PHOTO:  IRNA / REUTERS
Jerusalem Post:  Israeli intelligence satellites have spotted the loading of rockets and other material in Iran believed to be destined for the Gaza Strip, the UK based Sunday Times reported, citing Israeli officials. 

According to the report, Iran began preparing the weapons shipment around the same time Israel and Hamas negotiated a cease-fire late last week.

The shipment is said to include Iranian-made Fajr-5 medium-range rockets, the same model that was fired toward Tel Aviv and Jerusalem during operation Pillar of Defense, the Sunday Times reported. 

Last month, following an air attack on a weapons plan near Khartoum, the Defense Ministry's director of policy and political-military affairs accused Sudan as acting as a transit point for weapons shipments to Gaza.  Amos Gilad accused Khartoum of aiding and abetting terrorism and said the Sudanese regime was "supported by Iran" and was used as a route to transfer weapons to Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip via Egypt. 

Sudan accused Israel of attacking the military plant. 

The Sunday Times report also cited Israel officials speculating that Iran could be moving longer-range ballistic missiles into Sudan, which could be aimed at Israel from the African country. 

The official added that Tehran would react to rearm Hamas and other Gaza groups quickly, as it sees them as a necessary part of its response to a possible Israeli attack against Iran.

Commentary:  There is much speculation about the Middle East crisis and this war involving Hamas and Israel, but we can know one thing for certain; according to Bible prophecy, we are living in the last days: "When the Lord shall build up Zion, He shall appear in His glory" Psalms 102:16.  In our generation, the Lord has brought Israel (Zion) back to their nation, which God had promised them.  It was a desolate desert in 1948, when Israel became a nation once again, but today, Israel is "built up;" it is a modern, industrialized nation.  We know by this and many other prophecies that have already been fulfilled, that Russia, Iran, Sudan and Libya are already allies and directly heading towards the battle of Gog/Magog (Ezekiel 38-39).  There has never been another time in history that Russia has openly declared her loyalty to Iran, as Vladimir Putin stated, "An attack on Tehran is the same as an attack against Moscow." 

According to the prophecy given by Ezekiel in the 38-39th chapters, God said that the prince of the "north quarters" - Gog-Magog - (Russia) would come against Israel, with Persia (modern day Iran), Ethiopia (modern day Sudan) and Libya.  All of these nations are allies against Israel, and with the current tension and with Iran's involvement and threat against Israel, we could see the convergence of these nations against Israel at any time.  I believe it is coming very soon and I will give you another reason why:

Early in the morning hours of November 8, 2010, as I sat in my living room reclining chair, I suddenly had a vision right before my eyes.  The first thing I saw was the silhouette of a beast; the next thing I saw was a robed priestly looking man ; and the third vision I saw was a man I did not know, but I saw clearly what he looked like and he was getting off of an airplane.  He was light complected, had a high forehead, thin light hair parted on the left, and an elongated nose (bridge-downward).  I saw him very clearly, but had no idea who he was, so I went to the computer and Googled "international diplomats," because I felt in my spirit he was a prominent world leader.  After searching for a while, and maybe looking through about 30 photos of world leaders, I finally spotted him.  He was Vladimir Putin.   I researched who this man was on the internet and found that he was the Prime Minister of Russia.  I thought he was someone (at that time - 11/10) who may not have much power, but I figured he could have a more prominent role in leadership in the future.  I also found it interesting to learn that he was a pilot and loved to fly.  I felt he had the spirit of antichrist, but was not necessarily the antichrist.  I have thought the antichrist would be the Mahdi (Muslims' upcoming messiah), but I could be wrong, and that fact was not revealed to me.  I do know this, I felt in my spirit that he was going to align Russia with Israel's enemies, most likely Iran and Turkey, and come against Israel (in the battle of Gog and Magog - Ezekiel 38).  Within the last few months, I also discovered that Putin has held the real power in Russia, even as Prime Minister, and Dmitry Medvedev is his temporary "stand-in," until the next presidential election.  News articles have reported that Putin's presidential term ran its course and it has been planned all along that Medvedev would fill the presidential post, only until Putin can take office again.  Since learning this, I researched Vladimir Putin more extensively on the internet.  He is said to be a strong force and actually in control of the country, even as Prime Minister.  He is an ally of Iran, and Medvedev visited with the Prime Minister of Turkey early last year about their "common interests."  it will be very interesting to see what comes about as Putin takes the presidential office again in 2012 (taken from the Prophecy page of this website).

It is exciting to know that after Ezekiel prophesies about the upcoming battle of "Gog-Magog" against Israel, in Ezekiel 40-42 a messenger from God shows Ezekiel the measurements and specifications for the rebuilding of the third Temple; then in Ezekiel 43, we see that the Lord enters the Temple and He tells Ezekiel that He will "dwell in the midst of them forever" (Ezekiel 43:9).  Between Ezekiel 40 and 43, we see the battle of Gog-Magog, the third Temple being built, then the Lord returns in all of His glory! 

The most exciting part of all of this for today is that God's people are "caught up" (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18) seven years before He returns, and the Lord could rapture us up at any time!

Some people do not believe in a pretribulation rapture, but the Word of God tells us that the Lord has not appointed us to wrath (1 Thessalonians 5:9), and He has delivered us from the wrath to come (1 Thessalonians 1:10).  We, the saints of God, return with the Lord after the seven-year tribulation period.  If we are not already with Him, how is it that we will return with Him?  We are already with Him and, in fact, the scripture and ancient Jewish wedding traditions reveal to us that we will be at the feast of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb during those seven years (Luke 12:37 and Revelation 19:9).  As Jesus spoke of His return in Luke 17:29, He said, "The same day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all."  Lot's escape from Sodom is a type and shadow of our escape from the wrath of God to come. 

Are you saved?  Are you ready to escape the wrath of God to come?  If not, please visit the How Can I Be Saved page of this website.  Salvation is easy - it's only a prayer away.  God bless you.