Why the Middle East is Important

1/1/2012

ETHIOPIA

God’s Eternal Covenant

"I will make you into a great nationand I will bless you;

I will make your name great,and you will be a blessing.

I will bless those who bless you,and whoever curses you I will curse;

and all peoples on earthwill be blessed through you."

Genesis 12:2-3

God & IshmaelThen the angel of the Lord told her, "Go back to

your mistress and submit to her." The angel added, "I will so increase your descendants that

they will be too numerous to count." The angel of the Lord also said to her:

"You are now with childand you will have a son.

You shall name him Ishmael,for the Lord has heard of your misery.

He will be a wild donkey of a man;his hand will be against everyoneand everyone's hand against him,

and he will live in hostilitytoward all his brothers."

Genesis 16:9-12

God & the Land

The whole land of Canaan, where you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you;

and I will be their God."

Genesis 17:8

Abraham, Isaac & Ishmael

Abraham left everything he owned to Isaac. But while he was still living, he

gave gifts to the sons of his concubines and sent them away from his son Isaac

to the land of the east.

Genesis 25:5-6

IshmaelThese are the names of the sons of Ishmael, listed in the order of their birth: Nebaioth the firstborn of

Ishmael, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish and

Kedemah. These were the sons of Ishmael, and these are the names of the twelve tribal rulers

according to their settlements and camps. Altogether, Ishmael lived a hundred and thirty-seven

years. He breathed his last and died, and he was gathered to his people. His descendants settled in the area from Havilah to Shur, near the border of

Egypt, as you go toward Asshur. And they lived in hostility toward all their brothers.

Genesis 25:13-18

God & Jerusalem, Israel

A day of the Lord is coming when your plunder will be divided among you.

I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city.

Zechariah 14:1-2

God & His Land

In those days and at that time,when I restore the fortunes of Judah and

Jerusalem, I will gather all nations

and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat.

There I will enter into judgment against themconcerning my inheritance, my people Israel,

for they scattered my people among the nationsand divided up my land.

Joel 3:1-2

Jesus & the Nations When the Son of Man comes in his When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he glory, and all the angels with him, he

will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people him, and he will separate the people

one from another as a shepherd one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right He will put the sheep on his right

and the goats on his left.and the goats on his left.

Matthew 25:31-33

Jesus and the SignsJesus answered:

"Watch out that no one deceives you. For many "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and

rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be and kingdom against kingdom. There will be

famines and earthquakes in various places. famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.”All these are the beginning of birth pains.”

Matthew 24:4-8

A Restraint is Removed

US leaves Iraq – 12/18/11

12/22/11 – at least 12 blasts in Baghdad killing at least 69 & injuring hundreds.

Mostly in Shiite neighborhoods.

Iraq & Iran – Shiite majorityIraq under Saddam Hussein – ruled by

Sunni minority

Syria

Syria – genocide continues at hands of Assad’s military. Over 5,000 dead.

Sunni majority – Shiite minority.

Alawites even smaller minority. (Assad family & government power)

Break-off sect of Shia Islam – most Shia consider Alawites to be heretics.

Syria > Hezbollah

Muslim Violence

Christmas Day – Nigeria – Muslim groups bomb

churches during services - killing dozens.

Egypt

After 2nd round of elections -Muslim Brotherhood & Salafis

2/3 parliament

Muslim Brotherhood * modern, democratic state based on Sharia law

* Legislation based on principles of Sharia* Followers of other religions would be governed

by their own laws on religious matters“I cannot draft a law that says an unveiled woman

will be forbidden from this or that – (but) I must make her feel that her punishment is in the

afterlife.” FJP Secretary-General Saad el-Katatni

* Gradually expand Islamic banking in Egypt* Vociferous critic of ‘Zionist entity’

* Muslim brotherhood > Hamas

Muslim Brotherhood When asked whether it is a requirement for the

government in Egypt to recognize Israel, Bayoumi responded by saying: "This is not an option, whatever the circumstances, we do not recognize Israel at all. Its [Israel]

an occupying criminal enemy."

The deputy leader stressed during the interview that no Muslim Brotherhood members would ever meet with

Israelis for negotiations. "I will not allow myself to sit down with criminals."

Bayoumi went on to say that The Muslim Brotherhood would take legal procedures towards cancelling the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel that was signed in 1979. "The Brotherhood respects international conventions, but we will take legal action against the peace treaty with the

Zionist entity," he told the paper.

Muslim Brotherhood deputy leader Dr Rashad Bayoumi – 1/1/12

Muslim Brotherhood* Muslim brotherhood > Hamas

"The Islamic resistance movement of Hamas, by definition is, a jihadist

movement by the Muslim Brotherhood, Palestinian on the surface, Islamic at

its core and its goal is liberation."

Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh 12/26/11 Cairo

Salafis (Al-Nour)

* purer alternative to other Islamist parties

* Spurns democracy – that is man’s law over Allah’s law

* “guardians” of Sharia

* Women and Christians cannot run for president

* Legal system punishes according to Islamic law

“Islam must resist democracy”

* Segregate sexes – bans usury – cut off hands of thieves

Al-Nour, Egypt's Salafi party, announces it will honor [Israel] peace treaty so as not to violate international agreements but stresses it will work to

amend 'clauses which exploit us'

Salafis (Al-Nour)

Saudi Textbooks

In a textbook for 10th-graders, printed for the 2010-2011 academic year, al-Ahmed

said teenagers are taught barbaric practices. “They show students how to cut (the) hand and the feet of a thief,” he said. In another

textbook, for ninth-graders, the students are taught the annihilation of the Jewish people is imperative. One text reads in part: “The hour (of judgment) will not come until the Muslims fight the Jews and kill them. ... There is a Jew behind me come and kill

him.” [Hadith]

Strait of Hormuz

Gate of Tears

Suez canal

IRAN

EGYPT

SAUDI ARABIA

YEMEN

IRAQ