Peace and Safety 

by Michael G. Mickey

As everyone in the Christian world who follows bible prophecy closely knows by now, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has, conditionally, agreed to the pursuit of peace through the internationally-desired method of creating a Palestinian state on Israel's covenant lands, a mistake if ever there's been one but not necessarily a surprise as we know what prophecy tells us is going to occur.

A prince (or leader) of Roman descent is eventually going to confirm (or make strong) a seven-year covenant of peace in the Middle East that will win him accolades and begin the process which will propel him, the Antichrist, to the top of the coming new world order as prophesied in Daniel 9:26-27, Daniel 8:25, Revelation 13:7,8,16-18 to name a few.

To that end, let's examine a few things that have been in the news recently, along with Netanyahu's decision, that show us how close the international community's diplomatic mindset presently is to creating a scenario through which the advent of the Antichrist could occur, an event that will be preceded by the Rapture of the Church.

Israel can't do enough to help its enemies.

On the heels of Israeli PM Netanyahu's speech indicating he would support a two-state solution to resolve the issue of Middle East peace, the world is patting him on the back on one hand while telling him, on the other hand, that Israel isn't doing enough to make this plot straight from hell a reality. Highlighting this, The Daily Star is reporting the following, in part:

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Sunday speech in which he conditionally accepted the concept of an independent Palestinian state continued to receive mixed reactions on Monday. The White House welcomed Netanyahu's conditional endorsement of the principle of Palestinian statehood, but warned of a "long way to go" in peace talks.

Also...
European Union foreign ministers welcomed Netanyahu's conditional endorsement of a future Palestinian state, but said it was not enough to raise EU-Israel ties to a higher level.

The ministers questioned conditions cited by Netanyahu for backing a Palestinian state and also his defense of Jewish settlements on occupied land.

"That's good but it's only a first step," Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, whose country take over the EU presidency in July, said before the talks in Luxembourg.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said it was "not sufficient." "Nothing was said on the settlements but this stopping of the settlements is essential," said Kouchner, who in an earlier statement rejected any pre-conditions to peace negotiations.

The EU and Israel have agreed in principle to upgrade an "association agreement" defining their ties, a move that would bring trade benefits for both sides.

But the 27-nation bloc has put the upgrade on ice and says it wants a firm commitment from Israel to seek a so-called two-state peace accord with the Palestinians.

"We must say quite clearly today there can only be talk of an upgrade when the peace process is on its way, and for that we need a few steps more," said Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn.

Asked if Netanyahu's move was sufficient for the EU to upgrade ties with Israel, Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb said: "No."

Clearly, as we see above, the West is in agreement that Israel bears the burden, as usual, of making peace with the Palestinians. If the Jewish state does that, particularly in the case of its relationship with the revived Roman empire of bible prophecy we commonly refer to as the European Union, Israel potentially stands to gain economically.

"A few steps more", as Luxembourg's foreign minister stated, and there can be talk of an upgrade in EU-Israel relations. Nothing concrete in that language from my perspective, but maybe.

If you want security, seek peace.

Then there is the following excerpt from an EUBusiness.com article titled 'Solana calls on Israel to seek security through peace':
EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana Sunday called on Israel to seek security through peace while warning that future talks with the European Union would depend on "Israel's behaviour."

"What's important is to work to convince Israel that its security will be better guaranteed with peace and I think that President Obama clearly explained this in his speech and when he met the Israeli prime minister is Washington," Solana told journalists in Cairo.

Peace and security. There those words are in the news again I point out to people are symptomatic of how close we may be to the onset of the Tribulation Period to come.

Peace and security, as I've shown many times in past commentaries, is synonymous with the phrase "peace and safety" as seen in 1st Thessalonians 5:3, which states (emphasis added mine): For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

Revisiting what I've said in the past, one definition of safety (asphaleia {as-fal'-i-ah} in the original Greek), as used in 1st Thessalonians 5:3 is: security from enemies and dangers. As such, we can state with certainty that the phrase "peace and safety" is synonymous with the phrase "peace and security."

So how does "peace and security"/"peace and safety" lead to sudden destruction? We see the prophesied Antichrist ride onto the world stage in Revelation 6:2:
And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.

Immediately following the rider of the white horse beginning his conquest of the world, we see peace will be taken from the earth when the rider of the red horse of war begins his ride across the earth. This is detailed in Revelation 6:3-4...

And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. And there went out another horse [that was] red: and [power] was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.

So, as we look at what prophecy predicts is going to occur, potentially in the not-too-distant future, the world is someday going to rejoice that peace has finally come to the Middle East. What will follow that, however, will be anything but peace as the world is suddenly going to explode into warfare and, as any student of bible prophecy knows, a period of sheer horror on the earth that will culminate with the Second Coming of Jesus Christ at Armageddon.

Isn't it amazing, readers, to see the precise terminology used in 1st Thessalonians 5:3 routinely used by those clamouring to bring peace to the Middle East? This is one of those 'can't believe you don't see it' things for me! This language alone is tremendous evidence of the world posturing for the fulfilment of bible prophecy and yet there are still those who either can't see it or plain out don't want to!

Set us some temporary borders!

Many have written me through the years conveying, in various forms, that peace plans don't typically get agreed to that have expiration dates like we see in Daniel 9:27. That tidbit of information given us in prophecy doesn't concern me at all as it apparently does some. In my case, it makes the prophecy all the more intriguing to me to consider. After all, who would agree to a seven-year peace covenant? I'll tell you. Someone who was willing to make temporary concessions with the promise of international support that would, after a period of peaceful co-existence, give both sides of a conflict what they want, hypothetically at least.

A little known truth by many is the Oslo Accords had a seven-year timeline, after which a Palestinian state was to be born. Signed into agreement in 1993, a Palestinian state was to have been born in the year 2000 but it didn't happen. And why? Because, left to their own devices, Israel and the Palestinians couldn't keep from fighting! No one confirmed the Oslo Accords as bible prophecy indicates is going to occur in the prophetic future. As such, it failed but are there diplomats involved in the quest for Middle East peace today willing to take temporary steps in preparation for a permanent peace? Absolutely. Israeli president Shimon Peres is for one and he, in case you don't know, was an architect of the Oslo Accords.

The following is an excerpt from an Israel National News article...

"President Shimon Peres has proposed a new final status solution for the Palestinian Authority. Under the plan, Israel and the PA would agree to temporary borders, subject to a clear promise that the borders will in a short span of time become permanent borders."

The president presented his proposal to European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana when the two men met Thursday morning [6-11-09] in Jerusalem.
Peace and safety is being called for once again in the quest for Middle East peace and hopefully, after reading this commentary, you realize more than you did before just how close our redemption may be.