Libya and Ethiopia in Prophecy

 

Introduction: The Man Who Set the Middle East on Fire

On December 16, 2010, Mohammed Bouazizi was an unknown 26-year-old street vendor trying to make a living in the Tunisian city of Sidi Bouzid. It wasn’t an easy life. Selling vegetables from a wooden cart isn’t exactly lucrative. And rampant government corruption and regular mistreatment by the police made earning a living all the more difficult.

On December 17, a cantankerous policewoman decided to confiscate Bouazizi’s cart, his vegetables and his livelihood. Although he offered to pay the fine, the policewoman refused his offer and “allegedly slapped the scrawny young man, spat in his face, and insulted his dead father” (Time, Jan. 21, 2011).

Bouazizi then took his complaint to the local authorities, but they refused to see him.

This is when Bouazizi snapped. Within the hour, he returned to the municipal building and proceeded to calmly and quietly douse himself with fuel. He then pulled out a match and set himself on fire.

Needless to say, Bouazizi finally got the attention of Tunisian authorities!

Bouazizi didn’t just set himself ablaze that day. He set the city of Sidi Bouzid ablaze with massive protests and riots, then many other cities in Tunisia, and ultimately the whole nation of Tunisia. By the end of January 2011, the revolution had claimed the government of longtime President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

And that was just the start. Bouazizi’s actions and the Tunisian revolution quickly captured the imaginations of millions of angry, disgruntled Arabs throughout North Africa and the Middle East. The revolutionary spark spread, first to Libya, then Egypt, then Yemen, Bahrain, Syria, Algeria, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Sudan, and the list goes on.

Today, this massive wave of social and political revolution is known as the Arab Spring.

The consequences have been profound. Long-standing governments in such important places as Tunisia, Egypt and Libya have been toppled. Muslim populations and Islamic values, politics and policies have risen to prominence. Most significantly, these Arab revolutions have created political and ideological vacuums.

In many instances, such as Egypt, these power vacuums have been filled by radical Islam!

Everyone agrees that the Arab Spring is transforming North Africa and the Middle East. Governments are recalculating foreign policies. Alliances are changing. New forces of destruction are developing. New strategies are forming.

Where will it end?

Enter Bible Prophecy

As the Arab Spring gained momentum, it quickly became evident that major Bible prophecies were being fulfilled. For example, the fall of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt was an event Gerald Flurry and the Trumpet prophesied for two decades.

In a July 1993 Trumpet article, Mr. Flurry wrote: “Islamic extremism is gaining power at a frightening pace in Egypt …. There is a prophecy that indicates Egypt will probably fall to Islam—or be strongly influenced by Islam.”

With the Arab Spring, suddenly it was happening!

That forecast was based on a prophecy delivered by the Prophet Daniel in Daniel 11:40-45. So, when the Arab Spring began, just a few weeks before it claimed the government of Hosni Mubarak, Mr. Flurry was compelled to return and restudy Daniel’s prophecy.

As he studied, he began to understand the Daniel 11 prophecy more deeply than he had before. For years he had been explaining how this prophecy centered on a radical Islamic alliance behind Iran, which included Egypt. But in January 2011, at the very start of the Arab Spring, Mr. Flurry came to see the significance of the two other nations featured in Daniel’s prophecy. These nations were also prophesied to fall to radical Islam and eventually align themselves with the Iran-led king of the south.

On January 27, Mr. Flurry taped a Key of David television program on the Arab Spring. In this program he referred to these two other countries specifically mentioned in Daniel 11:40-44: Libya and Ethiopia. He asked, “Now, why would God have those two nations mentioned in there?

That television program marked the first time Mr. Flurry told viewers that Libya and Ethiopia (including Eritrea) would fall under the influence of radical Islam and develop an alliance with Iran.

At the time, there was very little evidence this might happen, especially in Ethiopia and Eritrea.

Two weeks later, massive protests erupted in Benghazi, and the Arab Spring reached Libya’s shores. Civil war ensued, quickly forcing the United Nations to join the fight on the side of the rebels. By October, Libya’s civil war was over, and strongman Muammar Qadhafi was gone. The nation was left in tatters, totally vulnerable to Iran and radical Islam!

Meanwhile, in Ethiopia, nothing was happening. This predominantly Christian, strongly pro-Western country remained stable and content. Neither the Arab Spring nor radical Islam appeared to be taking root in this strategically important nation. Or so it seemed.

In the time since, the truth has emerged that Ethiopia (and Eritrea) is under increasing pressure from Iran and radical Islam.

Although we haven’t witnessed a Muslim uprising there as we have in Libya or Egypt, it is obvious that the seeds of an Islamist resurgence in Ethiopia have been sown!

Very few are reporting on it, but Ethiopia is being sucked into the vortex of the Arab Spring and Islamist renaissance under way in North Africa and the Middle East. You need to understand the enormous prophetic implications of this event.

What you are about to read is a compilation of Trumpet article excerpts tracking the fulfillment of Mr. Flurry’s Bible-based forecast about Ethiopia, Eritrea and Libya.

We begin with Mr. Flurry’s first and most important article, originally written in January 2011 and published in the April 2011 issue of the Trumpet. The articles after that contain proof—hard evidence—testifying to the accuracy of that original prophecy.

Chapter 1: Libya and Ethiopia Reveal Iran’s Military Strategy

Philadelphia Trumpet, April 2011

What is the immediate future of Libya and Ethiopia? We must go to the Bible for the answer—you will find it no place else.

Just look at what has happened in the first couple of months of this year: 1) The Tunisian government has fallen, probably into the hands of the radical Muslims; 2) Lebanon has fallen to the Hezbollah terrorists, controlled by Iran—the number one terrorist-sponsoring nation in the world by far; 3) the government of Egypt has fallen, and its replacement will form some kind of an alliance with Iran, the king of the south. We have been prophesying this for about 20 years!

Now the whole world can see it happening very dramatically!

As usual, many of the Western world’s leaders see what is happening in Egypt as good news. They fail to see the strength of Iran and the Muslim Brotherhood, and some of them fail to see the broken will of America—which all the Middle East leaders see!

The government of Yemen is very shaky.

All these events are bad news for America and Israel. But they show us almost precisely where we are in Bible prophecy!

Now let me illustrate a new and stunning piece of the puzzle about the Middle East.

The whole scenario is explained in Daniel 11:40-44. These verses reveal what is unfolding in the Middle East, Europe and Asia—the most critical prophecy of the next few years.

Until now, I have not understood much about why the two nations of Libya and Ethiopia are mentioned in verse 43, along with Egypt. These two nations are the key that unlocks the strategy of radical Islam. That strategy is going to shake the United States and Europe to their foundations!

We are about to be flooded with bad news. But it is all concluded by the best news you have ever heard!

Soon you will see the prophesied 10 European kings unite into the Holy Roman Empire that is going to clash with radical Islam, or the king of the south. Europe understands what the U.S. does not: Radical Islam must be stopped! And the stronger leaders know it won’t be done through negotiation!

Here is what I wrote in the Trumpet magazine, July 1993—nearly 18 years ago: “So when does the king of the south ‘push’ at the king of the north? It must happen after the book of Daniel was revealed to Herbert W. Armstrong in this end time. Daniel 12:9 tells us the time of the end begins when Daniel is revealed. [The book can only be understood in this end time (Daniel 12:4, 9).] So the king of the south must arise after Daniel was revealed to God’s end-time Church—specifically to Herbert W. Armstrong. These verses point to a king of the south that is yet future. And I believe all indications point to radical Islam, headed by Iran, as this king.”

How could I have known so long ago that Iran would be the king of the south and clash with the Holy Roman Empire? Because of what was happening in Iran and the Middle East, coupled with Bible prophecy. It is time for all of us to wake up to what is happening in this world. We are facing the greatest catastrophe ever on planet Earth.

What happened in January and February of this year was only a small dress rehearsal of what is about to explode in the Middle East! The whole world will be dragged into this unparalleled crisis! Iran is about to get the nuclear bomb. It is the greatest terrorist-sponsoring nation in the world—no other country even comes close. And here is the worst part of it all: Iranian leaders and many of their people believe the 12th imam (their version of the Messiah) is about to return. They think his return can be hastened by creating chaos!

You can create a lot of chaos with many terrorists and nuclear bombs. Never in this modern age has a powerful nation held such extremely dangerous beliefs. That makes Iran a terrifying danger far removed from what we have ever faced before! It is on a path that must lead to war!

Egypt’s Fate

Egypt adjoins Israel’s southern border, geographically. That is one big reason why the people of Israel fear what is happening in Egypt.

Here is another quote from my July 1993 Trumpet article: “Islamic extremism is gaining power at a frightening pace in Egypt also. There is a prophecy that indicates Egypt will probably fall to Islam—or be strongly influenced by Islam. Let’s read Daniel 11:40 and 42: ‘And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. … He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape.’ This verse indicates Egypt will be allied with the king of the south. That is probably the reason Egypt is also attacked and taken captive! I believe this prophecy in Daniel 11:42 indicates you are about to see a radical change in Egyptian politics!”

The Holy Roman Empire, led by Germany and the Vatican, is going to wage war against radical Islam with all the power it can muster. That one whirlwind blow will destroy the king of the south.

Since I wrote that, Egypt has been shaken repeatedly by Iran and radical Islam. Anwar Sadat, the president of Egypt before Hosni Mubarak, was killed by the Muslim Brotherhood—the strongest opponent of Mubarak today and closely tied to Iran. Now that radical, violent organization is about to get much more influence and control in Egyptian politics. The Brotherhood has been less violent the last 30 years because of the strong leadership of Mubarak. But now he is gone. Egypt’s close relationship with America is history!

The Hamas terrorists of the Gaza Strip are the Palestinian counterparts to the Muslim Brotherhood! This terrorist Brotherhood could get control of Egypt. It could be very similar to how Hamas got control of Gaza.

Here is what the Christian Science Monitor wrote January 25: “[T]hey’re seeking the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak, who ascended to the presidency after Sadat’s assassination in 1981. A popular uprising in Tunisia may have just pushed out President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali [that did happen]. But activists, political analysts and average people in Egypt insist that something crucial shifted for Egypt today. Egyptian political scientist Mustapha Kamel Al Sayyid predicts that now the dam has broken, protests will continue. ‘The reservoir of discontent is huge,’ he says. … ‘[T]here’s a revolution coming,’ [a protester added]” (emphasis mine throughout).

The future is quite bleak for Egypt, just as your Bible prophesied in the book of Daniel about 600 years before the first coming of Christ!

Why won’t people believe their own Bibles?

Here is what Stratfor wrote January 4: “The most vulnerable time in Egypt is the period before Mubarak leaves the scene [when America’s government was humiliating Mubarak, our friend for the last 30 years]. … Let’s consider for a moment what an Islamist Egypt would mean. The Mediterranean, which has been a strategically quiet region, would come to life. The United States would have to reshape its strategy, and Israel would have to refocus its strategic policy. Turkey’s renaissance would have to take seriously a new Islamic power in the Mediterranean. Most important, an Islamist Egypt would give dramatic impetus to radical Islam throughout the Arab world. One of the linchpins of American and European policy in the region would be gone in a crucial part of the world. The transformation of Egypt into an Islamist country would be the single most significant event we could imagine in the Islamic world, beyond an Iranian bomb.”

Stratfor places the move of Egypt into the radical Islamic camp as more deadly than anything except Iran’s getting the nuclear bomb—which it is about to do!

That is exactly what is going to happen inside Egypt—according to Bible prophecy.

President Mubarak resisted the radical Muslims in their violence toward Israel and other nations. He was a powerful ally in helping America, Britain and Israel in their war against terror. Mubarak fought against Iran getting the nuclear bomb.

In terms of its peace, Israel is going to lose its best friend in the Middle East—Egypt. The Jewish nation is in grave danger! The Jews know it and many of them blame the U.S. for much of this Egyptian crisis.

President Mubarak exerted the power needed inside Egypt to control his strongest opponent, the violent Muslim Brotherhood. He has lived through six assassination attempts on his life.

Still our leaders seem to have no real concept of what he had to deal with every day.

In spite of Mubarak’s positive fruits, the present U.S. administration set out to humiliate him publicly from the beginning of the massive demonstrations in Egypt! Only a rebuke from Saudi Arabia slowed our government’s tactics.

No Arab country in the Middle East has done more to befriend America!

Yes, Mr. Mubarak made some serious mistakes. But America has utterly betrayed a friend of 30 years. The result? America’s influence in the Middle East has plummeted to near zero!

Why? Because we support the enemies of America and the moderate Arab states and humiliate nations that are friendly toward us. For example, the American government said nothing to support many thousands (some say millions) of dissenters in the summer of 2009 when they marched against Iranian leaders who stole their election!

America will never have another opportunity as it did with that first and most powerful wave of dissent. The brutal military has since gotten control over the dissenters, who are now more fearful.

On the other hand, the U.S. government immediately supported the dissenters in Egypt and humiliated our friend of many years, Hosni Mubarak.

The U.S. could have diplomatically spoken encouraging words to both sides.

How can we explain such a dangerous, upside-down foreign policy? Why should moderate Arab nations and Israel give any support to America? Surely, we must see how our actions negatively impact those nations in the Middle East!

The whole world is watching. America’s foreign policy is an unmitigated disaster!

In a crisis, what Arab country would now help us secure the massive amounts of oil we get from the Middle East—without which our economy would be wrecked?

What Egyptians Really Want

Egyptian presidential elections are scheduled to be held in September 2011. What results should we expect?

Many people in the West hope to see Egypt transform into a picture of democracy and peace. But what do the Egyptian people want? Are Western leaders willing to look at the reality?

A major survey by the Pew Research Center last year showed that the people of Egypt have no interest in Western-style democracy. They actually want strict Islamic rule.

Look at these results from the Pew poll.

Fully 85 percent of Muslims in Egypt want a strong Islamic influence in the nation’s politics.

Nearly the same number say those who leave the Muslim faith should be killed for it.

Eighty-two percent support stoning adulterers, and 77 percent think thieves should have their hands cut off.

Well over half would support segregating women from men in the workplace.

Fifty-four percent believe suicide bombings that murder civilians can be justified.

Nearly half have a “favorable view” of the terrorist group Hamas, and 3 in 10 are positive toward Hezbollah. One fifth of Egyptians even hold positive views of al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden.

Among the 18 Muslim nations Pew surveyed, Egypt had the highest unfavorable rating toward America: 82 percent of Egyptians dislike the U.S.

A powerful Mubarak was able to control or contain the more extreme views of his own people. But that dam was broken when he resigned.

No new leader could ever get the power to resist such strong beliefs of the Egyptian people. This all plays into the hands of Iran and its strong ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. What happened to Iran in 1979 is somewhat similar to what will happen in Egypt. And let’s not forget how Iran turned Gaza and Lebanon into its own terrorist arms. In each of those places, it started with a group like the Muslim Brotherhood.

We continually underestimate the power of Iran! That wealthy nation gives full, fanatical support to terrorist groups!

The people are now rejoicing in Egypt. But it is not a time for joy in America—it is a time for fear. If we don’t understand that now, we soon will!

Iran’s Strategy—U.S. and EU Nightmare

Stratfor Intelligence mentioned the Mediterranean area twice. Turkey, already an ally of Iran, is on the northern part of that strategically important sea.

Stratfor believes the U.S. and Israel will have to reshape their strategy. Stratfor also mentioned Europe. Germany and the Vatican are going to cause the whole world to reshape its Middle East strategy! Bible prophecy makes that very clear.

Most authorities overlook how these events are affecting Europe. Germany and the Vatican see the new Middle East crisis as deadly serious. The king of the north, or the Holy Roman Empire, is soon to have a strong leader who will see the danger much like Stratfor Intelligence does and will act accordingly. That too is prophesied in the Bible. (Request our booklet Germany and the Holy Roman Empire. All of our literature is free.)

Germany and the Vatican probably see Iran’s strategy better than any power outside the Middle East.

There are several Middle East nations not mentioned in Daniel 11:40-44 either by their ancient or modern names—for example, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Yemen, Pakistan, Afghanistan, etc.

But two more nations are mentioned for a reason I have not understood as I do now.

Libya and Ethiopia

“But he [the king of the north] shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps” (Daniel 11:43). Why did God inspire the mentioning of Libya and Ethiopia? Every word in God’s inspired Bible has significance. God placed two nations in the same verse as Egypt for a definite reason. This verse states that Libya and Ethiopia are also going to be closely allied with Iran!

Here is how Soncino Commentary defines at his steps: “Either joining his army, or placing themselves at his beck and call.”

Gesenius’ Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon defines that expression as “in his company.”

The Moffatt translation reads this way: “following in his train.”

So you need to watch Libya and Ethiopia. They are about to fall under the heavy influence or control of Iran, the king of the south. That is why they are subdued in the king of the north victory.

That prophecy is easy to understand. The big question is this: Do you believe your Bible?

Why would Iran be so interested in getting some measure of control over Libya and Ethiopia? To me, the answer is intriguing.

All you need to do is get a good map of the Middle East, with the emphasis on the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Then you can see why the king of the south, or radical Islam, is so interested in an alliance with or control over these two countries (as well as Egypt and Tunisia). They are on the two seas that comprise the most important trade route in the world!

Whoever heavily influences or controls Ethiopia will undoubtedly also control the small areas of Eritrea and Djibouti on the Red Sea coastline. These areas only recently became independent of Ethiopia. Also, I believe the Bible view is that these small areas are included as a part of Ethiopia.

Controlling the Suez Canal is not enough. Egypt tried that in 1956, when Britain, France and Israel kicked it out in one attack. But what if you have radical Islamic nations along this sea trade route with real air power—including missiles?

That could give Iran virtual control of the trade through those seas. Radical Islam could stop the flow of essential oil to the U.S. and Europe!

Iran could also potentially get control of Jerusalem, its third-holiest site. I believe Jerusalem is more important to Iran than the oil is. The Islamic people have fought the Catholic Crusades for about 1,500 years over control of Jerusalem. Bible prophecy says one final crusade is about to erupt.

Iran conquering Jerusalem would SUDDENLY galvanize the whole Islamic world! It would spread radical Muslim influence to many countries outside the Middle East. It could lead to dangerous rioting and terror in Europe, Asia and even America.

The soon-coming Holy Roman Empire—a superpower with 10 kings, dominated by Catholicism, and led by the most deceptive and aggressive Germany ever—realizes that Arab fervor could spread like wildfire. Many Catholics consider Jerusalem their most important religious site.

If Iran gets control of that trade route, it could create enormous damage and chaos in America and Europe almost overnight. Germany and the Vatican, the heart of the Holy Roman Empire, are not going to allow the king of the south to get control of Jerusalem and the world’s number one trade route!

I did a television program on January 27 of this year. The viewers were asked to watch Libya and Ethiopia because of new understanding I had received the previous day.

There was almost no news about Libya at that time. The nation seemed stable. Less than one month later, Libya’s government was about to be overthrown, or a civil war was beginning.

We believe that the new understanding we received about Libya was a miracle. We also believe the timing of when we received that understanding was a miracle.

Such miracles are not just coincidence.

You need to continue to watch for Libya and Ethiopia to make a severe and rapid turn into the radical Islamic camp.

You also need to watch closely what we speak and write about concerning Bible prophecy.

The king of the south is going to push at the king of the north, probably from its trade route power. That push will be a dramatic act of war! The Holy Roman Empire will respond with an all-out whirlwind attack—and Iran and radical Islam will fall immediately. (Request my booklet Germany’s Secret Strategy to Destroy Iran.)

Arab-Iranian control over the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea could be the real reason the U.S. is not involved in this Mideast war. Our economy is shaky, the dollar is extremely weak, and Iran could threaten or even cut off all our oil and wreck the U.S. economy to keep America out of the war.

The prophecy about Libya and Ethiopia unlocks Iran’s military strategy! We wrote over 15 years ago about Iran’s global ambitions. They have only intensified since that time.

So the Bible indicates that Libya and Ethiopia also have to be subdued by the king of the north because they are in the radical Islamic camp. Those two nations are “at his steps.” Both countries have already been influenced by radical Islam. But they are not in the radical Muslim camp—yet.

Why are these two nations even mentioned in this prophecy if they don’t play a key role?

Lebanon’s Government Falls

The Lebanese government has been friendly to the U.S., but it also fell in late January this year. Hezbollah, a terrorist arm of Iran, has now gotten control of Lebanon.

Agence France-Presse wrote on January 26, “Israeli Vice Prime Minister Silvan Shalom said on Wednesday that Lebanon was being taken ‘hostage’ by Iran and Hezbollah, after the Shiite group’s preferred candidate was named as Lebanese premier-designate. ‘The international community must do everything to stop Hezbollah and Iran from taking Lebanon hostage,’ Shalom told Israeli public radio. ‘Hezbollah is not simply a terrorist organization, it’s a terrorist organization controlled by the Iranian state,’ he said.”

That is the king of the south in action!

This is another dangerous shift in Middle East power to terror-sponsoring Iran. It’s more bad news for Israel and the U.S., because the Lebanese government was friendly toward them. Iran’s terrorist arm of Lebanon is geographically joined to Israel.

The alarm bells are ringing!

While I was writing this article, the Yemeni government pledged to soon step down because of large demonstrations. That government has also been helping the U.S. and others fight the war against terror. Yemen is already infested with terrorists. It is located on the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden—and is another strategically powerful country if you are trying to control world trade.

World War III and Christ’s Second Coming

Events in the Middle East are going to trigger World War iii. The king of the north, after conquering the king of the south, will be alarmed as the kings of the east prepare to attack. So the European power will strike first. Europe will then be overwhelmed by Russia, China and probably Japan. (For more information, request our booklets Daniel Unsealed at Last! and The King of the South.)

This will lead to Armageddon, which leads to Christ’s Second Coming.

“And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination [the king of the north] that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days” (Daniel 12:11).

Verse 12 then says, “Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.” Here God draws attention to 1,335 days and says those who make it to the beginning of this time period are blessed.

From Daniel 10:10 to the end of Daniel’s book is the longest single prophecy in the Bible. Mainly it focuses on “the time of the end” (Daniel 11:40). The Moffatt Bible translates that expression, “when the end arrives.”

The end time has arrived! Mighty prophecies are being fulfilled before your eyes! That means monstrous and lightning-fast changes in world events. But these extremely dangerous end-time events conclude with the coming of the Messiah. That is the finale to the longest single prophecy in the Bible!

Whether we like it or not, the end time has arrived. Ninety percent of Bible prophecy is being fulfilled in this end time. News reports are filled with prophetic events.

America is about to go bankrupt. Soon riots and race wars are going to explode in the U.S. They will make the demonstrations in Egypt seem like child’s play by comparison!

God is going to get our attention!

The Great Tribulation is about to burst on the world scene. It will be followed immediately by the Day of the Lord—which is concluded by the Messiah’s coming.

Bible prophecy proves that God is alive and His plan always prevails. It is time for all mankind to wake up to the reality of Bible prophecy!

The extremely good news is that these cataclysmic events lead directly to the Second Coming of Christ. Then Christ will rule this Earth forever under the direction of His Father.

Mankind’s terrible suffering is about to end forever.

Chapter 2: Iranian-Backed Insurgents Call for an Islamic Revolution in Ethiopia

TheTrumpet.com, March 10, 2011

Heavy fighting is raging on the borders of Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia. As the Iranian-backed al-Shabaab terrorist militia tries to overthrow Somalia’s weak transitional government, Ethiopian troops have crossed the Somali border to fight against the Islamic extremists. The Kenyans also have joined the fray by cracking down on Somali terrorists within their own country. United Nations adviser Mustapha Ali has said the entire Horn of Africa region could be threatened if the ongoing crisis in Somalia is not resolved quickly.

A leading al-Shabaab official made a call at a gathering on Thursday of last week urging Muslims in both Kenya and Ethiopia to rise up against their governments. Sheikh Mahad Omar Abdikarim said that the “oppressed” Muslims of Kenya and Ethiopia need to “liberate” themselves from Christian domination.

Judging from the recent outburst of anti-Christian violence in Ethiopia, however, Sheikh Abdikarim may not have even had to say anything. Over 4,000 Christians in and around the Jimma Zone of Ethiopia have been displaced as a result of Muslim attacks that began the day before the leading al-Shabaab official issued his directive. Fifty-nine churches and at least 28 homes have been burned in this onslaught, which started after local Muslims accused a Christian of desecrating the Koran.

Ethiopian authorities sent security forces, but reports are that they were overwhelmed by the Islamist attackers. According to the 2007 census, 44 percent of Ethiopia’s population belong to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, while 34 percent are Sunni Muslim. Most of the remainder belong to various Protestant Christian denominations.

As al-Shabaab terrorists clash with Ethiopian troops in Somalia and as Muslims across western Ethiopia burn churches, what is now basically a Somali civil war could soon escalate into an interstate war between an Islamist-controlled Somalia and its western enemy. According to a 2006 UN report, the escalation of this conflict could even reignite a war between the small coastal nation of Eritrea—a chief foreign sponsor of al-Shabaab—and Ethiopia—which is backing the Somali government.

The UN report revealed that Somalia’s Islamic insurgents demonstrated their support of the Iranian cause during the summer of 2006 when they sent 720 of their most experienced fighters to Lebanon to help battle Israeli forces. In return for this aid, Iran sent three consignments of arms, ammunition and medical supplies to al-Shabaab’s parent organization—the Islamic Courts Union. Iranian proxy Hezbollah showed its gratitude by providing Somali insurgents with advanced training, sending five military advisers to Somalia.

Such support of the al-Shabaab terrorist militia provides Iran with far more than additional soldiers in its fight against Israel. Iran needs to control both the southern entrance to the Red Sea and the Suez Canal if it wants to control oil flow through the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. The power to enforce a trade embargo would be to Iran a powerful weapon in its fight against the Western world.

Now that Egypt is moving toward the Islamist camp, Iran’s plans to control the Suez Canal are progressing full steam ahead. To control the southern entrance to the Red Sea, however, Iran needs to control Eritrea or Somalia. By sending arms to Islamist forces in both Eritrea and Somalia, Iran is trying to buy itself this control.

Iran’s dominance of Somalia and Eritrea cannot be sealed until Ethiopian resistance is removed. This is why the al-Shabaab terrorist militia’s fight against Ethiopia is so significant.

Biblical passages such as Daniel 11:40-43 foretell of an end-time clash between a German-led Holy Roman Empire and an Iranian-led Islamic caliphate. The passage in Daniel reveals in particular that the nations of Egypt, Libya and Ethiopia will be allied with Iran when it is overrun by the European empire. The current turmoil in the Middle East and North Africa has put the ruling regimes in all three of these countries in grave danger. Expect pro-Iranian successor regimes to soon arise in each of these nations!

Chapter 3: Ethiopia Attacks Archrival

TheTrumpet.com, March 20, 2012

Ethiopian military forces entered into Eritrea last Thursday and carried out an attack on Eritrean military posts.

Ethiopian government spokesman Shimeles Kemal said Ethiopia waged the assault because Eritrea was training “subversive groups” which have carried out attacks inside Ethiopia. Analysts believe these unnamed “subversive groups” are radical Islamist terrorist outfits, and say Ethiopia’s decision to strike at them suggests the threat they pose is serious.

Last year, as the West was endorsing the “democratic” uprisings sweeping through North Africa and the Middle East, Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry warned that Iran and radical Islam would emerge the victors. In April, he predicted that Libya and Ethiopia would be the victims of radical Islam.

At first glance, Ethiopia, a comparatively stable pro-Western and predominantly Christian country, may appear unlikely to fall to Islam. But headlines from recent months reveal that it stands in the path of an Islamist encroachment, led by Iran.

In November 2011, the Ethiopian government discovered a plot by Wahhabi Muslims within Ethiopia to transform the country into an Islamic country governed by sharia law. The same month, Kenyan media reported that Eritrea had delivered a shipment of arms to Somalia’s Islamist al-Shabaab movement. Eritrea has also been accused of supporting Islamist groups in Djibouti, Uganda and Sudan, and of providing safe haven to Ethiopian Islamists. Eritrea’s support of al-Shabaab, and of Islamic terrorism in general, is so serious that the United Nations Security Council imposed sanctions on the country.

Ethiopia’s decision last week to attack Eritrea’s terrorist training posts shows that, despite UN sanctions, the radical Islamist problem in Eritrea is growing. Expect the pressure on Ethiopia to intensify until the nation falls under the influence or control of radical Islam.

Chapter 4: First Libya—Now Ethiopia

TheTrumpet.com, March 26, 2011

Back when it was relatively quiet in both nations, Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry warned that Libya and Ethiopia would be important nations to watch in the events unfolding in the Middle East.

In his February 6 Key of David broadcast (recorded on January 27), Mr. Flurry asked, “Can you just imagine if the radical Islamic movement gets control of those vital sea lanes? [Red Sea and Mediterranean sea trade routes].”

Fast-forward one month. On March 2, Islamist attacks on Christians broke out across Ethiopia after a Christian in Asendabo was accused of desecrating the Koran. The attacks have continued to this day and have displaced about 10,000 Christians.

“Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said the Islamist group Kawarja is believed to have incited the violence,” Fox News wrote on Thursday.

Besides setting buildings on fire, attackers have issued assassination threats and assaulted college students attempting to distribute Bibles.

The Fox News article wrote, “‘[I]t’s extremely disconcerting that in Ethiopia, where Christians are the majority, they are also the victims of persecution,’ Jonathan Racho, [International Christian Concern’s] regional manager of Africa and South Asia, told FoxNews.com. …

“Racho, originally from Ethiopia, said the fact that the government waited a full week before sending troops to Asendabo shows that it’s not doing enough.”

Following the Key of David program taped on January 27, the Trumpet alerted readers to Ethiopia’s prophesied realignment into the radical Islamist camp, ultimately coming under Iranian influence. Now would be a good time to brush up on that material.

Chapter 5: An Islamic Takeover of Libya and Ethiopia Is Imminent

TheTrumpet.com, May 5, 2011

On January 27, I told viewers of the Key of David program that they must watch Libya and Ethiopia. At the time, there was almost nothing in the news about these two nations.

Since then, Libyan rebels have gained the support of nato in an all-out civil war attempting to oust dictator Muammar Qadhafi. And we now see a violent explosion in Ethiopia by radical Islamists.

How could I know this was going to happen? The drastic change in these two nations was prophesied in your Bible over 2½ millennia ago.

Daniel 11:40 shows that the king of the north—a German-led Europe—is going to clash with the king of the south—Iran and radical Islam. The king of the north is going to triumph in this war. At that time, Europe is going to subdue all of the nations that were allied with Iran. Notice which nations this includes: “He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps” (verses 42-43).

Here is how Soncino Commentary defines “at his steps”: “Either joining his army, or placing themselves at his beck and call.” Gesenius’ Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon defines that expression as “in his company.” The Moffatt translation reads: “following in his train.”

This prophecy reveals that dynamic events have to take place in Libya and Ethiopia. For it to be fulfilled, Libya and Ethiopia must align with Iran and, in turn, be conquered by the king of the north.

Since January 27, violent war has broken out in Libya, and now Ethiopia is beginning to turn radical. On March 24, Fox News reported: “Thousands of Christians have been forced to flee their homes in Western Ethiopia after Muslim extremists set fire to roughly 50 churches and dozens of Christian homes. … The string of attacks comes on the heels of several reports of growing anti-Christian tension and violence around the country where Muslims make up roughly one third of the total population but more than 90 percent of the population in certain areas, 2007 Census data shows” (emphasis mine throughout).

Muslims make up one third of the population, and yet they are going to take over Ethiopia. Daniel 11:43 says they are going to win.

The article continues: The violence against Christians in Ethiopia is alarming because Ethiopian Muslims and Christians used to live together peacefully.”

What is happening over there? Something has changed! And it changed after January 27.

For nearly 18 years, I have been saying that Egypt would fall to Iran and radical Islam. Just under three months after former President Hosni Mubarak left office in February, we see that happening before our eyes. That fact ought to shock each of us. Now, Libya and Ethiopia are going the very same way.

Why don’t you see intelligence agencies discussing this? People don’t realize Iran’s ability to come in and hijack an unstable country. Look at what it has done in Gaza! Iran moved in on a chaotic situation and took control through its proxy Hamas! The Iranians moved into a chaotic situation in Lebanon, and now they’ve gotten the upper hand, controlling Lebanon through Hezbollah. Most authorities will also admit that of all the nations, Iran is the one that has the most control in Iraq.

In post-Mubarak Egypt, we see instability, rebellion and mass demonstration. What can we expect to happen? Iran is an expert at moving in when there is a breakdown of government authority. It does it over and over again, and stuns the world every time.

Now there is utter disorganization in Libya. All Iran has to do is assemble some strong leadership and bring together a wildly disorganized people.

nato is considering arming the rebels. That’s practically handing Libya over to the radical Islamic camp!

How much worse is Libya going to be as it supports the number one state sponsor of terrorism with all its oil dollars? Surely a thousand or ten thousand times worse.

Earlier this year, Stratfor placed the move of Egypt into the radical Islamic camp as more deadly than anything except Iran’s getting the nuclear bomb.

For 30 years, President Mubarak resisted the radicals and was a friend to Israel. But in a matter of weeks after he was removed from office and the nation’s government became destabilized, Iran began moving in.

Before Mubarak left office, he issued this warning: “They may be talking about democracy, but the result will be extremism and radical Islam.” Yes, indeed; that is what it’s going to be!

Did you know that Iran is rejoicing about what’s happening in Egypt and Libya? Can we really expect a good outcome if Iran is rejoicing?

The New York Times wrote, “The Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist group once banned by the state, is at the forefront transformed into a tacit partner with the military government that many fear will thwart fundamental changes.
It is also clear that the young, educated, secular activists who initially propelled the non-ideological revolution are no longer the driving political force …. [W]hat surprises many is [the Muslim Brotherhood’s] link to the military that vilified it. …
‘There is evidence the Brotherhood struck some kind of a deal with the military early on,’ said Elijah Zarwin, a senior analyst with the International Crisis Group. ‘It makes sense if you are the military. You want stability and people off the street. The Brotherhood is one address where you can go to get 100,000 people off the street.’ …
The question at the time was whether the Brotherhood would move to take charge with a superior organizational structure. It now appears that it has” (March 24).

The Muslim Brotherhood has taken charge because it’s so organized and so supported by Iran!

“But in these early stages, there is growing evidence of the Brotherhood’s rise and the overpowering force of Islam. … A Brotherhood member was also appointed to a committee to draft amendments to the constitution” (ibid).

The Muslim Brotherhood said it was the religious duty for people to vote yes to those amendments to Egypt’s constitution, and 77 percent of the people voted yes.

Are we blind to what Iran is able to do with its power behind the scenes as it empowers these other groups?

This is step by step exactly the way it happened in Iran in 1979. We have learned nothing from even very recent history!

In late March, a top adviser to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad produced a documentary proving that the current Middle East unrest is a sign of the imminent return of the Mahdi (the Islamic “Messiah”).

cbn News reported, “The ongoing upheavals in other Middle Eastern countries, like Yemen and Egypt, including the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood, are also analyzed as prophetic signs that the Mahdi is near …” (April 3, 2011).

But the radical Islamists are not going to be victorious. This is a counterfeit of the return of the true Messiah, Jesus Christ, who will return to this Earth. He is going to return in the midst of all this chaos.

Read Revelation 12:9 and it will tell you that Satan has deceived this whole world, including this great false religion and its counterfeit messiah.

Satan is full of wrath, and he will wage war, but really it’s a time for us to rejoice. The bad news is a sign of the best possible news you could ever hear. Jesus Christ really is about to return to this Earth!

Chapter 6: Pope Calls for International Mobilization for Horn of Africa

TheTrumpet.com, July 19, 2011

The Horn of Africa needs help, said Pope Benedict xvi on Sunday. An “international mobilization” to assist people will be required to avert a true “humanitarian disaster,” he said. Drought and floods are ravaging Ethiopia and Somalia, and “countless people are fleeing,” he warned.

He then called on people to give their “solidarity” to those suffering, along with “tangible support.”

The pope’s plea made headlines around the world. The famine is certainly severe, ravaging both Muslims in Somalia and Christians in Ethiopia. But sadly, famines are all too common in Africa. Is there another reason the pope is focused on this particular region?

The Horn of Africa is located at one of the most strategic commercial gateways in the world, especially for Europe. It is located at the mouth of the Red Sea, which leads to the Suez Canal. It is almost within spitting distance of the Persian Gulf and the richest oil fields in the world. It is home to both French and U.S. military bases.

And it is increasingly a battleground between competing religions.

The most recent evidence of a clash of religions is in Ethiopian neighbor South Sudan. On July 9, South Sudan, in which Christianity has far more influence than in the Muslim north, finally attained independence. At the independence celebrations, the Vatican was quick to congratulate the world’s newest country, saying it would give due consideration to any request from the new government and that it hoped the liberated peoples would enjoy a journey of peace, freedom and development.

Yet South Sudan’s “autonomy” did not come cheap. Years of sectarian warfare have left over 2 million people dead and 4 million displaced. But now the South has its own country. And the West has, in return for all its aid and political support, a greater claim to the oil. Watch for Europeans to attempt to virtually recolonize South Sudan in an attempt to get their hands on the country’s resources.

In Ethiopia, religious tension is growing too, and has surprised many. Ethiopia is predominantly Christian. Christians outnumber Muslims 2 to 1. Yet even here, they were under attack earlier this year. Rioting Muslims burned 69 churches in addition to Christian homes and other buildings in a weeklong uprising in March. Now in a backlash, the government is cracking down on Islamists. More than 570 Islamists have been rounded up and sentenced to jail terms of up to 18 years. An additional 107 are charged with terrorism for their roles in attacking Christians.

Ethiopia is sending a message that radical Islam will not be tolerated. However, as happened in Egypt, and more recently in Syria, the government crackdown may actually empower those being targeted.

In Somalia the clash of religions is evident in a different form. There is still persecution of the tiny Christian minority and clashes with the Ethiopian military. But the biggest clash with the West is via piracy. Over the past few years, pirates have not only been kidnapping and demanding ransom, but also targeting commercial shipping operators—holding crew and cargo until extortion money is paid.

Somalia has the longest coastline in Africa, offering safe harbors to untold numbers of pirates and providing a measure of security against Western navies. But how many hijacked oil supertankers will be taken before Western patience runs thin?

Now with widespread drought and famine ravaging the region, what effect do you think that will have?

Just look at what happened in Tunisia. It didn’t take long for that food crisis to topple a regime. In times of dramatic upheaval, people often look to the vocal radicals for solutions. Extremists will be empowered.

That is bad news for Ethiopia. Islamic fundamentalists stand to make huge gains. Could the Ethiopian government be overthrown? Could a civil war result?

Displaced, hungry, angry people will not be a good thing for the Western-backed transitional government in Somalia either. It is already only clinging to power through foreign military intervention. Somalia is a hotbed of activity for al Qaeda and like-minded groups. Without food and jobs, more young people will see piracy as a way out. Will those same young men also see war, or the local warlord, as a viable alternative?

No wonder the pope is so concerned about the Horn of Africa. It could be set to become a lot more hostile to European interests. And because of its strategic location, it could be dangerously hostile.

On May 5, Gerald Flurry warned that “something has changed” in Ethiopia. For centuries Christians and Muslims have coexisted in this country, but Bible prophecy shows that Islamists are going to take over. “An Islamic takeover of … Ethiopia is imminent,” he said.

Chapter 7: Egypt and Libya to Join Iran’s Terror Network

Philadelphia Trumpet, October 2011

Iran, the number one state sponsor of terrorism by far, has bludgeoned its way into controlling Lebanon and Gaza, and has become the backbone of Syrian terrorism. Iran also bombed and butchered its way into the dominant role in Iraq and Afghanistan (after America thought it had won those wars), and now is empowering the Muslim Brotherhood terrorists to get control of Egypt.

Now America and the West have paved the way for another Iranian victory in Libya. We are rejoicing about the overthrow of Libya’s Muammar Qadhafi, while we should be mourning. Libyan chaos is now the ideal setting for Iran to bring that nation into its deadly terrorist web. The government that replaces Qadhafi will be a thousand times worse.

And you can prove this is going to happen! (More on that later.)

Egypt’s Revolutionary Change

Egypt is rapidly moving into the Iranian camp. That means Egypt, which borders Libya, will now help bring that nation into Iran’s terror network.

Already violence has broken out between Israel and Egypt—after 30 years of peace. Why the big change since President Hosni Mubarak resigned due to massive protests? That is a subject the mainstream media does not like to discuss.

The Muslim Brotherhood has joined forces with the powerful Egyptian military. It clearly is the dominant force inside Egypt, and is getting more control daily.

That means Egypt is in for a radical change, which we have been prophesying for 20 years.

Here is what Stephen Flurry wrote in the April Trumpet magazine: “Four days after Mubarak’s resignation, Der Spiegel published an exposé on Yusuf al-Qaradawi, the ‘father figure’ of the Muslim Brotherhood. Back in 2002, the Brotherhood asked Qaradawi to be its leader, but he turned down the offer because of its limitations. He wanted to concentrate instead on mobilizing a ‘United Muslim Nations.’

“The charismatic Qaradawi, an Egyptian by birth, is one of the most popular Muslim clerics in the Middle East. He’s written at least 100 books, and his weekly television program is viewed by 60 million Muslims on Al-Jazeera. He hates Jews and has asked Allah to kill ‘every last one’ of them” (emphasis mine throughout).

There is absolutely no reason to believe the Muslim Brotherhood will ever help bring peace to the Middle East. And now, it is positioned to gain even more power. As the Jerusalem Post wrote in an August 29 editorial, with elections in Egypt drawing near, the Brotherhood “is seizing the political momentum. The intensely disciplined Islamist group is Egypt’s most cohesive political movement, and the largest organization apart from the Egyptian military itself.”

President Mubarak obviously made some crucial mistakes, and both U.S. political parties have made serious errors in the Middle East. But let’s not forget what Mubarak did. He fought as an ally of the United States against what he called the Iranian “cancer.” He kept a lid on the violent Muslim Brotherhood, which killed Anwar Sadat, Mubarak’s predecessor. He kept peace with Israel for 30 years. He fought with America in its war against terror. And one more extremely important point: Mubarak fought against Iran getting the nuclear bomb, which it could get as early as next year.

No Arab country in the Middle East has done more to befriend America!

President Mubarak was severely warning American diplomats about the Iranian “cancer” spreading throughout the Middle East in 2009. Not only did our government not heed the warning, but at the same time, President Barack Obama was meeting with the Muslim Brotherhood in the White House!

That information should send shivers through the body of any American who understands what is happening in the Middle East!

“With the upheaval in Egypt, the only successful Middle East peace treaty is in jeopardy,” William L. Gensert wrote in American Thinker. “The Egyptian border crossing into Gaza is now open and Hamas is very happy; it’s so much easier getting weapons without the prying eyes of the Israelis. Iranian warships, banned since 1979, have been allowed to transverse the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean. … Egypt, once considered a strong American ally, is now drifting within the Iranian orbit. …

“For years, Iran has been an ardent supplier of arms in Afghanistan to al Qaeda and the Taliban. Weapons and bombs supplied by Iran were used to kill American soldiers, yet our president says nothing” (August 14).

The end result is going to be that we exchanged Mubarak and “the only successful Middle East peace treaty” for the Muslim Brotherhood—allied with Iran.

President Obama even claimed some of the credit for Mubarak’s expulsion. “What we’ve seen so far is positive,” President Obama insisted at a press conference a few days after Mubarak resigned. “I think history will end up recording that at every juncture in the situation in Egypt that we were on the right side of history.”

On the right side of history?

Historians could think that America actually supported worldwide terrorism and nurtured nuclear war!

There should be no doubt that Iran is going to start a war. That is why its getting nuclear weapons is such a critical issue.

More than any other nation, America has helped the terrorists succeed!

It also took the U.S. government five months before it condemned Syrian President Bashar Assad’s oppression and killing of many of his own people (with Iran’s help). Syria is the second-largest state sponsor of terrorism in the world—after Iran!

Future historians could think we were allies of Iran and Syria and the enemy of Egypt!

Violence Against Israel

After Palestinian militants recently organized an ambush attack on Israel that left eight Israelis dead, Israel retaliated with air strikes targeting the Gaza area.

The terrorist attack was carried out by a Palestinian faction based in Gaza, but was launched from Egyptian territory. In the midst of the attack, three Egyptian security officers were accidentally killed, for which Egypt blames Israel.

In response, Egypt threatened to remove its ambassador from Tel Aviv, prompting Israel to issue a rare public statement of regret over the killings. Once again, Israel is now under fire as a result of what started as an attack against it, planned by Palestinian militants and facilitated by access to the Sinai, an area Egypt has failed to keep properly under control for months.

The New York Times wrote in its August 20 issue, “The crisis has been the sharpest signal yet that the revolution that toppled President Hosni Mubarak in February is transforming the three-decade-old relationship between Egypt and Israel that has been the cornerstone of Middle Eastern politics.”

This newspaper is right in saying that the 30-year relationship between Israel and Egypt has been “the cornerstone of Middle Eastern politics” (not just between those two nations). The cornerstone means the basic element or foundation of Middle East politics. That means when this relationship unravels, the foundation of Middle East politics unravels!

That is no small problem, because Iran is reaping most of the benefits.

The New York Times sees this crisis as “the sharpest signal yet” that the revolution in Egypt is “transforming” the peaceful relationship between Israel and Egypt into an Israeli nightmare!

But it’s much worse than that. It shows that Egypt is already allying itself with Iran in its bloody terrorist war.

This has the potential to cause the Middle East to explode and drag all the Earth’s inhabitants into World War iii!

The New York Times article had this headline in that August 20 edition: “Nations Race to Defuse Crisis Between Egypt and Israel.” Nations race to help solve this problem because they know how deadly the potential is for the entire Middle East to explode.

There have also been five bombings of an Egyptian pipeline, which delivers vitally important natural gas to Israel. All of the bombings have happened since the revolution began in Egypt. That is another “sharp signal” that this part of the “Arab Spring” has already produced some bitter terrorist storms!

And this is only the beginning of sorrows!

Before he left office, Hosni Mubarak had this to say: “They [the dissenters] may be talking about democracy, but the result will be extremism and radical Islam.”

How precisely prophetic that statement was. But we dared not listen to dictator Mubarak.

He spent his whole 30-year reign suppressing radical Islam in his own country. So he should understand this better than any man alive!

We loosely throw around the words “Mubarak the dictator.” But look at what the man did—examine the fruits of his reign. He had to be a strong leader. It was the only way he could prevent the Muslim Brotherhood from violently taking over!

How little we understood Mubarak’s Egypt. This world is going to pay a bloody price because of America’s incomprehensible ignorance and lack of real leadership.

Libya’s Fate

Libya today is in total chaos. Reports say there are al Qaeda fighters there along with Hezbollah terrorists and even some militants from Afghanistan and Iraq.

Another report said that about 20 percent of the suicide bombers in Iraq came from Darnah, a city in eastern Libya.

nato knows almost nothing about who these dissenters are and who will rise to power. But always lurking in the background is an oil-rich Iran with the will to send some of its leading warriors into Libya. Still, nato wants to just bomb Libya and go home. This makes Iran’s bloody work much easier!

That nation has the proven will to do whatever is required to win. The only thing the U.S. has left is a broken will. Nobody at this stage has the will to stand up to Iran. (Request our booklet The King of the South. All of our literature is free.)

The King of the North

The king of the south, Iran, is about to clash with the king of the north, a European Holy Roman Empire. The book of Daniel was written only for this end time (Daniel 12:4, 9).

“And at the time of the end shall the king of the south [Iran] push at him: and the king of the north [the Holy Roman Empire] shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. He shall enter also into the glorious land [Jerusalem], and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps” (Daniel 11:40-43). The Moffatt translation states that “at his steps” means following in his train! Egypt is not going to escape the king of the north because it is allied with Iran. The same applies to Libya and Ethiopia (which will probably be the next Middle East explosion, which Iran is going to exploit).

Libya was the world’s 12th-biggest producer of oil before the uprising began in February. It provided 1.4 million barrels a day to Europe—Italy, Germany and Spain.

That means crisis in Libya causes a certain panic in Europe. The Europeans know that Iran could get enough control in Libya to use the oil as a weapon against them. Also, Libya is in a very strategic location on the Mediterranean Sea, through which the Middle East oil flows.

Iran knows how much more clout an oil-rich country can add to its power in the Middle East.

We have warned since 1992 about Iran getting some control of the oil in Iraq. Now Iran has the greatest influence in Iraq of any country.

Here is what a writer recently wrote in the Guardian newspaper of Britain: “If the risings succeed in deposing the latest round of tyrants, but violent, illiberal Islamist forces gain the upper hand in some of those countries, producing so many new Irans, then heaven help us all. Such are the stakes. If that does not add up to a vital European interest, I don’t know what does” (February 2).

All of these events are going to cause the European Union member nations to go from 27 kings to 10, so they can become a united and aggressive superpower (Revelation 17:12-13). Then Europe will clash with Iran and win. (Request our free book The Holy Roman Empire in Prophecy.)

These terrifying events lead to the most exciting event ever to occur on this Earth or in the universe: the return of Jesus Christ (read Daniel 12). He must return or there would not be one man, woman or child left alive (Matthew 24:21-22).

What a magnificent future we have awaiting us. But before that happens, we are going to experience the greatest suffering ever on Earth.

Chapter 8: Iran Strides Toward Diplomatic Relations With Egypt and Libya

TheTrumpet.com, November 24, 2011

The Iranian regime is intent on fully exploiting the Arab Spring toward its own ends, which include the establishment of diplomatic ties with both Egypt and Libya.

Only months after the downfall of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, senior Iranian officials made it known that Tehran is ready to resume full diplomatic ties with Cairo as soon as Egypt is ready.

“Resuming relations would allow the Iranian government to grant aid in tourism and all other fields,” Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said during a meeting with an Egyptian Sufi delegation on a mission to bridge gaps between Islamic sects in Iran.

“The Mubarak regime prevented Iran from establishing relations with Egypt, creating a gap between the two peoples and tarnishing the image of Iranians and Shiites,” he said.

Before inviting the Egyptian delegation to tour Iran’s nuclear facilities, Salehi emphasized the need for Egypt and Iran to work together to confront Israel and restore security to the region.

In regards to Libya, Iranian officials have been just as bold. Iranian First Vice President Mohammed Reza Rahimi sent a message to the head of the Libyan transitional government on Sunday renewing a previous offer to assist the North African nation with reconstruction projects.

Earlier this month, Vice Chairman of Libya’s National Transitional Council Abdel Hafiz Ghoga expressed his appreciation to Iran for the support it has already given to Libya. He announced that a delegation of Libyan officials will visit Tehran in the near future to discuss expansion of ties and cooperation between the two Islamic states.

Gerald Flurry has prophesied for over 18 years that Iran would be the king of the Middle East, and that we would witness an alliance take place between Iran and Egypt. Earlier this year, Mr. Flurry outlined how Daniel 11 also foretells that Libya and Ethiopia will realign to join an Iranian-led, radical Islamist camp. Watch for these far-reaching changes. Egypt and Libya are already in the midst of their transition and Ethiopia is set to be next.

Chapter 9: Ethiopia in the Crosshairs

TheTrumpet.com, December 11, 2011

The Trumpet does more than simply analyze blockbuster headlines. We also write them—often months, years, decades even, in advance.

Here is a blockbuster headline soon to come out of Ethiopia: Islamists Gain Control of Ethiopia, Eritrea.

It’s easy to glance at Ethiopia, a pro-Western, comparatively stable, predominantly Christian country that rarely makes prime-time news, and think that’s absurd. But if you look closely, and consider the broader perspective, Ethiopia’s future is grim, very grim. In fact, Ethiopia is in jeopardy right now.

Surrounded by Islam

First, consider Islam’s control over the region. Start in Morocco, the western gateway into the Mediterranean, where in November the Islamist Justice and Development Party, which represents the Muslim Brotherhood, came out on top in parliamentary elections and now leads the nation’s coalition government. Islam’s victory in Morocco occurred less than a month after the Ennahda Party, another outgrowth of the Muslim Brotherhood, dominated national elections down the road in Tunisia. Next door in Libya, where Col. Muammar Qadhafi was recently ousted and killed, Islamist parties, some of which are associated with radical terrorists, are gaining the upper hand.

Head a little farther east and we come to Egypt, where the Muslim Brotherhood and hardline Islamist political parties trounced their competitors in parliamentary elections last November and December. In the first two rounds of voting, Egypt’s Islamist parties garnered nearly 70 percent of the vote! It’s now abundantly clear, lamented Caroline Glick last December, that “Egypt is on the fast track to becoming a totalitarian Islamic state” (emphasis added throughout).

Travel north from Cairo and we hit Gaza, the stronghold of Iranian proxy Hamas. Farther north still are Lebanon and Syria, where there are an assortment of Islamic terrorist organizations, one of which recently lobbed two missiles into Israel. Syria is led (still) by Bashar Assad, a stalwart ally of Iran, and is a key staging ground for radical Islam’s war on Israel. North of Syria is Turkey, a nation that has in recent years slid toward the radical Islamist camp.

Skip east of Turkey and you find Pakistan and Afghanistan, two bastions of radical Islamic terrorism. Retrace your steps west and there’s Iran: the command center of global Islamic terrorism, a nation on the verge of acquiring nuclear weapons, led by mullahs determined to create a nuclear apocalypse. Across the border in Iraq, Iranian proxies are right now filling the power vacuum created by the departure of United States forces.

Farther south, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states are all alarmed by the rise of Iran-sponsored Islamic terrorism. Head south from Riyadh and we come to Yemen: a chaotic, headless state where Islah, the Islamist political party created by the Muslim Brotherhood, will likely get the victory when Yemenis finally get around to voting. From Yemen we hop the Gulf of Aden to get to Somalia, where Islamist pirates routinely hijack vessels in the Indian Ocean and the fragile Transitional Federal Government (tfg) routinely wards off attacks by al-Shabaab and its terrorist partners.

Finally, we come to Ethiopia, a nation standing in the path of this barreling, Iran-steered, radical Islamist freight train! Is it any surprise that the Ethiopian government recently discovered a plot by Wahhabi Muslims to turn the country into an Islamic country governed by sharia law?

And Next Door in Eritrea

Meanwhile, radical Islamist forces have gotten a foothold in Eritrea, Ethiopia’s regional adversary and a nation strategically situated at the gateway of the Red Sea.

In 2006, the United Nations accused Iran, Syria, Libya, Egypt and Hezbollah of providing arms, training and financing to Islamic militants in Somalia via Eritrea. In December 2008, reports emerged that Iranian naval vessels had visited the Eritrean port of Assab and deposited an undisclosed number of Iranian troops and weapons there, including long-range and ballistic missiles. A few months later, an official in Somalia’s tfg government accused Iran of arming al-Shabaab via Eritrean middlemen.

Most recently, Kenyan media reported in November that a shipment of arms, the third of its kind, had been delivered via Eritrea to al-Shabaab in Somalia.

Still More Pressures

In addition to the radical Islamist problem festering inside its borders and the growing threat from Eritrea, Ethiopia is under increasing threat from the radical Islamist presence in Somalia. Mogadishu’s Transitional Federal Government is frail and politically immature, two issues made worse by the fact that it is under near-constant attack from al-Shabaab and its regional supporters, including Iran. Ethiopia’s border with Somalia is nearly 1,000 miles long, and the risk of the Islamist war spilling over into Ethiopia is real, which is why Ethiopia supports the tfg. By doing so, however, Ethiopia risks becoming a target of al-Shabaab and its radical Islamist partners.

That’s not all Ethiopia has to worry about. Last August, Iran’s foreign minister visited Somalia and met with President Sharif Ahmed and other leaders in the tfg. The official purpose of the visit was to discuss Iran providing humanitarian aid. According to Stratfor, relations between Ethiopia’s leaders and Ahmed are strained. It’s possible, explained Stratfor, that the meeting between the Iranian foreign minister and the president of Somalia “could have been used to explore other sources of political backing” (Aug. 26, 2011).

No doubt, the visit to Somalia by the foreign minister of the number one state sponsor of Islamic terrorism gave more than a few Ethiopian officials nightmares!

No matter what angle you view it from, the picture is the same: Ethiopia is under extreme pressure to come under the influence of radical Islam!

Iran controls the Strait of Hormuz, and via its Islamic allies in Egypt is fast gaining decisive influence over the Suez Canal. When it eventually gains influence over Ethiopia and Eritrea, Iran will control the Red Sea.

When that happens, Iran will have the power to lock down virtually the entire Middle East!

Chapter 10: The Stunning Truth Behind Libya’s ‘Democratic’ Revolution

TheTrumpet.com, February 23, 2012

Remember Libya? The North African country that got caught up in the Arab Spring, ousted its eccentric dictator, and is now supposedly transforming into a peaceful, democratic state?

Last week, author John Rosenthal wrote an important article shedding new light on the Libyan “democratic” revolution. Despite what we’ve been told, it appears the overthrow of Muammar Qadhafi wasn’t an organic, grassroots uprising that will end with a democratically elected, stable, peaceful government taking root in Tripoli. Rather, evidence shows the violent rebellion was years in the planning, and carried out with craft and cunning. And while Qadhafi was defeated by a motley crew of obscure local militias, the broader rebellion was shaped and exploited by the masterminds of global Islamic terrorism.

Libya’s revolution, it seems, was all part of a calculated radical Islamist strategy.

Rosenthal compiled evidence from various sources, including facts uncovered in British court cases, United Nations files and American and other Western intelligence agencies. Piece it all together and it’s obvious that there was “nothing spontaneous” about Libya’s rebellion. Rosenthal explained that as far back as the middle of the last decade, al Qaeda—primarily via the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (lifg), which played a central role in the 2011 overthrow—had “elaborated a plan for destabilizing the Qadhafi regime by using many of the same tactics that would be employed at the outset of the rebellion in February 2011.”

Rosenthal put it best in his conclusion: “[T]he uprising in Libya was the realization not of democratic aspirations, but of the long-standing ambitions of Islamic extremists. It was an ‘Islamist Spring’ that paved the way for today’s ‘Islamist Winter’” (emphasis added).

Radical Islam’s proven presence in Libya’s revolution ought to raise several important concerns.

First, al Qaeda clearly has the intellectual and operational capacity to devise and carry out a strategy for undermining, even overthrowing, weak or flailing governments. In Libya’s case, al Qaeda leaders identified Qadhafi as a target years ago, then patiently, meticulously prepared for the moment opportunity would strike. Consider, for example, that rebel forces used tactics distinct to al Qaeda during battles with pro-Qadhafi forces—proof that the organization had established influence within local militias.

If al Qaeda and its allies have the ability to bring down Muammar Qadhafi and then shape the government erected in his place, how many other governments in the region are susceptible?

Second, it appears the West is willfully ignoring radical Islam’s effort to dominate North Africa and the Middle East. In Libya, the UN walked right into the Islamist trap. Despite regular intelligence (which was quickly pushed aside) indicating rebel forces contained a strong radical Islamist contingent, nato forces for months conducted regular sorties leveling Qadhafi strongholds, pinning loyalist forces in certain areas, and generally clearing the path for rebels to systematically lay hold of the country.

The Western media played their part too. First, by routinely downplaying and overlooking evidence suggesting radical Islam’s nefarious presence in the rebellion. And second, by framing Libya’s uprising as a liberal, democratic uprising comprised largely of regular “protesters.” Truth is, many rebel forces engaged in a lot of brutal, Qadhafi-like behavior themselves, such as penning loyalist forces in buildings, then setting them ablaze.

Without the support of the West, radical Islam’s victory in Libya would have been impossible.

Third, the fact that some of the top figures within the radical Islamist community were operating in Libya is evidence of a larger plan for conquering North Africa and the Middle East. As Rosenthal proves, the primary masterminds behind Libya’s revolution weren’t locals. Rather, they were the rock stars of global Islamic terrorism, men with experience at planning and carrying out bomb attacks, who’d operated all over the world in places like Afghanistan, Iraq, Southeast Asia and Iran, and who had connections. Does anyone seriously believe such men were overthrowing Qadhafi for the benefit of the average Libyan?

They were there to expand radical Islam’s imprint in North Africa.

Finally, if al Qaeda was present in the Libyan revolution, then Iran was too. For years, politicians and analysts in the West insisted that the fundamental religious differences between Sunni al Qaeda and Shiite Iran prevented the two from working together. But they have been wrong. Iran has endorsed and even actively supported al Qaeda for years. The relationship improved significantly when United States forces invaded Iraq in 2003, when Iran provided sanctuary for top-level al Qaeda leaders. Over the years, Tehran has supplied al Qaeda terrorists with funding, a safe haven for planning operations, and explosives and other hardware. Recently, we learned that Iran and al Qaeda have even started to work together in operations.

It’s taken years, but the Western media have apparently awoken to this deadly reality. Last week, the Telegraph reported that Iran was deepening its ties with al Qaeda in an attempt to improve its ability to strike Western interests. Citing its own sources, Sky News reported that Tehran and al Qaeda are plotting a massive “atrocity.”

Al Qaeda’s presence in Libya’s revolution strongly indicates IRAN’S presence too!

It’s been less than six months since Qadhafi was ousted, and it’s already clear the new Libya will be dominated heavily by sharia law, and the new government comprised of conservative Islamists, many with close ties to al Qaeda. Today, the Telegraph and New York Times are reporting on the ongoing cooperation between Iran and al Qaeda. These days you can’t turn on the news and not see the phrase “Islamist Winter.”

This is precisely the scenario Gerald Flurry prophesied!

If you read the Trumpet, it would have come as no surprise that Iran and al Qaeda’s fingerprints were all over Libya’s revolution.

Chapter 11: Is This the Start of Radical Islam’s Takeover of Ethiopia?

TheTrumpet.com, August 2, 2012

In April 2011, Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry delivered a bold forecast: “Libya and Ethiopia are … going to be closely allied with Iran!”

At the time, many readers rejected this warning as absurd. This is a “most bizarre article,” retorted one Trumpet reader from Ethiopia. My country is “one of the oldest and [most] devout Orthodox Christian nations on the planet (since third century) and a staunch ally of the United States. On behalf of U.S., Ethiopia invaded Somalia in late 2006 and kicked out ruling Islamic Courts Union …. [That] doesn’t sound like a nation doing Iran’s bidding.”

He’s right too, at least in his facts.

On May 5, 2011, when Mr. Flurry published “An Islamic Takeover of Libya and Ethiopia,” he again inspired disbelief. “I don’t think this is a sensible prophecy,” wrote one reader from Ethiopia, “especially when it comes to the situation of Ethiopia. … Please, try to study what exactly the situation is in Ethiopia. The country is dominated by Christians for centuries, and this is highly unlikely to change.” He’s right too, factually.

There’s a larger lesson here, which we’ll get back to later. But for now, let’s follow this reader’s advice and study the situation in Ethiopia at the start of August 2012, more than 18 months after Mr. Flurry first delivered his “absurd” forecast.

Last week, the Washington Times published an article headlined “Muslim Protests Raise Fears of Radical Islam in Ethiopia.” According to the Times,Clashes between Islamic protesters and riot police over the weekend in Ethiopia have raised fears that Muslims are becoming increasingly radical in a predominantly Christian country that has been a key U.S. ally in combating terrorism in the Horn of Africa.”

Two days later, a headline in the Christian Science Monitor asked, “Will Ethiopian Crackdown Stir Islamist Backlash?” The Monitor warned that “the act of civil disobedience from Muslims, who constitute at least one third of the population, is a rare sign of instability in a country seen by U.S. policymakers as a bulwark against radical Islam in the volatile Horn of Africa region.”

In recent months, there has been a measurable increase in tension, instability and violence in Ethiopia between the government and elements of the Muslim population. On July 13, violence broke out between the two in the nation’s capital after Muslims at the Awalia Mosque compound refused to heed warnings to refrain from conducting a “charity” event while African heads of state were in town for an African Union summit. When government forces stepped in to forcefully disband the Muslim event, violence broke out, resulting in the arrest of 74 Muslims.

A week later, tensions ignited again when Muslim protesters blocked police from entering the Anwar Mosque in Addis Ababa.

Meanwhile, in April, four Muslims were killed during a melee surrounding the arrest of an Islamic cleric accused of preaching radical Islam in the town of Asasa. In May, the Ethiopian government deported two Arabs of unknown origin after they were picked up for inciting violence outside of Addis Ababa’s largest mosque.

The uptick in crackdowns on Muslims is a sign of the government’s concern that radical Islamist elements are gaining momentum in Ethiopia. According to Shiferaw Teklemariam, Ethiopia’s minister for federal affairs, the purpose of the July 13 gathering outside the mosque in Addis Ababa was to hatch plans for an Islamic uprising. The meeting was “deliberately provocative,” he stated. “This group actually deals day and night to create an Islamic state.”

The problem with the increasing government crackdowns, some experts claim, is that they may stoke the frustration and rage of Ethiopia’s large Muslim population. Hassan Hussein, an Ethiopian human rights activist, worries that the government crackdown could even result in a widespread backlash along the lines of what happened in Egypt and Libya. He warns that the Muslim “protesters know that they have the support of the majority of the population so long as their demand is for civil liberties and democratic freedoms. Other sectors could press similar demands, and it might escalate into calls for regime change as has happened in the Arab Spring.

If antigovernment protests take root, it’s possible Ethiopia’s radical Islamist elements could—much like the Muslim Brotherhood did during Egypt’s revolution—exploit the social unrest to establish greater influence, both on the street and within whatever political regime then emerged in Addis Ababa. Of course, it’s early, and the Muslim rebellion isn’t necessarily large or widespread, but the seeds have been sown.

Given the right conditions, the tension could blossom quickly into something larger and more dangerous—especially if Ethiopia is thrust into a leadership crisis, which is imminent. There is a great deal of mystery surrounding the health of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. The consensus seems to be that Mr. Zenawi has brain cancer, although some say he’s already dead. Whatever the case, Mr. Zenawi is extremely unwell and has been noticeably absent from public affairs in recent weeks.

Moreover, it’s become increasingly obvious that replacing Mr. Zenawi, the anchor of Ethiopian politics, is not going to be quick, simple or clean. As Alemayehu G. Mariam wrote this week, Ethiopia’s constitution is vague and inconclusive regarding rules of succession. It is clear that “Ethiopia is now facing not only a leadership and power vacuum but also a monumental constitutional crisis in the absence of a constitutional plan or procedure for succession,” explained Mariam (nazret.com, July 30).

A nation without a leader and no clear strategy for succession “is an invitation to political chaos, conflict and instability” (ibid).

Think on this.

The Ethiopian government is increasingly determined to confront radical Islamists, both internally and within its immediate sphere of influence (Somalia and Eritrea). More and more people within Ethiopia’s Muslim community are becoming frustrated, angry and politically energized. Resentment is welling, protests are increasing, antigovernment violence is already occurring. Meanwhile, regional Islamist groups, some aligned with radicals in Saudi Arabia, others with Iran, continue to strengthen their presence in the nation.

Then, on top of all this, Ethiopia’s prime minister is about to die, which will thrust the nation into political and social tumult.

Talk about a powder keg!

And we haven’t even considered regional politics.

Take Iran. Tehran is in serious jeopardy of losing the Assad regime in Syria as its key regional ally. Its proxies in southern Lebanon (Hezbollah) and Gaza (Hamas) are beginning to distance themselves. Meanwhile, a regional coalition against Assad—and therefore against Iranian interests—is developing behind regional heavyweights Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Worse still (for Iran), this coalition is gaining the support of Germany and Europe. As these trends continue, Iran will find itself in deep trouble strategically.

This makes Iran extremely dangerous right now. And we can be sure Iran’s mullahs are brainstorming for ways to restore the nation’s strategic position vis-à-vis the growing German-Saudi coalition! What will it do?

One way to anticipate how Iran might react to these circumstances is to study a map of the Middle East. Iran still has radical Islamist friends with a formidable foothold in Yemen and Somalia. Meanwhile, radical Islam is emerging as the controlling influence in Egypt. Strategically, each of these states sits adjacent to one of the most important assets in the entire world: the Red Sea!

If Iran can establish control of the Red Sea—one of the most important energy and trade routes in the world—it will have Saudi Arabia surrounded and Europe and the West at its mercy!

Expect Iran to reestablish its strategic position by improving ties with Egypt and, to a lesser extent, Somalia and Yemen.

Meanwhile, pay attention to the two countries between Egypt and Somalia: Ethiopia and Eritrea! Tehran will not resist the opportunity to exploit to its advantage the growing social and political uncertainty—as well as the Islamist dissatisfaction and potential uprising—in these nations!

Go back and read “Libya and Ethiopia Reveal Iran’s Military Strategy,” Mr. Flurry’s April 2011 article on this subject. It’s an incredible article: Besides warning that Libya and Ethiopia would come under the influence of Iran and radical Islam, he explained explicitly how radical Islam would seek to gain control over the Red Sea. It’s true this forecast wasn’t thoroughly underpinned by facts on the ground when it was written. Ethiopia is predominantly Christian, and at the time, the nation was stable and there was no evidence that radical Islam was a major threat.

But that’s what makes it so inspiring: Mr. Flurry delivered this forecast without reams of physical evidence! How?

Because he had the ultimate fact, the supreme truth, the only evidence that really matters. He had, and humbly believed and boldly repeated for the world to hear, what the Apostle Peter termed “the more sure word of prophecy.” And now the facts on the ground are beginning to align with the Bible’s forecast!

Chapter 12: Ethiopia’s Strongman Dies

TheTrumpet.com, August 21, 2012

Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi died shortly before midnight, August 20, Ethiopia’s government announced. Meles ruled Ethiopia for over 20 years. His death threatens to throw the nation into turmoil.

Meles became Ethiopia’s president in 1991 after helping to depose the country’s repressive Communist military junta led by Mengistu Haile Mariam. Since then, Meles became something of a dictator himself, albeit one who improved the lives of his people and was a reliable American ally against Islamism.

Meles switched jobs to become prime minister in 1995. He won elections again in 2000. In the 2005 elections, the opposition began to threaten him. Meles proclaimed a state of emergency on the election night. Hundreds died in the police crackdown. Many more were jailed.

In the 2010 elections, Meles announced his party had received 99 percent of the vote. Naturally, international observers had some problems with how the election was run.

This kind of leader is hard to replace. A succession process has to be agreed upon and planned beforehand. Even then, countries can fall into chaos.

There doesn’t appear to be a well-planned succession process in Ethiopia. Over the last couple of months, it’s been increasingly obvious that Meles was very ill. He stopped appearing in public and missed important international meetings. Rumors spread that the prime minister had already died. But the government insisted Meles was in “very good” condition.

If Meles had his house in order, there would be no need for this secrecy. Most likely, Ethiopia’s power brokers were frantically trying to prepare for Meles’s death behind the scenes.

Hailemariam Desalegn, who became deputy prime minister and foreign minister in 2010, will soon be sworn in as the new prime minister. The government doesn’t plan to hold new elections until 2015.

Opposition forces will probably challenge Hailemariam’s leadership quickly.

“Ethiopia faces internal dissent from several marginalized ethnic groups, including the southern Oromos and those in the Ogaden region in the east, where the military has largely suppressed a separatist armed rebellion,” wrote Financial Times.

“The opposition will try to stir up all kinds of trouble—Eritrea, Oromos, the Ogaden are itching to take advantage of this civil vacuum and maybe destabilize the country. … I suspect the military will be on high alert,” FT quoted an Ethiopian analyst as saying.

In April of last year, Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry warned that Ethiopia would fall under the sway of radical Islam. At the time, this seemed unlikely. The country was stable, the majority of its people are Christian, and relations between Christians and Muslims were good.

Yet Mr. Flurry wrote: “So you need to watch Libya and Ethiopia. They are about to fall under the heavy influence or control of Iran, the king of the south” (emphasis his). He based his predication on a prophecy in Daniel 11.

Just over a year later, Ethiopia is facing widespread Muslim discontent and protests. In the midst of that turmoil, the leader that has led the nation with a strong arm is dead.

Continue watching Ethiopia. Recent events appear to be setting the stage for an Islamic takeover.

Chapter 13: The Next War in Libya

TheTrumpet.com, February 11, 2016

Five years after the United States led the military campaign in Libya that deposed long-time dictator Muammar Qadhafi and supposedly liberated the North African nation, war drums are beating again.

This time, the Islamic State is the new Qadhafi—but it’s much worse by comparison.

Top national security officials are pressing U.S. President Barack Obama to open another front against the macabre terrorists in Libya, where many Islamic State top commanders and operatives are seeking refuge from the ongoing air strikes in Iraq and Syria. Islamic State leaders are also redirecting most of the flow of incoming recruits to Libya instead of Iraq and Syria.

U.S. intelligence estimated last week that there could be as many as 6,000 Islamic State fighters in Libya—more than double what the experts had previously estimated.

The Obama administration is reluctant to engage militarily in yet another war in yet another Muslim Middle Eastern country where things have gone wrong before. But the case for intervening “has been laid out by virtually every department,” and “the White House just has to decide,” an anonymous senior State Department official told the New York Times.

Secretary of State John Kerry warned last week, “The last thing in the world you want is a false caliphate with access to billions of dollars of oil revenue.” He was speaking in Rome at a conference of 23 nations that met to discuss the growing threat of the Islamic State in Libya.

Libya’s Significance

The Islamic State has revolutionized non-state jihadism by attaining state-like wealth and power—Iraq (especially Mosul) and Syria (especially Raqqa) being the most notable examples. It has both the experience and the audacity to carve out a self-sustaining sanctuary for itself in lawless, yet oil-rich, Libya.

Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry warned about the inevitable devolution of governance in Libya even before Qadhafi was killed during nato’s Operation Unified Protector five years ago. He wrote in October 2011 that “the government that replaces Qadhafi will be a thousand times worse.”

Since Qadhafi’s death in 2011, Libya has had eight different prime ministers. Today, there’s practically no functioning government running the nation. On paper, there are two governments: an internationally recognized one in Tobruk and an illegitimate one in the capital Tripoli. That state of affairs is in many ways much worse than Syria, where President Bashar Assad still receives international recognition and support from nations like Russia and Iran.

Also making things worse in Libya than in Syria is that the Islamic State can tap into a much greater supply of oil—20 times greater! Already, the terrorists have seized vast oil fields in Libya.

The most significant concern regarding the Islamic State’s growing influence in Libya is its proximity to Europe. Reconnaissance drones and satellites have shown militant fortifications in the Islamic State’s stronghold in Sirte, along the Mediterranean coastline. This location not only makes a valuable sanctuary for the jihadists, it provides a potent launching pad for terrorist attacks in North Africa and Europe.

On several occasions, the Islamic State has singled out Rome as a primary target for conquest. Its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, declared in June 2014: “If you [Muslims] hold to it, you will conquer Rome and own the world, if Allah wills.” Islamic State militants see Libya as the gateway to Europe, at just 400 miles away.

In response, European leaders proposed an Italian-led European force of about 6,000 troops to stabilize Libya. But “time is running out to stabilize war-torn Libya,” Al Jazeera paraphrased Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni saying. Some leaders would rather delay intervention until a unity government is formed in Libya. But establishing a coherent government, if it actually happens, will take time—time which the Islamic State will gladly use to consolidate its gains in Libya.

German diplomat and the United Nation’s special representative to Libya, Martin Kobler, told Spiegel Online that the Islamic State in Libya can be defeated, “but there isn’t much time left.”

Germany was not involved in nato’s assault in 2011. Many Germans both then and now believe nato should not have intervened in Libya. Regardless, Kobler believes something has to be done:

“We simply can’t give up on Libya. There are 6 million people living there, and we need to help them. Of course, the presence of [the Islamic State] there is also a threat to Europe. …

“I think it was a mistake to have left Libya alone after 2011. We got ahead of ourselves. And that is precisely why it is so important now that we not abandon the country again.”

While the Obama administration might intervene militarily in Libya in some capacity, it doesn’t appear as urgent as some of the top national security officials even in the United States. And it certainly doesn’t appear as urgent as the leading officials in Europe.

Don’t expect Europe to give up on Libya. It is increasingly wary of radical Islam. It is facing a growing threat of terrorism.

However Europe responds to the Islamic State threat today, the Bible indicates that the ultimate military intervention in Libya will be part of a “whirlwind” attack by Europe on Islamist nations in the Middle East and North Africa (Daniel 11:40-43). Specifically, it will be an attack on Iran and Iranian-allied or -affiliated nations. The chaos in Libya today makes it vulnerable to outside powers, particularly those with vested Islamist aspirations in the region, such as the Islamic Republic of Iran.

In his October 2011 article, Mr. Flurry wrote about Iran’s shady involvement in Libya’s problems: “Now America and the West have paved the way for another Iranian victory in Libya. We are rejoicing about the overthrow of Libya’s Muammar Qadhafi, while we should be mourning. Libyan chaos is now the ideal setting for Iran to bring that nation into its deadly terrorist web. The government that replaces Qadhafi will be a thousand times worse.”

The good news about Europe’s prophesied “whirlwind” intervention in Libya is that it will be the last invasion Libya will ever face. Our free booklet The King of the South explains this in great detail.

Chapter 14: Ethiopia on the Brink?

TheTrumpet.com, September 14, 2016

Civil unrest is growing in Ethiopia, Africa’s second-most populous nation. Upset by inequality and systemic corruption, members of Ethiopia’s two largest districts have taken to the streets. Since November last year, the protesters have faced off against strong government crackdowns.

Eighty percent of the country lives in poverty. Famine threatens 15 million residents. Many are ready to take out their frustrations on the government. But instability fosters its own problems, and opportunists in the region are watching closely.

Complete Control

After Ethiopia’s current ruling party—the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (eprdf)—came to power in 1991, it segregated the country along ethnic lines, forming nine districts. But rather than maintain equal or proportional say among the various districts, most of the power has been gathered by just one—the Tigray district.

The Tigrans make up just 6 percent of the population. Yet over the last two decades, they have worked to seize absolute power—the Tigran-dominated eprdf now controls 100 percent of the seats in parliament. As such, the party enjoys little to no political challenge or discussion, near-total control of the press, and strong sway over the judicial system.

Of course, gaining 100 percent of the vote has led many of the country’s larger ethnic groups to claim that the government is illegitimate and corrupt. They are not alone in this view. On Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index, where 100 means clean and 0 means totally corrupt, Ethiopia recently scored a meager 33.

Terrorists or Protesters?

When riots first started in November 2015, the government was well prepared. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital, sent in troops and the antiterrorism task force. Laws established in 2009 imbued the government with sweeping powers to combat anyone it deems to be a terrorist. Some analysts claim that the government has used these laws to justify the kidnapping, imprisonment and even torture of political opponents.

When the laws were being passed, Human Rights Watch said the legislation would “permit long-term imprisonment and even the death penalty for ‘crimes’ that bear no resemblance, under any credible definition, to terrorism.”

Since the November flare-up of protests, more than 500 protesters have been killed and thousands have allegedly been injured.

As Stratfor noted in an August 31 report, Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn has authorized the country’s armed forces to take “any and all” measures necessary to restore order. His comments echo one of his December 2015 speeches, when he said the government “will take merciless legitimate action against any force bent on destabilizing the area.”

No sooner had the riots begun last year, than Amnesty International, a human rights movement against social injustices, was warning that government administrative expansion into the Oromia district was leading to cultural persecution. “The suggestion that these Oromo—protesting against a real threat to their livelihoods—are aligned to terrorists will have a chilling effect on freedom of expression for rights activists,” said Muthoni Wanyeki, Amnesty’s regional director for East Africa, the Horn and the Great Lakes.

No News Is Not Good News

There is a reason why these protests and human rights abuses rarely make the news. Ethiopian media is largely government censored. While not as stringent as many neighboring African countries, the government does wield tight control over the Internet and media.

The misuse of anti-terror laws has resulted in restrictions placed on a number of independent media outlets and nongovernmental organizations (ngos). The result is a media that turns a blind eye to heavy-handed government crackdowns.

The government has at times completely banned all forms of social media—effectively silencing any would-be critics. In 2015, U.S.-based ngo Freedom House reported that Ethiopia was blocking larger news websites such as bbc. Arguments can be made for temporarily blocking social media, which can pinpoint innocent people during an attack, but there is no risk to the public by allowing a reputable news source like the bbc to air. The only one threatened by such a website would be the government.

With such tight and overarching control of the media, the full extent of the multidistrict rebellion is hard to accurately gauge. Needless to say, with extensive troop deployments and a history of strong crackdowns, the likelihood is that the information reaching the Western media is just the tip of the iceberg.

Ethiopia has refused entry to special United Nations investigators since 2007, making the UN unable to report on Ethiopia’s domestic issues. The blocked investigations included inquiries into reports of torture and denial of freedom of expression and peaceful assemblies.

The West Looks On

News that does escape the country has been downplayed by much of the world. As Human Rights Watch explains, “Donor countries to Ethiopia have been largely silent about the brutal crackdown, presumably in part due to the Ethiopian government’s strategic relationships on security, peacekeeping, migration and development. For years, the U.S., the United Kingdom and other influential governments have basically rejected public condemnation of the Ethiopian government’s repressive practices.”

Ethiopia is a key security ally for America in the fight against the Islamist militant group al-Shabaab. The country is also important economically. Guardian Unlimited called Ethiopia “an economic battleground with China.”

In July last year, U.S. President Barack Obama visited Addis Ababa. During his speeches and press conferences, he repeatedly referred to the landslide victory of Desalegn’s eprdf as “democratic.”

Bekele Nega, the general secretary of the Oromo Federalist Congress (representing the country’s largest ethnic group), said, “I don’t know if democracy means robbing people’s vote and robbing their election result. They have killed people, and they have taken the ballot box with them in organized fraud.”

Faced with brutal retaliation and a lack of international support, protesters in the Oromia district and elsewhere are beginning to transition from relatively peaceful protests to acts of aggression. Last week, protesters burned a number of flower farms—flowers being one of the chief exports of the country.

Opportunity?

Destabilization brings with it a whole host of problems, one of which is the opportunity for foreigners to exploit the situation. And one nation has gained a reputation as the opportunist of the Middle East: Iran.

Tehran has capitalized on unrest in Libya, Egypt, Lebanon, Syria and Iraq. In areas of civil unrest, radicals—and their sponsors—thrive. In Iraq, the rise of the Islamic State has afforded Iran the opportunity to be more involved than ever before. The same can be said for Syria. In Yemen, Iran is backing the Houthi rebels, aiding in the overthrow of the pro-Saudi government.

With the 2011 overthrow of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, Iran was able to rapidly build ties with the Muslim Brotherhood. In Libya, the removal of Muammar Qadhafi has led to the arrival of a number of extremist groups. One such group, the Free Egyptian Army, is being trained by Iran’s foreign wing of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (irgc), the Quds Force. Its purpose is to overthrow Egypt’s current administration!

Trends Say Iran Will Get Involved

Across the Middle East and North Africa, Iran is getting involved. Ethiopia’s immediate neighbors are testimony to this policy.

Egyptian newspaper El-Watan reported that Iran has deployed Quds Force personnel to Sudan to take advantage of the deteriorating Sudanese-Egyptian relationship. It also claims Iran is training Muslim Brotherhood troops in Sudan.

While the relationship between Iran and Sudan is frosty at the moment, the two certainly have a long history of partnership. As Haaretz notes, “For many years, Sudan was home to a Hamas command center, and it was also the military and political ally of Iran and Hezbollah. The Iranians used Sudan as a base for arms smuggling into the Gaza Strip and built a large factory near Khartoum for making long-range rockets for Hamas and Islamic Jihad.”

To Ethiopia’s north, Iran has had dealings with the reclusive Eritrea. While the Eritreans deny it, many opponents of the Houthi rebellion in Yemen claim that Iran is using bases in Eritrea to train and launch aid supplies to support the Houthis. Reports are now circulating that the irgc is also training both Houthi and Iraqi militias in Eritrea.

Across the Red Sea, Iran is deeply entrenched in Yemen. While not as intimately tied to Iran as the Shia militias, Hezbollah or other terror groups, the Houthis have Iran to thank for the ongoing stand against the Saudi-backed government. Iranian weapons, training and aid provide the Houthis the chance to stand up to Saudi air strikes and otherwise superior forces. This benefits Iran by establishing a southern front against the Saudis, while simultaneously tightening the chokehold on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. For more on this strategically important sea lane, read our article “Iran: Sultan of the Red Sea” (theTrumpet.com/go/12261).

Then there is Somalia. The Somalian government cut ties with Iran earlier this year. The government accused Iran of establishing sects that pose a threat to national security in the Horn of Africa. Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke accused Iranian diplomats of being “directly involved in meddling with internal Somali affairs and [having] carried out measures that are a threat to our national security.”

As all of the above show, Iran wants to be involved in the region. Even within Ethiopia, Iranian involvement with al-Shabaab shows it is intent on destabilizing the nation.

Prophecy Says Iran Will Get Involved

Some might scoff at the idea of a foretold Ethiopian alliance with Iran. But Iran’s goals for the region mirror what is written in the pages of your Bible!

As Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry explains, Daniel 10:10 to the end of the prophetic book is the longest single prophecy in the Bible. It mainly focuses on “the time of the end” (Daniel 11:40). The Moffatt Bible translates that expression as “when the end arrives.” And that time is here now!

In “Libya and Ethiopia Reveal Iran’s Military Strategy,” Mr. Flurry wrote: “All you need to do is get a good map of the Middle East, with the emphasis on the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Then you can see why the king of the south, or radical Islam, is so interested in an alliance with or control over these two countries (as well as Egypt and Tunisia). They are on the two seas that comprise the most important trade route in the world!

“Whoever heavily influences or controls Ethiopia will undoubtedly also control the small areas of Eritrea and Djibouti on the Red Sea coastline. These areas only recently became independent of Ethiopia. Also, I believe the Bible view is that these small areas are included as part of Ethiopia.”

Who else but Iran is working so aggressively to promote radical Shiite Islam in these nations?

Mr. Flurry continued, “That could give Iran virtual control of the trade through those seas. Radical Islam could stop the flow of essential oil to the U.S. and Europe!”

Now read Daniel 11:43 and see Ethiopia specifically mentioned by name as a part of this alliance! Mr. Flurry explains in his booklet The King of the South, “So you need to watch Libya and Ethiopia. They are about to fall under the heavy influence or control of Iran, the king of the south. That is why they are subdued in the king of the north victory.”

These prophecies are sure. They are going to happen! There will be a king of the south, and he will control Ethiopia. And as Daniel wrote, there will be a sudden confrontation between this king and the king of the north.

Though God says this battle will usher in terrible times in the short term, there is also good news bound up in this warning. These prophesied events lead up to the return of Jesus Christ!

Just as God prophesies the rise and fall of nations, He also prophesies the return of His Son and the establishment of His Kingdom forever!