The Drums of War

The Male Goat Threatens the Persian Ram

 

And another horse went forth, fiery (red), and to the one sitting on is was given to take peace out of the earth, and that they should be slaying one another. And a great sword was given to him.         Revelation 6:4

 

It’s a new world, when leaders of sovereign nations do not meet in a spirit of diplomacy to discuss irreconcilable differences, but rattle sabers on Twitter accounts and make declarations of war while a worried world looks on and wonders whither goest we?

Of course, those of us who have many of The Savior’s words reverberating in our minds can say, well yes, “And you  will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not frightened, for those must take place, but the end is not yet.” (Matt. 24:6) And of course, we would be mindful to follow Paul’s comforting admonition to keep seeking the things above, “Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.” (Col. 3:2)

But there is something ominous here, not only in the manner of execution, but in the timing of it all — especially in view of the developments in Jerusalem, and the resounding cries of Christian Zionists to support Israel at all costs. And it is the “at all costs” that truly tries the conscience, for does that include massive death to civilian populations in Iran who will simply be collateral damage for the agenda of the West?

For the millions of faithful in America who believe in the myth of America as God’s special nation it means to abandon the words of Christ and the words of Paul, and to back our nation in the execution of its ‘God-given mission’ and to sanctify a war in God’s name. It means speculating on who God has ‘anointed’ for this time and what their ordained role it. What happened to the “ministry of reconciliation” and the gospel of peace for which Paul launched a global ministry, and what about seeking the things above? Oh well, we can always seek the things above while pursuing war down here.

Still how can anyone be an ambassador for Christ and an advocate of bombing human beings at the same time? Is there any wonder the Gospel of Jesus Christ is not getting much traction in certain areas like Iran, for one?

I would like to suggest that the hour is getting late and we need to look at the drama between the US and Iran as something that has strong prophetic linkages and presents a very stark shadow of the battle between various spiritual powers and principalities.

Let’s center our examination of this rumored war, this potentially looming global event, within the visions shown to Daniel the prophet and to those shown to the apostle John which he recorded in the book of Revelation. As many self-proclaimed teachers and prophets are claiming to know who the antichrist is, and where we are in the final time of tribulation, and what is going to transpire, it seems a good idea to consult God’s own transmission on the subject so perhaps as to better read the earthly signs of the times.

One clever theory postulated a ‘Second Passover’ which would see the world swept by a sudden death of those uncovered first-borns who would be taken in a manner similar to that in ancient Egypt. But this theory makes certain conclusions as a result of taking some scriptures out of their context and also by missing the time period of certain prophecies that still remain in our future. So we will avoid the theories of men, and listen to the Logos speaking through the scriptures.

Since this blog entry is really just a thumbnail sketch of more ambitious projects in progress, it will be wise to pursue an overview of what scripture tells us, and to keep the writing to a shorter length.

The question looms large these days as to when we will enter that final seven years of affliction and endurance, all leading to the day of the Lord, with some proclaiming we are in it, and some saying Daniel’s final week of the 70 week prophecy will start much later, and some detailing a defining event that will signal its commencement.

Daniel writes that prior to the rise of the little horn, the one Paul refers to as the “man of lawlessness,” and many will call the antichrist, there is a substantial conflict which is initiated by “a male goat” with one large horn between his eyes. The spiritual messenger, or angel, explains to Daniel that the goat represents the king of Greece and the large horn is the first king (Dan. 8:21). Earlier the reader has been told that this goat has flown from the west over the surface of the earth without touching the ground, and has rushed at a ram with two horns which represents the kingdoms of Media and Persia. (Dan. 8:5-6,20) 

Bear in mind that these visions were prophecies to be sealed unto the final part of the days (of this aeon), and are referring to spiritual powers. And this is what proves so challenging for bible students and scholars who would be exegetes of these texts of God. If we are looking at spiritual realities then what is the corresponding shadow of those realities on earth so we may know the battle to which God refers? Is there even a linkage so that there is a shadow?

For our struggle is not with blood and flesh, but with the rulers, with the authorities, with the world forces of this darkness, with the spiritual forces of wickedness in the celestials. (Eph. 6:12)

So it looks like the true member of the body of Christ is placed in an interesting position: to battle on the spiritual front with the Evangel and the word of truth, with faith and the breastplate of righteousness, and to recognize the presence of the spiritual powers that are the world rulers and forces of this darkness and to battle them spiritually without getting into the fray physically. The wars of the nations are for the nations. They are emblematic of a struggle between competing powers for dominance.

In God’s parlance, these figures of Greece and Persia stand for certain commitments which are engraved in the minds of those under the jurisdiction of those mind-sets. Greece was known for its love of democracy, law and the rule of reason, and above all licentiousness. Greece also became known for its ‘Mystery schools’ and tolerance of the pagan practices of many religions, tolerating everything but intolerance.

If we were to find the spirit of Greece today, we would have to see it in that nation or community of nations in the west which promote these ideals to the fullest, which we find in the United States and those who are aligned with her in her pantheon and her passion to push her ideals upon the world. She is going forth to conquer and is conquering.

In this way the US resembles the first horseman on the white horse, though that rider is a spiritual power and the US is a nation of many peoples.

The prince of Persia, a competing spiritual power, in this end time has come to be dominated by a less tolerant religious leadership — but in actuality not really less tolerant than America upon closer inspection. But Iran is a powerful force and has the serious backing and support of the Russian Federation and of China.

Without exhausting the investigation, it is clear that a looming east-west conflict is pressing itself upon the world. This is for some observers a fait accompli, simply because several of the most influential globalists have decreed it and are taking all the key steps to put it into motion.

Someone wants this war to occur because there is a hidden benefit — and it is not merely the sale of arms. There is a larger global restructuring of powers taking place that requires all the forces of darkness to be aligned so they can come under their leader. Iran is a mighty obstacle to any New World Order, and it has been decreed that she will be brought in as a painful example of what will happen to nations who oppose the plan of the architects. Qaddafi found out, as have a number of other leaders.

But what makes Iran such a singular case is that the drama of the goat and the ram fits in as the global event that occurs on the eve of the last seven years of this aeon. It is the world-shattering struggle that lays the pretext for the man of lawlessness to come in with a world agenda of “peace and security,” and to begin with a covenant of the nations that will formalize a New Order for the Ages.

By going back to revisit Daniel, particularly chapters 8 thorough 11, the serious student of prophecy and the one who looks for Christ’s return, can see the fractal scaling of different passages that help illuminate just how this final period will begin, and even approximately when.  

For there is only a short period for the male goat to magnify himself exceedingly, and then the large horn is broken.

And here the reader must exercise discernment, for the identities of the large horn and the small horn have been debated for centuries, and there is nothing near a consensus on what they represent. Given that a horn symbolizes a king in the words of the angel, and these kings are spiritual rulers, then we ought to see earthly rulers that to some good degree reflect the spiritual reality they follow.