In Isaiah a watchman is asked about what he sees. It is contained in the prophecy of Dumah (Al Jawf of Arabia in North Saudi Arabia near the Jordanian border). Dumah (Arabia) is asked to look for any enemy by those in Seir.
The burden of Dumah. He calls to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night? The watchman said, The morning comes, and also the night: if ye will enquire, enquire ye: return, come. (Isaiah 21:11-12)
Seir is in modern Jordan adjacent to the South of Israel. In other words Arabia's burden is a fear from their connection to the Edomites (Palestinians) in Jordan.
Map showing Assyria, Seir and Dumah with modern nations superimposed based on map from Wikimedia Commons.
We again live in an era of fear of war. Again the Middle East is in the shadow of the darkness of night.
Many times the disciples of Messiah are asked to watch. Just one instance in over 14 occurrences is,
And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch. (Mark 13:37)
Arabia- 'what of the night?'
Saudi Arabia may have recently been asking Palestinians, 'what of the night?'.
Dubai (in the United Arab Emirates not Saudi Arabia, but adjacent to it) has been in the news. A Palestinian who may have been linked to Iran died of suspicious causes there. Dubai is linked to Iran (Persia), and has been since its formation, but it also is linked to America.
The name Dubai, apparently, means in Arabic, “creeping” or by the locust's action of 'creeping' it means “a locust”. In Revelation the Arabs are described as being like a plague of locusts (for more). In the recent incident in Dubai, 'the locust' led international condemnation focussed on alleged Israeli involvement. This attitude has underlined Dubai's links with Iran, whose rhetoric is warlike and who are arming for war and encouraging destabilising elements in a bid for regional hegemony. With rhetoric escalating against Israel including Iran, Syria, Turkey, Lebanon and the Palestinians, the Arabian watchman may indeed ask with fear, “what of the night?”.
What else might a watchman see in the dark of the nations?
There has been a spate of disasters holding the attention of the nations. At first we thought that the earthquake in Haiti may have had a purpose, but not be significant, despite the significance of the place name Port-a-Prince. However, take a look at the names of places affected by recent 'natural' disasters. After pondering their implications, the events may point to the beginning of a new stage in God's work in the nations.
Earthquake in Haiti: Port-au-Prince
The 7.0 earthquake Haiti (12 January) and shook a lot of people, as nearly 1 in 10 of the people in the city area were killed and another 1 in 10 injured. A 7 magnitude is not a very severe quake, but due to the careless and corrupt absence of building codes and the location of the quake the city was shaken and almost entirely destroyed. The dust of it rose up like the smoke rose over Sodom and Gomorrah. It affected a third of the nation's people. It affected the UN peacekeeping force (the UN had recently made anti-Israel resolutions)
At least 16 peacekeepers, including 11 Brazilians, three Jordanians, one Argentine and one Chadian, were reported dead Wednesday afternoon, U.N. officials said.
Brazil's president hopes to be involved with the effort to help divide Israel (in the aim of peace).
And,
Also among the dead was Joseph Serge Miot, the Roman Catholic archbishop of Port-au-Prince, according to the official Vatican newspaper. The archbishop was buried beneath rubble along with 100 priests and aspiring priests attending a religious conference, Papal Nuncio Bernardito Auza told the Vatican's Fides news agency. cnn.com
One may ponder why so few prisoners in gaol were killed with many escaping, and why exactly 100 of the Catholic leadership were killed, all at once, in one conference. Also, why the Cardinal Joseph Serge Miot and his Vicar General, Charles Benoit, were killed in the collapsed Cathedral with parishioners. time.com
President Barak Obama's response to the Haiti earthquake was,
"This tragedy seems especially cruel and incomprehensible, " smh.com.au/world/haiti-earthquake-horror
The use of the word "cruel" indicates he thought that the earthquake was not chance but an act. Presumably Obama was thinking his God was 'cruel' to do this. The quake affected the US and the Clintons (who, like the UN, were applying pressure to Israel). The act targeted the UN, the buildings of the corrupt Haitian regime who supported the practice of voodoo and the Catholic church whose membership (70% of the nation) overlapped that of those who practised voodoo (50% of the nation) and whose archbishop was,
regarded as a humble priest who sought to bridge the divide between the nation's Catholic clergy and voodoo priesthood time.com
He had worked to equate Catholic saint worship with worship of spirits, in the same way that the king who exalts himself honours the God of forces or in Hebrew ma'uzim (Daniel 11:38)
The name of the city destroyed is “the port of the prince”. In older translations of the Bible “the prince” refers to both the Messiah and the one who opposes him (Daniel 8:11 cp Daniel 12:1). It is 'the prince' who opposes Messiah that shall be destroyed.
in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, (Ephesians 2:2) For more see here
When he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:.. Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. (John 16:8-11 cp John 14:30)
But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; And killed the Prince of life, whom God has raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses. (Acts 3:14-15)
The formation of Haiti was as a result of the French revolution, and they expelled the Catholic clergy. The city was called Port-Républicain in 1793. It was then named Port-au-Prince by the man who gained power and named himself an emperor in 1804. When the man who named the city was assassinated in 1806 it was called briefly Port-aux-Crimes. The destruction of the quake underlines the failure of liberating forces of the French revolution. 'The port of the prince' of the world was shaken and one tenth fall. The earthquake of the French Revolution of Revelation 11:13 caused a tenth of the city to fall. Link But yet most do not repent as Yeshua asked them to do in a similar situation (Luke13:5). The pope merely called for 'solidarity', willing others to share the fate of Haiti.
Earthquake in Chile: Concepción del Nuevo Extremo
The immense loss of life in a mere 7.0 quake in Haiti is in stark contrast to the minimal loss of life (less than 500), in a 8.8 quake in Chile on 27 February which affected the same number of people. An 8.8 is the equal to the 7th most powerful quake in recorded history, and 400 times more powerful than Haiti.
This quake, affecting mostly the city of Concepción (originally the Concepción del Nuevo Extremo. or the 'conception or beginning of the new end', sent out a tsunami. The waves affected a place named Constitucion or constitution (a system of laws and customs) and Valparaíso, literally Paradise Valley. The tsunami reached across the Pacific Ocean. Both Concepción and Valparaíso have as their emblem a golden eagle (link) And Concepción has amongst its twin cities 'Bethlehem, Palestinian National Authority'.
From this one could surmise perhaps (though not dogmatically) that 'the conception of the new end' will be related to a nation with an eagle-emblem with the people (as a surge in the ocean) affecting a constitution in an attempt for a paradise valley, which will affect the nations of the ocean. Germany (which like Concepción and Valparaíso in Chile has as a symbol an Eagle), has taken a new role in Europe (which has a new constitution), made obvious after recent issues with Greece.
In any case, the conception of the new end is attached to a shortening of the day,
Seismologists estimate that the earthquake was so powerful that it may have shortened the length of the day by 1.26 microseconds and moved the Earth's figure axis by 8 cm or 2.7 milliarcseconds. Wikipedia
In the days before the great trouble of AD70, Yeshua warned his followers
And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he has chosen, he has shortened the days. (Mark 13:20)
Just as in those days, the days may be shortened to the return of Messiah.
The storm in France inundating the coast
The storm named Xynthia (Cynthia) was “a national catastrophe” for France, causing power outages for nearly a million. The storm is named after the place of the goddess Artemis (a moon goddess like Ishtar). Worst affected was L'Aiguillon-sur-Mer, in English “the 'sting' or 'goad' (a figuative spur for horse) of the sea”. There an 8m high wave inundated the town while people slept. All of the Atlantic coast from Spain to Portugal, Brittany and Belgium was battered by strong winds driving waves onshore, but in France at L'Aiguillon-sur-Mer the sea walls built at the time of Napoleon failed.
"The sea wall that broke dated from (the era) of Napoleon," news.bbc.co.uk
jpost.com
Napoleon broke the political power of the Catholic Church in Europe, and also brought in legislation that favoured freedom of religion, including protestants and Jews. Napoleon worked hard in his lifetime to ensure there was no discrimination against Jews in France.
That 8m high waves breach Napoleon's defences against the sea, where in scripture the sea symbolises the mass of the people of the nations, parallels Europe's loss of defences against the rising power of the Papacy (whose worship includes Ishtar) and the tide of the common people's anti-Semitism, the 'sting or goad of the sea'. This understanding of the event adds to the implications of L'Aquila where a bastion against the Papacy fell. In a sense also France has lost power, with a Germanic Europe in ascendency.
In any case there is a great power that uses both water and people to achieve His end.
Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards...whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine! Behold, the Lord has a mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand. (Isaiah 28:1-2)
Freak wave: Louis Majesty cruise ship
Again an 8m or 10m high wave causes damage, but this time in the Mediterranean.
"There were at least three abnormally high waves which broke windshields and cascaded along the decks,"www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/cruise-passengers-killed-as-monster-waves-hit
"It was three waves, one after the other. The damage was done by the second and the third waves. We are talking about waves that exceeded 10 metres in height. This was unforeseen and unpredicted because the weather was not really that bad," Maratheftis said.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/cruise-ship-passenger-tells-of-terrifying-wave-ordeal
Though near France or Spain it affected a German and an Italian, and the ship bears a French name.
Louis is French from the German 'Ludwig' and means 'famous warrior', or 'famous in battle'. It was a hereditary title of the Franks from Clovis (c. 466 – 511). Clovis is a early version of Louis. Clovis rejected Arian ideas for Catholic and gave the French the symbol of the fleur-de-lis and 3 frogs. The Louis name was held by no less than 17 French kings of which the sun king (Louis XIV) was 'Louis Majesty'. He promulgated the idea of the divine right of kings to unify his nation. He used force and discrimination to revoke the Edict of Nantes, forcing Huguenots to flee in large numbers. The unfortunate Jews who were incorporated into Louis XIV's expanded empire escaped expulsion (except in Martinique), but were subjected to extortion.
The Bible commentary on waves may explain this incident. No less than God himself says to Job,
who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb? When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddling band for it, And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors, And said, Hitherto shall thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed? (Job 38:8-11)
You rule the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, you still them. (Psalm 89:9)
The LORD on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea. Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becomes thine house, O LORD, for ever. (Psalm 93:4-5)
Because the LORD has spoiled Babylon, and destroyed out of her the great voice; when her waves do roar like great waters, a noise of their voice is uttered: (Jeremiah 51:55)
A proud revived Louis Majesty, an imperial united anti-Semitic Europe led by Germany and Italy, will try to rule the nations, having demolished Napoleon's legacy. But God declares he rules the proud waves of the sea.
Praise the LORD from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps: Fire, and hail; snow, and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his word: (Psalm 148:7-8)
Earthquake in Turkey: Ockular
8 March, 2010 a magnitude 6.0 earthquake strikes a remote Kurdish area in Turkey. It might have passed without much remark except for the previous Chile quake and that at least one village was flattened. On the news we first heard 60 people died and,
“it knocked down stone or mud-brick houses and minarets in at least six villages”
and for one village there was complete destruction,
"Everything has been knocked down, there is not a stone in place," says administrator for village of Yukari Kanatli,http://www.jpost.com/International/Article.aspx?id=170468
In Okcular“the air was thick with dust from crumpled homes and barns”http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100308/ap_on_re_eu/eu_turkey_earthquake
The quake was timed just before a prayer time,
Abdulkerim Sekerdag, 72, said he had just risen for early morning prayers when the quake hit. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100308/ap_on_re_eu/eu_turkey_earthquake
Okcular was the worst hit area. Okcular in English relates to 'seeing' to and to watching. But in Turkish it means “archery, bowman”. The village destroyed, with not a stone left in place, Yukari Kanatli, has a name that means in Turkish the “'upwards or high' winged”. Another place suffering much destruction is Yukari Demirci, meaning “the high blacksmith”. Two other places mentioned in the media are Kayalik and Gocmezler, respectively the 'rocky/place cliff' and 'migrate/fall in, die, go hence'. This occurred in Turkey, which has recently become vocally against Israel, and could be described as, 'a high winged bowman'.
Are the quakes connected?
Humans connect events in their mind and we like 3 events.
Monday's quake in eastern Turkey followed deadly recent temblors in Haiti and Chile, but Bernard Doft, the seismologist for the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute in Utrecht, said there was no direct connection between the three.
"These events are too far apart to be of direct influence to each other," he said news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100308/ap_on_re_eu/eu_turkey_earthquake
They are not connected geologically, but what if they are connected merely because humans will link them together in their thinking? There is, though it would seem unlikely, a connection from the Catholic world to the Muslim world.
Is there an uncanny parallel to international events when the names of the places are linked?
From the Catholic Port-of-the-Prince dust ascends to 'the conception of the new end' with the people (as a surge in the ocean) affecting a European constitution in an attempt for a paradise valley, which will affect the all the nations. To those of us watching, the Muslim 'bowman' ascends with 'wings', a high 'blacksmith' (shaping in fire) the nations at a 'rocky/place cliff' to cause people to 'migrate, fall, die, and go hence'. The 'bowman' wants Jews to “fall” and “go hence” from the rock/cliff that is the centre of Jerusalem.
The amazing thing is how much sense can be read into a mere linking of the place names together in order. For there is indeed one high (as in Holy) 'rocky' place related to Muslim issues of 'migration': Jerusalem.
And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it. (Zechariah 12:3)
Events in Jerusalem may soon link a Catholic 'conception of a new end' to a Muslim 'bowman'. In any case we watch unfolding Bible prophecy. We must first read and understand what the Bible says before we can know what God is saying in natural events. There does seem to be evidence that God with His great power moves the natural world to prefigure His work in the political world.
We don't even need to read the earthquakes to know there is a new push for 'a conception of a new end'. A new round of negotiations over Israel's mountains and Jerusalem is to start now. With American vice president Biden turning up in Israel and also, possibly, Brazil's president. None of the nations have learnt that if they pick up Jerusalem they shall be cut in pieces.
What of the night?
And warlike Seir (the ancient enemy of Israel) reborn in the West Bank Palestinians is asking Arabia 'what of the night?', And the Arabians are saying 'return' or 'go away'. In the days of Isaiah, Arabia was wary of the expansionist crescent Assyrians (from Damascus to Babylon). The crescent of warlike intent today is from Iran, Syria and Turkey to Lebanon. See map.
For more on the background to signs see
The watchman
The crown placed on the head of Elizabeth 11 is thought to contain 4 pearls from Elizabeth 1. There seem some interesting parallels between the 2 Elizabethan ages.
Whoa! Has the Creator made a comment?
This article explores why we might wish to “Watch!” as we were commanded by Jesus, pronouced Y'shua. The signs we see and how we might see them are directed by our attitudes and viewpoint. Many people miss facts that are blindingly obvious, even facts which might eventually impact on their lives.
The ten plaugues overshadow the fact that Moses was given three signs to show to the children of Israel to prove that he was to lead them to their redemption from slavery. Two of those signs later were shown to Pharaoh and the Egyptian court. The three signs speak of aspects of redemption.
