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Janet Parshall is the host of Janet Parshall’s America, a three-hour, nationally syndicated program originating from Washington, D.C. Janet has been profiled as one of the top 100 talkers in Talkers Magazine, the leading trade publication of the talk industry, every year since 1998. In a recent radio program she interview Dr. John E. Walvoord and Dr. Mark Hitchcock on biblical prophecy reflect in today’s headlines.

The Middle East becomes the center of a desperate struggle for oil as demand exceeds supply, prices soar, and industrialized nations fight for economic survival.

The coming crisis in the Middle East is looming. Western civilization would be brought to its knees by a sudden disruption in the supply of oil. Whether by terror, nuclear exchange, or a bidding war for oil – it could happen suddenly and without warning. The world’s need for carbon-based fuel is rapidly approaching the breaking point. The Middle East is the only place where that thirst can be quenched. Alternative fuel for transportation worldwide is ten to twenty years away. If the Middle East is to rise to power, now is its hour of opportunity. If Islamic terrorism is to attain its goals, it must act soon.

Islamic terrorism fueled by hatred of the West and Israel pushes the world to the brink of total chaos.

Terrorism, fueled by fanatical Islamic ideology, has reared its ugly head over and over again in the last twenty-five years. For the United States it began with the Iranian hostage crisis in 1979. The next attack occurred when Hezbollah bombed the U.S. Embassy in Beirut in 1983, killing 63 people. Then on October 23, 1983 – also in Beirut – a truck bomb slammed into a U.S. Marine barracks, killing 241 U.S. soldiers.

Islamic terror first came to American soil on February 26, 1993, when a truck bomb was exploded in the World Trade Center in New York City. This was a dreadful portent of the rising threat to America and the world. But few realized the ominous nature of that event at that time.

On September 11, 2001, the entire world was awakened suddenly to the awfulness of the new global threat – a threat unlike anything the world has ever seen. Feeding on hate for the West and Israel, a well-organized network of Islamic radicals had begun its open warfare with the United States. This was the first stunning attack that gripped the nation, but it was only the portent of many more.

Israel aggressively defends itself in a sea of enemies - bringing the world to the brink of World War III.

On June 25, 2006, Hamas terrorists, using a system of tunnels, attacked an Israeli military outpost. They killed two soldiers, wounded three others, and kidnapped a sixth Israeli soldier. This sparked a fierce response from Israel. Then, on July 12, Hezbollah terrorists, in an almost identical attack, came across Israel’s northern border from Lebanon, killing several Israeli soldiers and kidnapping two others. Israel hit Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon and was pummeled day after day by thousands of rockets and missiles supplied by Iran.

When one connects the dots, in fact, it’s clear that Iran was behind these attacks. Iran is currently enriching uranium and threatening to annihilate Israel. If Iran obtains nuclear weapons, the missiles landing fierce reaction to the kidnapping of the two soldiers by Hezbollah could have been motivated by Israel’s knowledge that a preemptive strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities is inevitable. Weakening Hezbollah may have been an important first step in Israel’s overall strategy for dealing with its greatest threat – Iran.

American power and influence in the Middle East fade as the United States retreats to deal with the energy crisis and problems at home.

Although any conclusion about the role of America in the end times is necessarily tentative, the scriptural evidence is sufficient to conclude that America in that day will not be a superpower and apparently will not figure largely in either the political, economic, or religious leadership of the world.

Yet in view of the imminent return of the Lord, Christians in the United States – and around the world – should remember that the cause of evangelism is urgent. If prophecy has any one message for this generation, it’s that time and opportunity are short. Impending world conditions soon may close the door for further witness in many areas. What is true of America is true for the evangelical church throughout the world. The prophetic timetable serves to emphasize the importance of the present task of spreading the gospel, beginning at Jerusalem and to the uttermost part of the world.

To save Western civilization from total collapse, the “Group of Ten” world leaders crate an iron fist to stop the chaos and assure the supply of oil to the West.

What form will the coming peace settlement take? In view of the many surprises in the Middle East, it is hazardous to guess the precise form of such a final peace settlement. It is also difficult to predict what catastrophic events will make this forced peace necessary. Will it be the economic chaos created by the oil breaking point with soaring prices and disruption of supply? Will it be a new outbreak of all-out war with chemical weapons or use of tactical nuclear weapons? Will it be a sudden escalation in the Middle East crisis? Whatever the reason, the world must be in danger of self-destruction or Israel and the nations of the world would not surrender power to the new leaders of the revived Roman Empire.

In response to the "Group of Ten", a new alliance of Islamic nations and Russia challenges the West, attacks Israel, and is destroyed.

… Russia’s attack on Israel will not simply be an attack on Israel alone, but it will be a challenge to the peace and protection promised by the new leader of the Western coalition. By this time the emergence of the powerful new alignment of Europe and the Middle East will have seriously limited Russia’s role in the world. The attack by Russia will be a desperate attempt to recoup her position as a world power with influence over the Middle East.

The attack on Israel will transpire as a direct confrontation between Russia and her Islamic allies and the new leader of the Western coalition. With the United States in isolation, the balance of power in the world will have shifted so that the revived Roman Empire is on one side and Russia and her allies are on the other. Because of this, the destruction of the Russian army becomes tremendously significant. Once this occurs during the Battle of Gog and Magog, the balance of power will fall dramatically into the hands of the new world leader that emerges from the Group of Ten. This greatly changed world situation will position him as the most powerful and charismatic ruler in the world, setting the stage for the apocalyptic events that will soon follow.

“The World Is Mine, and I Am God”: One leader seizes power by uniting the military and economic powers of the West - declaring himself world ruler.

A new world dictator will first reveal himself in the role of a peacemaker in the Middle East. This event will take place during the first stage of the revived Roman Empire, the fourth world empire described by Daniel. Symbolically the new world leader is depicted as “another small horn” who will emerge from the ten-leader oligarchy controlling the political and military power of the West (Daniel 7:8). Daniel described his vision of the new world ruler’s rise to power in these words: “As I was looking at the horns, suddenly another small horn appeared among them. Three of the first horns were torn out by the roots to make room for it. This little horn had eyes like human eyes and a mouth that was boasting arrogantly” (Daniel 7:8).
The Group of Ten that consolidates the power and wealth of the Middle East will soon come under the control of this new leader. Bible expositors have concluded that this emerging ruler will first of all subdue three of the original ten leaders and then take control of the entire coalition. The leaders will yield control of the new European Union to this new strong man of the hour.

The world ruler breaks his peace with Israel, destroys the Temple in Jerusalem, and attempts to exterminate the Jewish people.

As a result of the coming peace treaty with the Antichrist, Israel will exhibit a new sense of security and lay down her weapons. For almost three and half years, peace for Israel will stand firm. But this era of peace and productivity will end when the coalition of nations described in Ezekiel 38 makes its final move into Israel. … This strike force will include Russia and her Islamic allies. In one of the great miracles of all history, God will supernaturally annihilate these invaders.

Apparently, the Antichrist will rise up during this time of mayhem and chaos to seize global control and position himself as the world’s omnipotent ruler. His first order of business will be to secure Israel and the Middle East. In one of the great double-crosses of all time, the Antichrist will break his peace treaty with Israel at the midpoint of the seven-year agreement. The Antichrist will then attempt to finish what Hitler started. His goal will be nothing short of genocide, and he will almost succeed. Zechariah 13:8 says that two-thirds of the people of Israel will die and one-third will be left in the land.

The world ruler makes Iraq the new commercial and economic center of his world rule.

Knowing what the Bible says about Babylon in the end times, we shouldn’t be surprised by the rise of Iraq. This rise could serve as a perfect prelude for the building of Babylon in the near future. It’s interesting that Iraq has come out of relative obscurity in the past twenty years to play a significant role in the world. The rise of Iraq to world prominence and the ongoing conflict are not accidents. The staggering oil wealth of Iraq is not just a stroke of good fortune. The resurgence of Iraq, the efforts that have already been made to restore and rebuild Babylon, and the rich oil reserves available to finance the rebuilding of the city all make the picture the Bible paints for Babylon in the end times very realistic.

Iraq occupies a pivotal role in the world today and in God’s prophetic program. The headlines about Iraq are another part of the rapidly developing matrix of events in the Middle East that are setting the stage for the final end-time predicted in God’s Word.