When I brought the Lord’s message of the Unchangeable Calendar, I spoke of the coming war of Ezekiel 39 (and 38), planned to annihilate Israel and seize G-d’s Land, which He covenanted with an oath to Abraham and his descendants through Isaac and Jacob for an inheritance⁴. The 7 years of tribulation presumably begin midway into the 7 good years following this war, culminating in the last 3 ½ years of indescribable terror. I also wrote about this in my newsletter, Volume 31, and in my book, “The Unchangeable Calendar of G-d”. Michael Drosnin also writes about it, reporting what the Bible Code foretells⁵. However, he was confused by the variation of the given dates. Nevertheless, he did  perceive that not all the events and their timing are unalterably predetermined, but that man’s choices can alter their occurrence and outcome. 

It is this alternative which motivated me to urge everyone to pray for Israel incessantly. Why? Because G-d does not  reward but rather, judges sinfulness and faithlessness, two things rampant in today's Israel. For G-d to vindicate His holy Name and the election of His people Israel and their Land, the Body of Messiah needs to stand in the gap and make up the breach for Israel⁶. This will alter the outcome of what would otherwise be a devastating war for Israel, and postpone the “final holocaust” to a later date, into the final 3 ½ years⁷. G-d counted on our prayers when He declared war against Gog for His holy Name’s sake. 

Watching the news, it appears we are heading toward the war I felt would occur toward the end of this year, 1997, or in the beginning of '98. With the first American/UN forceful reaction toward the Iraqi expulsion of American UN Inspection Team members, the Holy Spirit pointed to watching very carefully. It seems that the United States has an interest in escalating the crisis, perhaps to justify military action against Saddam. And Saddam can’t risk “losing face” again (and with him the whole Arab world) by yielding to the demands of the “decadent, imperialistic” West. Already the region has begun to react, this time by DEFINITELY siding with Saddam Hussein, or more exactly, with the people of Iraq. The Arab Moslem leaders, seeking for a window of opportunity to strike at Israel, are exploiting the present “crisis” by inciting the masses against Israel, blaming the “Zionist entity” for the interference of the West into the internal affairs of a brother Arab nation, and for the suffering of the Iraqi people from the endless sanctions. 

It is only a question of time when the rage of the incited mobs, burning the American and Israeli flags, fueled by Arab nationalistic and Moslem religious fervor and American threats of military action, will ignite the region into a furious war. And Arab leaders seeking to place the blame for the crisis elsewhere, will most likely claim that the U.S. and Israel are "plotting" together to humiliate the "holy Arab nation", the U.S. being but a pawn of Israeli manipulations. The Iraqi foreign minister has  already attempted to introduce this outrageous lie as fact⁸. It will probably serve as their reason to launch an attack against the “Zionist entity”. (Most Arab leaders refer to the Jewish State as the “Zionist Entity”, refusing to call it by its name, Israel, since this would mean an acknowledgment of the Jewish claim and right to the Land.) 

By now long queues of Israelis wait many hours for their gas masks to be updated, since the Israeli Defense Forces - IDF/Zahal (IAF, Army, Navy, ) shifted into high gear to prepare the population for an eventual attack. I did not wait until a time of emergency such as now, but had our gas masks updated last year. I believe in being prepared, as many of you know. Today, November 17th, I stocked up on long-term, non-spoilable goods which need no cooking and can sustain us for several months, and on sealing tapes, should it prove necessary once again to seal a room for safety from lethal gases. Large bottles of spring water I began stocking in June. And because I am the housemaster, I had our building’s bomb-shelter already cleaned and outfitted early this year. 

Ezekiel 39 declares that it is actually G-d Himself "driving forward" the forces called Gog, as we can presently observe with the escalation of hostilities which most likely won't be stopped, not even by Madeleine Albright. These rebels hate G-d and His people Israel, challenging His election and immutable covenant. By their venomous desire to annihilate the Jewish people G-d will "bring up"  the armies and hordes of Gog toward Israel’s borders, and then "lead them against” Judea and Samaria  (the so-called West-Bank) first. THERE the L-RD, the Holy One of Israel, will ambush them. And the holocaust they are plotting and intending for Israel will come upon their own heads. 

I am desperately trying to get my newsletter out before this war, that you may know this is from the Lord, and not merely the outcome of “politics”. Politics are what you see. G-d has always used men, good and evil, national and spiritual leaders, to bring about His purposes. What we see developing before our eyes right now should lead to the fulfillment of what G-d spoke by His servant Ezekiel, saying, “Behold, it is coming, and it will be brought about... that is the day of which I have spoken” ⁹, that “day” leading up to 7 years of blessing. 

P.S.  As I am preparing these pages to upload onto Or Tzion's Website, The Electronic Tabernacle (Nov. 22, 1998), this war has not yet taken place, and once again an escalation of the crisis was averted through diplomatic channels. But what is written must come to pass. Scriptures cannot be broken. Although the timing may not be according to our expectation, this war of Ezekiel 39 will come. The mighty men behind the weapons' industry are sure to see to it.