Monday, May 2, 2011

The Aftermath

The only news today seems to be the death of bin Laden, and I, for one have mixed emotions.

Everyone in the U.S., myself included, is glad that justice was served, and glad that hopefully - now - the victims of 911 and their family and loved ones may have some degree of closure. But to be honest, I am surprised at my unexpected emotions as I watch the celebrations regarding this death.

I can't put my finger on these 'mixed emotions', but maybe it goes something like this:

There are celebrations occurring at the death of another human, a human who presumably never knew Jesus. In some ways this is a tragedy and serves as an example of the finality of death in someone who refused to accept the gift offered by Jesus on the cross. There is a certain sadness at this, and perhaps it is somehow symbolic of every death in a person who refused to accept Jesus.

Maybe its the "celebratory aspect' of this death vs quiet reflection. I lean more towards quiet reflection, but, on the other hand can certainly understand those who need to celebrate this death and would never criticize individuals engaged in such celebration - particularly those in NYC and those who lost loved ones during that tragic day.

Anyway, now we focus on the aftermath and what we can expect now. Hyperbole or reality?

'Nuclear hellstorm' if bin Laden is caught or killed: Al-Qaida

Al-Qaida terrorists have threatened to unleash a "nuclear hellstorm" on the West if their leader and world's most wanted terrorist Osama bin Laden is nabbed.

A senior Al-Qaida commander has claimed that the terror group has stashed away a nuclear bomb in Europe which will be detonated if bin Laden is ever caught or assassinated, according to new top secret files made public by whistleblower website WikiLeaks.


Threats Claim Nuclear Bombs Hidden All Over U.S.

The threats came in the mail and to date, there have been 25 letters that warn of nuclear bombs destroying America.
People who got them called the FBI and CBS 2′s Kristyn Hartman learned, the Bureau’s Chicago office is leading the investigation.

FBI Special Agent Andre Zavala said, “Yes, they alarmed a lot of people.”

The letter inside said, “The Al-Qaeda organization has planted 160 nuclear bombs throughout the U.S. in schools, stadiums, churches, stores, financial institutions and government buildings.” It also said, “This is a suicide mission for us.”

Agencies in Oregon, California, Texas and Florida also got the letter with the Chicago postmark.
“There are items in the letter that lead us to believe it is a hoax,” said Zavala. “There are several demands documented that aren’t fully coherent.”


Personally, I don't believe this and it appears that we could categorize this as more hyperbole by the terrorists, something commonly seen. Additionally, I believe that the routine maintenance required of nuclear weapons exceeds the capabilities of the terrorists. We will see.

Hamas mourns bin Laden's death

Hamas on Monday condemned the killing by US forces of Osama bin Laden and mourned him as an "Arab holy warrior" while the Pakistani Taliban threatened revenge and US sources said Saudi Arabia had refused to bury the arch-terrorist's body.

"We regard this as a continuation of the American policy based on oppression and the shedding of Muslim and Arab blood," Ismail Haniyeh, head of the Hamas administration in the Gaza Strip, told reporters.

Though he noted doctrinal differences between bin Laden's al Qaeda and Hamas, Haniyeh said: "We condemn the assassination and the killing of an Arab holy warrior. We ask God to offer him mercy with the true believers and the martyrs."

Meanwhile the Pakistani Taliban threatened attacks against government leaders, including President Asif Ali Zardari, the Pakistan army and the United States.


The Muslim Brotherhood also weighs in:

Issam al-Aryan of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood responded to bin Laden's death by calling on the US to withdraw from Afghanistan and Iraq. "With bin Laden's death one of the main reasons for violence in the world is gone," he said.

"It's time for Obama to withdraw from Afghanistan and Iraq and terminate the occupation of the US and Western forces throughout the world, which harms Muslim states deeply."


Hamas slams killing of 'holy warrior' Osama bib Laden by U.S. forces

The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas on Monday condemned the killing by U.S. forces of Osama bin Laden and mourned him as an "Arab holy warrior."

"We regard this as a continuation of the American policy based on oppression and the shedding of Muslim and Arab blood," Ismail Haniyeh, head of the Hamas administration in the Gaza Strip, told reporters.


In other news:

Egypt says it will soon open Gaza border permanently

Analysts say the new rulers in Cairo are shifting policy away from the Mubarak era, in part to gain credibility amongst a largely pro-Palestinian population.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Elaraby last week called the blockade on Gaza "disgraceful" and told Al-Jazeera television that Egypt would look into ways to open the border within 10 days.

Egypt has brokered a reconciliation deal between Palestinian factions, due to be signed this week, and Cairo has signaled it is ready for closer diplomatic relations with Iran. Ties between the two countries have been severed for about three decades.


This is very big news. Now weapons from Iran will be able to flow into Gaza unabated. The preparations for war can begin in earnest. An open border between Egypt and Gaza effectively gives Iran even more of a foothold in Israel, combined with Lebanon in the north and Syria in the east.

The vice continues to tighten around Israel - exactly as described by the prophet Zechariah.

23 comments:

Alice said...

I think you put your finger on it quite well, Scott. Despite the fact that probably every American wanted to see justice served, there is something very wrong with partying in the streets over the death of a human being. We look like them. :(

Anonymous said...

Usama Bin Laden was evil, for sure. However, our battle is most definitely not against flesh & blood. It's just a matter of time before the enemy uses another willing & easily deceived man to do his bidding - then he will chew him up, spit him out and destroy him just as he did this man. It's very sad, indeed. Killing a man and saying it's over and partying about it is like killing the vicious dog of an evil man who trained it to be vicious and thinking the battle is won.

Leslie

Anonymous said...

I feel the same mixed emotions as you so well wrote about. It doesn't feel right to celebrate over another human's death. It's something I have never done, nor considered doing.

I think this is called being "born again". It puts us in a different light , a different attitude than others.
Maybe, I am wrong..? I don't know.

God bless you!

Anonymous said...

Scott I felt very similar. I had very little emotion and certainly no excitement? I was somewhat puzzled by the celebrations. Maybe it was because it has been 10 years since 9/11 or maybe it is because it was not really prophecy related all that much? It might also have a bit to do with Obama getting all the love and credit? I'm not sure. Don't get me wrong I am happy justice has been served and the guy is dead but just not much emotion on my part...

WVBORN56

Paula said...

Here are my thoughts on this:
http://www.fether.net/2011/05/02/when-enemies-fall/

Anonymous said...

Scott-wow! my thoughts are somewhat different on this. i have lived long enough and seen enough now to realize a few things, say that the authorities in this nation have no problem bold face lying to the citizens. last night i was excited and even mystified that we had taken his body. and of course his body now has been buried at sea. so no one ooolcan verify any of this! i feelthis "death" is very important because it is allowing something else to be set up! dont know what...but we will see it very soon. as for the nukes...according to soviet spy defectors, way back in the 70's, testifying to congress, said russia had numerous a bombs here in the us specifically, ny, chicago, la and sf ready for the right time. they have sold these weapons to certain high paying iradical islamist. this way russia can destroy us and blame it legitimately on others. i used to get so worried about things like this lol but hey my hope is in Jesus! i am saddened and mourning for my nation who i once loved and brlieved in greatly. oh that we would turn our face back to God!

Scott said...

I'm a little relieved that I'm not the only one feeling this way...I was driving to work this morning thinking that I could get slammed hard for this....And as stated, I am glad that the people involved got justice, and if I had loved ones in that building that day, I too may be 'celebrating' - and I don't want to appear callous to that.

But as Alice said "we look like them" was actually my first thought - it looked a lot like the radical Islamic elements celebrating over 9-11 or similar events.

I am glad he is dead and all that - mainly so that he cannot do something like 9-11 in the future.

But also - to me anyway - The fact remains that >3,000 people still perished that day - something that cannot be changed - and today seems like another appropriate occasion to solemnly acknowledge that aspect. That doesn't seem as cause for celebration.

And then there is the whole aspect of the tragic death of someone who didn't know Christ - which is always cause for reflection.

I was also thinking about 1 Thess 5:

"For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus" (5:9)

and

"He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9)

Anonymous said...

hey guys smoke and mirrors. what are they distracting us from today? look around with discerment, they are pulling something over our eyes in plain view. what is it? Satan the great deceiver, the ultimate magician trickster is up to no good! while the world is focused on bin laden some kind of big crazy grounwork is being laid and i bet whatever it is...it will be prophetic in a gigantic way! so pay all you attention to the man behind the curtain. ally

Paula said...

I don't see how "we look like them" at all. They were gloating that thousands of innocent people were suddenly murdered without provocation and have vowed to kill more ever since. The few (not the masses) in America who are openly gloating are doing so because a hateful, murderous terrorist was killed. If there is no difference between how we treat criminals and victims, we know nothing of justice or discernment.

Also, even God will "give them over" after His enemies have had a fair chance to repent. In Rev. we are told of the souls of martyrs asking God to avenge their blood, and they are not rebuked. Later, we see the residents of heaven GLOATING and cheering that God's wrath was at last being poured down on the earth.

Some say that we who believe the pre-trib. rapture are selfish and cold-blooded to the lost, because we actually look forward to the day when millions on the earth will suffer the wrath of God. If all who think it wrong to celebrate the death of an evil man can answer why this charge is false, then you'll also understand why some of us see nothing wrong with being happy and grateful to God for taking away this scourge.

Anonymous said...

Hi Scott~

I am new to your site and really enjoy learning to discern much from the worldly aspect and the sound doctrine of the bible. I think your site has been a great source of help.

I too believe in a pre-trib. rapture and when I heard the message today, I was stuck with odd emotions of a different kind. I was glad he had been caught, but not in this manner. Oddly enough I felt at the end he was still once God's child. Not saying at all I agree with his wicked behavior and lifestyle to many nations and families.

Then I thought about your rapture messages from 2010. The part of people during the tribulation period standing in the streets chanting "peace" and "safety". That is very scary right now. Though many may be happy, this solution the USA made (which he needed to be caught) has now moved us to the next level of prophecy, correct?

I think we can take this as a time to enlist our troops to spread the word to those who still have a chance to turn back and accept Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. To me that would be a great use of time instead of dancing in the streets with glee. Again, just some feelings that came over me today. Not saying anyone else's is right or wrong. I just felt like in these last days we should really be spreading the word, like you are doing here.

Thank you for your site.

Anonymous said...

I agree that we as Christians who are watching, that we should spread the gospel to all. We try, but I think we let many opportunties go by. I personally never know quite how to approach ones , and what to say. When I have, of course the Holy Spirit always brought me through with flying colors! What I am going to start doing, is taking my Christian lit. that I get through the mail. Cutting off my name, and distributing them around town. Maybe one more gentiles will be brought in. Who know, may the fullness . I am so ready to see the Lord.

Anonymous said...

On May 1, 1945, German radio announced the death of Adolph Hitler.

Anonymous said...

That is a great idea about the Christian Lit. That reminds me of a spiritual prompting I have had for sometime and never followed it through. I recieve many books in the mail for donations, etc. It's funny because I have always felt God telling me to leave a book on a bench for someone else to find. I think your right. It's time to spread the word in many forms. Thank you for reminding me of that.

Have a blessed day!

Scott said...

Paula,
I absolutely see your points and I cannot disagree with any of them - and there are huge differences (as you correctly point out) in the celebrations in America today as contrasted with the celebrations of Islamic people at the deaths of innocent US citizens on 9/11. I get that and I completely agree.

As far as "looking like them" - it had nothing to do with the underlying cause or who was celebrating appropriately or not ----> It was just appearances based on a glance at the celebrations - in fact, when I turned on the TV - it was already tuned in to the news, and all I saw was this celebration in the streets, and I immediately assumed it was one of the Islamic celebrations - just on looks alone. That was the point there.

I was really just giving my visceral feelings (and as stated, unexpected) when I woke up this morning to the news.

Anyway, having said the above - I actually agree with what you are saying.

Anonymous said...

Today is Jewish Holocaust Remembrance day.

Scott said...

ANON
Many thanks for the support and I'm so glad you find the site useful - thats music to my ears :)

As far as the peace and safety reference.

In 1 Thess 5:3, I believe that is a reference to the beginning of the Tribulation, once the AC has "confirmed" the covenant, there will be a brief period of "peace and safety" - at which point the first judgments begin and "suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman", they will not escape"....Here, "they" refers to non-believers who are caught unexpectedly in the Tribulation - and Paul is drawing a contrast to those who are "saved" and who are "sons of the light" (ie, believers in Christ), who "do not belong to the night or to darkness".

This contrast serves as a reference to the pre-trib rapture, as summed up in verse 9: "For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ".

Sometimes this is confused with Ezekiel 38:11, when God says to Gog:

"I will invade a land of unwalled villages; I will attack a peaceful and unsuspecting people - al of them living without walls and without bars and gates" - a reference to the time Gog-MaGogs invasion of the Nation of Israel - the condition in which the Israeli's are living at the time of this invasion...

Hope this helps!

God Bless, and thanks again
Scott

Anonymous said...

I completely agree with anon 1:49 poster. When I saw the people cheering and all of the posts I had on FB from friends about us finally being free, I too thought of 1 Thes 5:3. I don't even know if the context is correct but it sure was eerie.

Let's all be praying for and witnessing to the lost. I live in an area where there are several "Christian" cults and it seems that many of them are questioning their beliefs. I feel like God is really working in hearts and watering seeds that are being planted. I look at it this way, is it harder to talk about the Good News of Jesus with someone or to think of them being tormented in Hell forever? Trust me, I miss several opportunities myself but I'm asking Him to help me in this area and He is. If someone rejects what I have to say, they are rejecting Him, not me.

James said...

Scott:
I have taken some time to ponder over the death of Bin Laden. I worked through my initial feeling of being happy he is gone but I also had mixed emotions. As a result of those mixed emotions, I want to speak specifically about why Christians have them.
When I look at God’s word in Ezekiel 18:23, He says
“Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?

And again in Ezekiel 33:11 “Say to them, 'As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, O house of Israel?

We see God’s love here for all of His children. God created us to draw near to us; His longing to be with us is driven by complete love. What He wants from His children is that same longing. Osama Bin Laden was a creation from God and He loved him as much as he loves you and I. His dreams for him were and are the same that he has for us. The failing in Bin Laden’s life stems from being taught to worship a pagan god designed out of anger, fear and murder. Those around him as a child will be held accountable for all of their failings with regards to him and his belief system.

We know that he knew about Jesus Christ and heard our Lord’s testimony. Unfortunately, he denied that Christ was the Messiah and chose the wrong path. When I think of my own life, and how many times I have failed God, I know that through Christ, God has always been there to save me from myself. By choosing not to accept Christ, Bin Laden cut himself off from God. God still loved him and longed for him to come to him through Christ but it wasn’t to be. God loves us so much! That love is so deep that He is willing to let us go rather than take away our ability to choose Him!

It comes down to this, when a parent has a child who is not obedient, does the father stop loving him? No. Does the father take a hands off approach and let the child be? No. The good father works harder to present the truth to his child in every way in hopes of saving him. Does the Father who so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son do any less for his children? No. I believe that God was sad that Bin Laden, with every choice he was given, took another step away from Him. Because of Christ, I believe that God was available to him right up to his last second of life. I am so comforted by that fact, that it humbles me in my every thought when it comes to my Father in heaven!

God wants us to love others through his eyes. He wants us to know that each of us, no matter who we are, is precious in His sight. In creating us out of the purest form of love, he wants us to long to see everyone come to Him through Christ. He wants us to forget what they did and see who what they mean to Him! When we apply this form of love to all of the people in the world, then we truly begin to know God.

As always, I thank you for your ministry here and what your friendship has given me. You truly are my brother and for that I say thank you!

Superb Jon said...

Brzezinski set up Zia, so why be surprised bin Laden was in on the Sineurabia code? Pakistanis are descended from weasels who sold their Hindu brothers into hundreds of years of islamic slavery. That is why FIAT supplied Iran and every Catholic is like a Manchurian Candidate programmed to kill their best friend of they felt the "Holy Father" required it. Vatican Osservatore Romano editor Vian said on May 18th that Obama "is not a pro-abortion president" - proves stand to encourage Catholics to breed and to encourage non-Catholics to abort out of spite. The Vatican likes the abortion status quo in the USA for this reason. Their purpose is only conquest, not faith. Carolignian Brzezinski spawned Zia al Haq, Khomeini, and bin Laden - breaks up superpowers via Aztlan and Kosovo as per Joel Garreau's Nine Nations. Brzezinski, Buckley and Buchanan winked anti-Semitic votes for Obama, delivered USA to Pope's feudal basket of Bamana Republics. Michael Pfleger and Joe Biden prove Obama is the Pope's boy. Obama is half a Kearney from County Offaly in Ireland. Talal got Pontifical medal as Fatima mandates Catholic-Muslim union against Jews (Francis Johnson, Great Sign, 1979, p. 126), Catholic Roger Taney wrote Dred Scott decision. John Wilkes Booth, Tammany Hall and Joe McCarthy were Catholics. Now Catholic majority Supreme Court. Catholics Palmisano, Grasso, Damato, Langone, Mozilo, Ranieri, Dioguardi, Palmieri destroyed American industry with their casuistrous ethics. Subprime construction mobsters had hookers deliver mortgages to banks. McCain's Keeting started it all. They find American cars too advanced to use or their mechanics to fix. Ellis Island Popecrawlers brought in FDR. Since Pio Nino banned voting they consider our Constitution and laws immoral and illegitimate and think nothing of violating them or passing legislation that undermine them. They believe that they can not be fully loyal to their superiors if they do not go the extra stretch and break the law intentionally. Their slovenly, anti-intellectual work ethic produces vacuous, casuistrous blather and a tangle of hypocritical, contradictory regulations. Their clubhouse purges provided praetorian training for corporate misgovernance. They sided with the enemy in both World Wars and now, too. Their brutal, vindictive tradition was manifest when Pompey crucified Spartacus and his six thousand fellow rebel slaves as a grisly display along the Capua-Rome highway. They know no mercy or forgiveness: when the subjugated Carthage asked permission to defend itself, they were so paranoid, they burned and salted it to the ground - they now treat Russia the same way, exposing us to muslim risk. Vercingetorix was strangled in prison five years after he surrendered. Every American boom has been caused by an Evangelical Revival and every major Depression by the domination of new Catholic immigrants. NYC top drop outs: Hispanic 32%, Black 25%, Italian 20%. NYC top illegals: Ecuadorean, Italian, Polish. Ate glis-glis but blamed plague on others, now lettuce coli. Their bigotry most encouraged terror yet they reap most security funds. View this life as casuistry training to survive purgatory. Rabbi circumcises lower, Pope upper brain. Tort explosion by glib casuistry. Hollywood Joe Kennedy had Bing Crosby proselytize. Bazelya 1992 case proves PLO-IRA-KLA links. Our enemy is the Bru666elles Sineurabia feudal Axis and the only answer is alliance with Israel and India. They killed six million Jews, a million Serbs, half a million freemasons, a quarter million Gypsies, they guided the slaughter of Assyrians and Armenians, and promoted the art of genocide throughout the world now they are relentless in their year to canonize nazi pope. They had no qualms hijacking American policy in Vietnam or Balkans to papal ends, but when American interests opposed those of the papacy in Iraq and Iran, they showed their true fangs (Frum, Unpatriotic Conservatives).

Scott said...

JAMES
Many thanks for that...I think you expressed (much more eloquently) what I was attempting to express (I never was that good at English, or writing for that matter:)

Jon,
I am completely intrigued by your comments, and want to re-read them before saying anything, but it sounds like you have a historical view on many important matters.

Expected Imminently said...

Scott
I am also intrigued by Jon's comment; and what I was able to understand, I agreed with.

A touch of 'All Roads Lead to Rome' if I am not mistaken?

Sue

Anonymous said...

Dear Scott~

Thank you for the clarity you added to my post yesterday (Annon-
1:49). That was very helpful to see the differences. In these times things can get very jumbled in our thinking.

I know we all have a responsibility to ourselves as well as our families to keep staying grounded in the word for answers. Your site, to me, is going to be a wonderful bridge that I am going to use to send others over to see what is happening.

Too many times one can get stuck in 'religion' and loose the personal relationship with God. When that happens, we tend to loose the messages he is sending. I think your site can help a non-believer as well as christians to see daily happenings and to keep our hearts and souls in perspective to God's word. Thanks again for that.

To James: I am happy that God touched you with a clearer vision on this situation. Like I said yesterday, I think all points of view are valid, but as a mother of a young child, I just seemed to see things oddly different.

I could not shake the fact that BL was once a young child, going to school and hanging around other kids, just like my child. To think of a soul that was grabbed and compromised in the manner his was by Satan, just shows us that he will do whatever he needs to and use whomever he sees fit to destroy. I guess that is how it was hitting me yesterday, that God loves us like his little children too. If we don't steer clear from corruption and corruptable thinking, look what can happen to one innoncent (at the time) child of God.

God Bless everyone and thanks again for the help and support in my walk with Christ.

Scott said...

Amen to that - many thanks for the thoughtful post.