{"id":85840,"date":"2024-01-08T07:00:10","date_gmt":"2024-01-08T15:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/news\/?p=85840"},"modified":"2024-01-08T08:31:23","modified_gmt":"2024-01-08T16:31:23","slug":"another-hezbollah-leader-killed-fears-grow-about-war-israel-iran-expansion-and-zephaniahs-cry-dont-rely-on-america","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/news\/prophecy\/another-hezbollah-leader-killed-fears-grow-about-war-israel-iran-expansion-and-zephaniahs-cry-dont-rely-on-america\/","title":{"rendered":"Another Hezbollah leader killed, ‘fears grow’ about Israel-Iran war expansion, and ‘Zephaniah\u2019s Cry: Don\u2019t Rely on America!’"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"
\nImagined Depiction of Zephaniah (center) Speaking<\/em><\/p>\n

COGwriter<\/a><\/p>\n

The Associated Press<\/em> reported the following:<\/p>\n

\n

Fears grow that Israel, the US and Iran\u2019s allies are inching closer to all-out war with each strike<\/h2>\n

January 8, 2024<\/p>\n

In the last week alone, Israel has killed a senior Hamas militant in an airstrike in Beirut, Hezbollah has struck a sensitive Israeli base with rockets, the United States has killed a militia commander in Baghdad and Iran-backed rebels in Yemen have traded fire with the U.S. Navy.<\/p>\n

Each strike and counterstrike increases the risk of the already catastrophic war in Gaza<\/a><\/span> spilling across the region. And in the decades-old standoff pitting the U.S. and Israel against Iran and allied militant groups<\/a><\/span>, there are fears that any one party could trigger a wider war if only to avoid appearing weak.<\/p>\n

The divisions within each camp add another layer of volatility: Hamas might have hoped its Oct. 7 attack would drag its allies into a wider war with Israel. Israelis increasingly talk about the need to change the equation in Lebanon \u2014 and on Monday an Israeli airstrike killed a Hezbollah commander<\/a><\/span> \u2014 even as Washington aims to contain the conflict. https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/israel-hamas-war-iran-hezbollah-yemen-0373be2e21b5a832d71f5bf828f67959<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Yes, an expanded regional war involving Israel, Iran, and others may well happen soon, consistent with Isaiah 22:6-11.<\/p>\n

Israel365News<\/em> posted a warning from a rabbi, named Elie Mischel, that Israel should not be relying on the USA because of its ambiguity as well as prophecies in the Book of Zephaniah:<\/p>\n

\n

Zephaniah\u2019s Cry: Don\u2019t Rely on America!<\/h2>\n

January 8, 2024
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ever since Hamas invaded Israel on October 7, murdering, torturing and raping over 1,200 innocent Jews, Israel\u2019s complex relationship with the United States has impeded the course of its righteous war against Hamas. It\u2019s true that America supplies Israel with the weapons and ammunition it needs to eradicate Hamas. But this largesse, like that of wealthy congregants, comes at a very steep cost.<\/p>\n

Though the US gives over $3.3 billion in foreign aid to Israel each year, the long term impact of this support are deeply damaging to the nation it is meant to help. It has a suffocating effect on the development of domestic Israeli defense companies, because the terms of the aid package require Israel to purchase the great majority of its arms and ammunition from American companies. The result is that Israel has ceded its arms manufacturing to the United States, placing all of its eggs in the American basket. Given the tenuousness of America\u2019s support for Israel over the years, this approach has left Israel vulnerable to American pressure, in more ways than one.<\/p>\n

Israel\u2019s dependence on America is not merely bad policy. As the prophet Zephanaiah teaches, it is a national sin and a spiritual brokenness that is preventing the people of Israel from fulfilling its Godly mission on this Earth.<\/p>\n

A Reckoning for Gaza<\/strong><\/p>\n

Like many other prophets, Zephaniah describes the events that will occur at the end of days, and the upheavals and suffering that will overtake the world. \u201cThe great day of the Lord is near; it is near and hastens greatly, the sound of the day of the Lord, wherein the mighty man cries bitterly. That day is a day of wrath; a day of trouble and distress; a day of ruin (shoah<\/em>) and desolation (m\u2019shoah<\/em>); a day of darkness and gloom; a day of clouds and thick darkness\u201d (Zephaniah 1:14-15).<\/p>\n

Tellingly, Zephaniah is one of the very few prophets to speak of \u201cshoah<\/em>,\u201d a Hebrew word for ruin and desolation which would later be used in modern times to refer to the Holocaust. When using this painful word, it\u2019s possible he was also referring to events of our own generation \u2013 to the horrors of October 7, when more Jews were murdered in a single day than on any day since the Holocaust.<\/p>\n

For these sins, the terrorists of Gaza will pay. \u201cFor Gaza shall be deserted\u2026 At noon they shall drive her out, and Ekron shall be uprooted. Woe to the inhabitants of the seacoast, the nation of Cherethites! The word of the Lord is against you, Canaan land of the Philistines, and I will destroy you so that there shall not be an inhabitant\u201d (Zephaniah 2:4-5). As Israel systematically uproots Hamas from Gaza, whole swaths of that strip of land lie empty and deserted, just as Zephaniah prophesied. …<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t Rely on America<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the final chapter of the Book of Zephaniah, the prophet describes a fundamental change that will take place in Israel at the end of days \u2013 a shift that must occur for Israel to achieve its mission.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn that day you shall not be ashamed of all your deeds [with] which you rebelled against Me\u2026 And I will leave over in your midst a humble and poor people, and they shall take shelter in the name of the Lord. The remnant of Israel shall neither commit injustice nor speak lies; neither shall deceitful speech be found in their mouth, for they shall graze and lie down, with no one to cause them to shudder\u201d (Zephaniah 3: 11-13).<\/p>\n

Zephaniah tells us that Israel will learn true humility, and because of that, they will no longer have to be afraid. No one will \u201ccause them to shudder\u201d any longer. But how, exactly, will this change come about?<\/p>\n

Rabbi Meir Wisser (1809-1879) explains: \u201cIn earlier times\u2026 Israel established alliances with other powerful nations, asking them for military assistance. And because they relied on these powerful nations, they learned from their evil ways. But at the end of days, when all of the nations recognize God and serve Him, Israel will no longer sin, because \u2018no one will cause them to shudder,\u2019 and they will no longer learn from those nations\u2019 [false] ideologies and [evil] deeds.\u201d<\/p>\n

What is the root of Israel\u2019s rebellion against God? According to Rabbi Wisser, Zephaniah ascribes Israel\u2019s spiritual and moral failures to its dependence on powerful nations like the United States. By placing its trust in the United States, Israel has been physically and spiritually damaged in several ways that are not immediately apparent.<\/p>\n

From the beginning, the United States has made it clear that its support for Israel comes \u201cwith strings attached.\u201d https:\/\/www.israel365news.com\/381996\/zephaniahs-cry-dont-rely-on-america\/<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

“The prophet Zephaniah lived and wrote about 630 B.C.” (Armstrong HW. The Proof of the Bible, 1958).<\/p>\n

While I do not believe that the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas was prophesied by Zephaniah, let’s look at how Zephaniah’s book starts off:<\/p>\n

1 The word of the Lord which came to Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.<\/p>\n

2 “I will utterly consume everything
\nFrom the face of the land,”
\nSays the Lord;
\n3 ‘I will consume man and beast;
\nI will consume the birds of the heavens,
\nThe fish of the sea,
\nAnd the stumbling blocks along with the wicked.
\nI will cut off man from the face of the land,”
\nSays the Lord.<\/p>\n

4 “I will stretch out My hand against Judah,
\nAnd against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
\nI will cut off every trace of Baal from this place,
\nThe names of the idolatrous priests with the pagan priests \u2014
\n5 Those who worship the host of heaven on the housetops;
\nThose who worship and swear oaths by the Lord,
\nBut who also swear by Milcom;
\n6 Those who have turned back from following the Lord,
\nAnd have not sought the Lord, nor inquired of Him.” (Zephaniah 1:1-6)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The above is a warning of devastation coming to Jerusalem and Judah–Judah would be a reference to the nation now called Israel.<\/p>\n

Devastation did not happen to Jerusalem on October 7th.<\/p>\n

But according to Isaiah, great damage will come (Jerusalem is the “City of David” below) and it will involve Iran (Elam below) and Syria (Kir below):<\/p>\n

6 Elam bore the quiver
\nWith chariots of men and horsemen,
\nAnd Kir uncovered the shield.
\n7 It shall come to pass that your choicest valleys
\nShall be full of chariots,
\nAnd the horsemen shall set themselves in array at the gate.<\/p>\n

8 He removed the protection of Judah.
\nYou looked in that day to the armor of the House of the Forest;
\n9 You also saw the damage to the city of David,
\nThat it was great;
\nAnd you gathered together the waters of the lower pool.
\n10 You numbered the houses of Jerusalem,
\nAnd the houses you broke down
\nTo fortify the wall.
\n11 You also made a reservoir between the two walls
\nFor the water of the old pool.
\nBut you did not look to its Maker,
\nNor did you have respect for Him who fashioned it long ago. (Isaiah 22:6-11)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Both Zephaniah and Isaiah point to destruction coming to Jerusalem and the nation of Israel because they do not truly rely on God. On that point, rabbi Elie Mischel got that right.<\/p>\n

Another point that Elie Mischel got right is that relying on the USA is not the answer for the modern Jewish nation now called Israel.<\/p>\n

That is also consistent with a prophecy from Hosea with “Israel” below being a reference to the USA and one from Isaiah with Manasseh being a reference to the USA:<\/p>\n

4 “They do not direct their deeds
\nToward turning to their God,
\nFor the spirit of harlotry is in their midst,
\nAnd they do not know the Lord.
\n5 The pride of Israel testifies to his face;
\nTherefore Israel and Ephraim stumble in their iniquity;
\nJudah also stumbles with them. (Hosea 5:4-5)<\/p>\n

21 Manasseh shall devour Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh;
\nTogether they shall be against Judah.<\/p>\n

For all this His anger is not turned away,
\nBut His hand is stretched out still. (Isaiah 9:21)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

As far as Elie Mischel’s comments related to Zephaniah 2, he misses several things there. Some of those were discussed in our latest sermonette video: Leaving the American Dream for Safety<\/a>.<\/p>\n

That said, we are seeing escalation of the conflict between Hamas and Israel expand, and that may result in the fulfillment of part of Zephaniah 1 and Isaiah 22:6-11 in 2024.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, Elie Mischel is right that the time will come when Israel will find that relying on the USA was a mistake.<\/p>\n

Biblical prophecies are coming to pass as world events are aligning with them.<\/p>\n

Some items of possibly related interest may include:<\/em><\/p>\n

Zephaniah’s ‘Gather Together’ Prophecy<\/a> Is it safe to be ‘independent’ or in a non-Philadelphian Church of God? What did God inspire Zephaniah to write? This is a short video.
\nThere is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra<\/a> This article discusses a biblical ‘place of safety’ and includes quotes from the Bible and Herbert W. Armstrong on this subject–thus, there is a biblically supported alternative to the rapture<\/a> theory. There is also a video on the subject: Might Petra be the Place of Safety?<\/a> Here is something related in the Spanish language: Hay un lugar de seguridad para los Filadelfinos. \u00bfPuede ser Petra?<\/a>
\nGaza and the Palestinians in Bible Prophecy<\/a> What does the Bible teach about Gaza and the fate of the Palestinians? Here is a link to two related videos: Gaza and Bible Prophecy<\/a> and Gaza and Palestine in Prophecy<\/a>.
\nDamascus and Syria in Prophecy <\/a>Will Bashar Assad hold power as he has it? Does the Bible show that Damascus, the capital of Syria, will be destroyed? What will happen to Syria? Will the Syrians support the final King of the South that the Bible tells will rise up? Which scriptures discuss the rise and fall of an Arabic confederation? Does Islamic prophecy predict the destruction of Syria. This is a YouTube video.
\nIran in Prophecy<\/a> Is Iran in Bible prophecy? If so, what does the Bible teach? What names, other than Persia, may be used to describe Iran? There are also two related videos: Iran In Prophecy<\/span><\/a> and Iran and Israel Conflict<\/a>.
\nWhy Terrorism? Is Terrorism Prophesied?<\/a>\u00a0What does the Bible teach? Which nations may be affected? Here is a link to a related sermon:\u00a0Terrorism, Christianity, and Islam<\/a>. Here is a shorter video:\u00a0Afghanis: Potential terrorists?<\/a>
\nGaza and the Palestinians in Bible Prophecy<\/a> What does the Bible teach about Gaza and the fate of the Palestinians? Here is a link to two related videos: Gaza and Bible Prophecy<\/a> and Gaza and Palestine in Prophecy<\/a>.
\nJerusalem: Past, Present, and Future<\/a> What does the Bible say about Jerusalem and its future? Is Jerusalem going to be divided and eliminated? Is Jesus returning to the area of Jerusalem? There are also two related YouTube videos you can watch: Jerusalem To be divided and eliminated<\/a><\/span> and God’s and Satan’s Plan for Jerusalem<\/a>.
\nLost Tribes and Prophecies:\u00a0What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America?<\/a> Where did those people come from? Can you totally rely on DNA? Do you really know what will happen to Europe and the English-speaking peoples? What about the peoples of Africa, Asia, South America, and the islands? This free online book provides scriptural, scientific, historical references, and commentary to address those matters. Here are links to related sermons: Lost tribes, the Bible, and DNA<\/a>; Lost tribes, prophecies, and identifications<\/a>; 11 Tribes, 144,000, and Multitudes<\/a>; Israel, Jeremiah, Tea Tephi, and British Royalty<\/a>; Gentile European Beast<\/a>; Royal Succession, Samaria, and Prophecies<\/a>; Asia, Islands, Latin America, Africa, and Armageddon;<\/a>\u00a0 When Will the End of the Age Come?<\/a>;\u00a0 Rise of the Prophesied King of the North<\/a>; Christian Persecution from the Beast<\/a>; WWIII and the Coming New World Order<\/a>; and Woes, WWIV, and the Good News of the Kingdom of God<\/a>.
\nCould God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End?<\/a> Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2031 or 2025 or? There is also a video titled: When Does the 6000 Years End? 2031? 2035?<\/a> Here is a link to the article in Spanish: \u00bfTiene Dios un plan de 6,000 a\u00f1os?<\/a><\/span>
\nThe \u2018Peace Deal\u2019 of Daniel 9:27<\/a> This prophecy could give up to 3 1\/2 years advance notice of the coming Great Tribulation. Will most ignore or misunderstand its fulfillment? Here is a link to a related sermon video Daniel 9:27 and the Start of the Great Tribulation<\/a>. A short video is also available titled Trump\u2019s Deal of the <\/a>
\n24 items to prophetically watch in 2024<\/a> Much is happening. Dr. Thiel points to 24 items to watch (cf. Mark 13:37) in this article. Here is a link to a related video:\u00a024 Items to Prophetically Watch in 2024<\/a>.
\nWhen Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2024, 2025, or 2026?<\/a>\u00a0Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the \u201cbeginning of sorrows\u201d? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language:\u00a0\u00bfPuede la Gran Tribulaci\u00f3n comenzar en el 2020 o 2021? \u00bfEs el Tiempo de los Gentiles?<\/a>\u00a0A related video is:\u00a0Great Tribulation: 2026 or 2027?<\/a> A shorter video is: Tribulation in 2024?<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Imagined Depiction of Zephaniah (center) Speaking COGwriter The Associated Press reported the following: Fears grow that Israel, the US and Iran\u2019s allies are inching closer to all-out war with each strike January 8, 2024 In the last week alone, Israel has killed a senior Hamas militant in an airstrike in Beirut, Hezbollah has struck a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-85840","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-prophecy"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t