A Growing Backlash

Last week I wrote about the recent uprisings in Tunisia and the overthrowing of that country's long termed dictator - President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. I stated at the time that the eyes of many other leaders in the Arab world were looking at this event with wary eyes.

Yesterday, riots dominated the urban cities of Egypt. Thousands of people protested in the streets of Cairo, Suez, Alexandria, and Mansura demanding the end of the Mubarak regime. President Hosni Mubarak has governed Egypt since the assassination of Anwar Sadat in 1981. Although he has had friendly ties with the West during the past 30 years, his government has also been plagued with corruption. In recent years the Muslim Brotherhood, founded in Egypt and one of the most radical arms of Islam, has sought to overthrow his government. Many believe that the Muslim Brotherhood was behind the protest demonstrations yesterday. Could the Mubarak government of Egypt be toppled by the masses of the people as was that of Tunisia? It certainly seems possible. An article in the IsraelNationalNews.com today stated that the Egyptian President had sent his wife and son Gamal, whom many see has his successor, to London, along with 97 suitcases of undescribed stuff. (My personal guess is that much of that stuff was in the form of dollars or even gold). Keep an eye upon Egypt - it bears watching.

There were riots yesterday in Beirut as well. Protesters took to the street against the Hezbollah-appointed new Prime Minister Najib Mikati. I shared with you last week that Hezbollah had withdrawn from the Harir-led government, leading to its collapse. They then proceeded to install their own prime minister. The new prime minister is a close associate with Syrian dictator Bashar Assad. In response to the pending violence in Lebanon, the United States has sent two nuclear carriers with a total of 210 planes to patrol the waters off the coast of Lebanon. The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) have been put on high alert along Israel's northern frontier with Lebanon. Once again the Middle East teeters on the brink.

Finally there was the suicide bombing of the International Airport in Moscow on Monday, killing 35 and injuring at least 180. To date no one has yet taken responsibility for the bombing, but most experts believe it was associated with Chechnyan militants who have attacked Russia before. How will the Russians respond? That is the great unanswered question at the moment.

Once again I am drawn to those words of Jesus found in Matthew 24. You remember that His disciples had asked Him "What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" Among the signs Jesus announced were these: "You will hear of wars and rumors of war...Nation will rise again nation, and kingdom against kingdom." (Matthew 24:6-7). What I find significant with what is happening in the Middle East right now is that the riots in Egypt and in Lebanon underscore the great animosity that people have for Israel. We know that it is the stated purpose of the Muslim Brotherhood and Hezbollah to see the destruction of the State of Israel. Could we be seeing the shadows of the impending Psalm 83 War? I don't know for sure, but I do know that God has a purpose for what is happening there.

Yesterday during our semi-monthly prophecy lunch, we discussed, among other news items, what is happening China and its growing influence around the world; the continuing impact of our national debt which staggers our imaginations; and the growing persecution of Christians around the world. This is not the time to bury one's head in the sand, but to look up, see the signs of our times, and remember that Jesus' coming is our great hope.