There's no SECRET -- Here's An Example of HOW Prophecy Works . . . .
Geography. Specific geography, is one of the main keys to how real prophecy works.
So, let's take a look at a very simple example to see.
There is ancient geography, and there is modern geography. Ancient geography is connected to modern geography in both location and names of inhabitants. Look at these "names" and consider the location involved.
Arabians, Ammonites, Ashdodites, Jerusalem.
Also, consider the subject: walls of Jerusalem.
Millenia ago a man named Nehemiah asked permission from the ruler he served to do something. The ruler gave him permission to do what he wanted.
What Nehemiah wanted was this: "If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it."
So, the king granted the favor, and even gave Nehemiah legal documents giving him safe passage and access to Jerusalem. Nehemiah took his leave, traveled to Judah. After he arrived he took a tour of the city to see the damage that had to be repaired.
There was only one catch -- certain local peoples did not want the welfare of the children of Israel improved. Here is what Nehemiah ran into. "Then I came to the governors beyond the river, and gave them the king's letters... When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel."
As a sidelight, compare this to the beginnings of modern day Israel. The United Nations, gave to the Jews ("Israel") legal documents saying they could rebuild in the land around Jerusalem, and in Jerusalem, in essence. The local inhabitants, the "Arabians, Ammonites, Horonites, and the Ashdodites" were grieved "exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel". These peoples were the same we see today. One you should easily recognize Arabians. Ammonites refers to Jordan today. Ashdodites the Palestinians, etc.
As things progressed, this happened. "But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel againse the king?"
Nehemiah answered: "... The Elohim of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: BUT ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem." And, today, this is the same argument. We have the right and you don't. That is the argument from both sides. It is a debate that is to ultimately show which Elohim is real and rules.
Well, needless to say, the "Jews" went ahead and worked on the "walls of Jerusalem". "So built we the wall; ..." "But, it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth, and CONSPIRED all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it."
You can read the rest of the story yourself in the history written by Nehemiah thousands of years ago. And, you've all read or heard of the rise of modern day Israel, and how they have had to battle the very same peoples today, in the same geographic areas.
Geography and REPETITION are two keys for understanding. What you are seeing today is just a repeat of Biblical history, literally, but on a different scale. Now, in conclusion, look at this. Click on the titles to read the full articles:
Israeli excavation near holy site outrages Palestinians
Last Updated: Tuesday, February 6, 2007 | 9:57 PM ET
The Associated Press
With dozens of policemen looking on, an Israeli bulldozer began work on an archeological excavation next to the Holy Land's most explosive religious site Tuesday, drawing Palestinian protests and condemnations from the Arab world.
Israeli excavation in Jerusalem should stop, UN says
Last Updated: Wednesday, March 14, 2007 | 5:06 PM ET
CBC News
Israel should immediately cease work on an access path to a holy site in Jerusalem, the United Nations said Wednesday.
ISRAEL TO REPAIR TEMPLE MOUNT; MUSLIMS WHINE AND SEATH
Submitted by motnews on Tue, 2007-02-06 21:22. ::
(NYSun)
"Work has begun to repair an ancient mound near Jerusalem's holiest site, raising tensions between Palestinians and Israelis," the BBC reports.
The Israeli authorities say the work is needed to restore a walkway leading to the al-Aqsa Mosque or Temple Mount compound in East Jerusalem. Palestinian leaders say it threatens Islamic archaeological remains.
And those Islamic archaeological remains came on top of the remains of the Jewish Temple and surrounding buildings -- so the Palestinians would do well to not bring historical rights into this, otherwise they might find themselves fully evicted.
The BBC also reports:
On Sunday, Jordan's King Abdullah warned against "any attack on Islamic sites" and condemned Israeli attempts "seeking to change the nature of these sites and erase their Muslim character".
Considering its record when controlling the Old City of Jerusalem (1948 to 1967), Jordan would have done well to keep quiet.
After Jordan invaded the Old City, it either killed or kicked out all the Jewish residents of Jerusalem and destroyed and desecrated Jewish holy sites. Jordan also banned Jews from having any access to their holy sites -- including the Wailing Wall. Christians too were restricted in access to their holy sites.
Only once Israel recaptured the Old City from the Jordanians were all religions given access to their sites. Israel even gave the Islamic Wakf (religious trust) control on the Temple Mount.
Update: "In a new showdown, Islamic leaders on Tuesday called for a new wave of violence against Israel over a contested Israeli archeological excavation near the Temple Mount," the Jerusalem Post reports. We hope Israel won't surrender to the threat of violence.
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There you have it. "Deja vu -- all over again."
