine, compiled our Letters From Our Readers, and wrote many of the items in the Current Events and Trends section. He also contributed greatly to a number of our study guides and Bible Study Course lessons. His writing has touched the lives of literally millions of people over the years.
John traveled widely over the years as an accredited journalist, especially in Europe. His knowledge of European and Middle East history added a great deal to his articles on history and Bible prophecy.
In his later years he also pastored congregations in Northern Ireland and East Sussex, and that experience added another dimension to his writing. He and his wife Jan were an effective team in our British Isles office near their home.
John was a humble servant who dedicated his life to sharing the gospel—the good news—of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God to all the world, and his work was known to readers in nearly every country of the world.
