January 16, 2009

Russia is seeking help from Israel's enemies to bring about a ceasefire in Gaza

The Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, while saying that he believes all efforts to come to a ceasefire in Gaza even the Egyptian initiative must be supported, the Russian government has asked Iran and Syria to help persuade the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas to accept an Egyptian proposal on ending the fighting in Gaza. Russia maintains close ties with Tehran and Damascus and has official contacts with Hamas which is shunned by Western powers for refusing to abandon its objective of destroying the Jewish state.

The latest efforts by Russia are coupled with the French and United Nations efforts to bring about a ceasefire while, at least to this point, both Israel and Hamas are rejecting any ceasefire and the fighting continues in Gaza as Hamas continues to fire rockets into Israel.

Jimmy's Prophetic Prospective on the News

As the United Nations, Egypt, and France work to bring about a ceasefire in Gaza, the Russians are asking Israel's enemies to join the effort. This is an interesting scenario especially in light of Biblical prophecy.

As the fighting in Gaza continues and the Hamas rockets continue to hit Israeli targets in Israel proper, the efforts from world leaders intensify to bring about a ceasefire to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Both Hamas and Israel have rejected all ceasefire proposals to this point including the United Nations resolution for an immediate stop to the violence.

UN Secretary General Ban-ki Moon is in the Middle East working to broker the ceasefire without success thus far. Now the Russian foreign minister has called on Iran and Syria, both sworn enemies of the Jewish state, to try to persuade Hamas to agree to the ceasefire.

There is a two-fold irony to the Russian request to Tehran and Damascus. Iran has trained the Hamas militants and supplied them with weapons and munitions for the fight. Syria houses the headquarters for Hamas in Damascus and refuses to deal with this terrorist element.

Prophetically, all the parties involved today have a key role in the end times scenario for a future tomorrow. Ezekiel 38:2 lists Russia, Magog in the text, as the leader of an alignment of nations to come against Israel. Ezekiel 38:5 reveals that Iran, Biblical Persia, will also be involved in the last days activities. Daniel 11:40-42 speaks of the king of the north, modern-day Syria, as a player in these events as well.

Present-day current events are indeed setting the stage for Bible prophecy to be fulfilled.