Author: Dr. Bob Thiel

A reader tipped me off to the following from the Times of Israel:

Jordan’s king says Ukraine war exposes need for ‘Middle East NATO’
June 25, 2022
Jordan’s King Abdullah has raised the possibility of forming a military alliance in the Middle East similar to NATO, while pointing to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as a potential roadblock to such an initiative.
In an interview with CNBC released on Friday, the monarch said he would “be one of the first people [who] would endorse a Middle East version” of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, noting the growing importance of regional cooperation in light of the challenges created by the war in Ukraine.
“All of us are coming together and saying, ‘how can we help each other,’” he said, noting that cooperation is “very unusual for the region,” better known for near-constant strife. …
Abdullah said Middle Eastern countries now realize that working together will eventually serve their own respective goals, also calling for more sharing of resources. …
He argued that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is one of those stumbling blocks. “If [Israelis and Palestinians are] not talking to each other, that creates insecurities and instability in the region that will affect regional projects,” he said.
Abdullah subsequently pointed to Iran, saying the Islamic Republic’s role in the region is problematic.
“Nobody wants war, nobody wants conflict,” he vaguely said on the matter of Iran, visioning a future where “prosperity is the name of the game.” https://www.timesofisrael.com/jordans-king-says-ukraine-war-exposes-need-for-middle-east-nato/

In many ways, regional cooperation makes sense. It also aligns with certain biblical prophecies.

Years ago, notice something about pan-Arabic military exercise and idea of an ‘Arab NATO’:

Plans for an ‘Arab NATO’ gathering momentum
November 14, 2018
With Arab nations’ militaries working more closely together than ever before and the political situation ripe, speculation abounds that we will witness the birth of the so-called “Arab NATO” this month.
The idea for such a security alliance was conceived by the Obama administration. …
Now, because of the second Qatar crisis, the plan to accelerate an Arab solution for a regional military alliance is a key project being pushed for by US National Security Adviser John Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
Importantly, the proposed Arab NATO, tentatively known as the Middle East Strategic Alliance (MESA), is fully supported by senior Gulf officials. At the Abu Dhabi Strategic Debate on Sunday, UAE Minister of State Anwar Gargash said: “The UAE, along with Arab states, is increasingly playing a role to address security challenges in the region. We are pushing alongside the US to form a strategic alliance to counter these issues.” Bolton’s meeting with the UAE security leadership on Monday was related to moving toward a greater cohesion on the Arab NATO issue.
An Arab military alliance, and how it begins to coalesce, is going to have to take the lessons of Yemen to heart in terms of its operations and operational capacity. …
Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the UAE’s naval, air and ground units are conducting ongoing war games in western Egypt, with delegations from Morocco and Lebanon participating as observers. These military exercises, named “Arab Shield 1,” are significant as never before have these six Arab states conducted joint military exercises. It’s an important start that only occurred after Pompeo met with fellow foreign ministers to discuss the launch of the alliance. http://www.arabnews.com/node/1404891

The Obama and Trump Administrations have supported the idea–the Biden Administration would now seem to. And yes, according to Bible prophecy a military alliance of nations including Egypt will occur (cf. Daniel 11:40-43; Ezekiel 30:2-8). The leader of this coming alliance is called the King of the South in the Bible.

Here are some prophecies related to the rise of a military confederation in the Middle East and North Africa:

40 And at the time of the end, a king of the south pushes himself forward with him, and a king of the north storms against him, with chariot, and with horsemen, and with many ships; 41 and he has come into the lands, and has overflowed, and passed over, and has come into the desirable land, and many stumble, and these escape from his hand: Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the sons of Ammon. 42 And he sends forth his hand on the lands, and the land of Egypt is not for an escape; 43 and he has ruled over treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the desirable things of Egypt, and Lubim and Cushim [are] at his steps. (Daniel 11:40-43, LSV)

1 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says:

“‘Wail and say, “Alas for that day!” 3 For the day is near, the day of the LORD is near- a day of clouds, a time of doom for the nations. 4 A sword will come against Egypt, and anguish will come upon Cush. When the slain fall in Egypt, her wealth will be carried away and her foundations torn down.

5 Cush and Put, Lydia and all Arabia, Libya and the people of the covenant land will fall by the sword along with Egypt.

6 “‘This is what the LORD says:

“‘The allies of Egypt will fall and her proud strength will fail. From Migdol to Aswan they will fall by the sword within her, declares the Sovereign LORD. 7 “‘They will be desolate among desolate lands, and their cities will lie among ruined cities. 8 Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I set fire to Egypt and all her helpers are crushed.

9 “‘On that day messengers will go out from me in ships to frighten Cush out of her complacency. Anguish will take hold of them on the day of Egypt’s doom, for it is sure to come (Ezekiel 30:1-9, NIV).

The Bible shows that a military alliance in the Middle East will take place.

While the Bible also shows that it will be involved in deals (e.g. Psalm 83:3-8; Daniel 11:27), it will not end well for many countries in the deal.

The Bible teaches that the King of the South will be betrayed. Notice, this time from the New Jerusalem Bible, that as well as notice which nations escape the wrath of the invading King of the North:

25…The king of the south will march to war with a huge and powerful army but will not succeed, since he will be outwitted by trickery. 26 Those who shared his food will ruin him…
40 ‘When the time comes for the End, the king of the south will try conclusions with him; but the king of the north will come storming down on him with chariots, cavalry, and a large fleet. He will invade countries, overrun them and drive on. 41 He will invade the Land of Splendour, and many will fall; but Edom, Moab, and what remains of the sons of Ammon will escape him. (Daniel 11:25b-26a,40-42, New Jerusalem Bible)

Those that escape seem to include Turkey (Edom; see the article Turkey in Prophecy watch also the video What Should You Know About Turkey in Prophecy), Jordan (Moab and sons of Ammon), and those in the Arabic gulf/peninsula (Moab and sons of Ammon). And while not all in the modern nations may escape, those are the peoples that basically escape. Since ‘trickery’ is involved, it appears that some who seem to temporarily support the King of the South (which Turkey, Jordan, and the Arab peninsula will likely do), will betray him to the King of the North.

What does that mean?

It means that while Jordan will likely temporarily be part of the confederacy of nations, that will support the coming Middle Eastern/Northern African King of the South, it will ultimately side with the coming European King of the North. This was also the position of the late Herbert W. Armstrong as he wrote:

‘ … but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.’ The Turkish people today are ‘Edom,’ and the people of Jordan are the p resent· day descendants of Moab and Ammon – descended from Lot, Abraham’s nephew, They will still be in that land. (Armstrong HW. Personal. Plain Truth, June 1967, p. 4)

Decades ago, the old Worldwide Church of God also published the following:

Military forces out of Europe attempting to stabilize the volatile Middle East, will sweep into the “Glorious Land” — the Palestine region (Dan. 11:41, Revised Authorized Version). Many countries will be taken over.
Significantly those ancient lands described as “Edom, Moab, and the prominent people of Ammon” — comprising the area of the kingdom of Jordan today — will escape. The reason could be because of Jordan‘s deepening economic ties with Europe, as well as the decision of Jordan‘s King to remain wary of entanglements with his near neighbors. (Hogberg G. “HOLY WAR” to Sweep the Middle East? Plain Truth. March,1984)

While that King Hussein died, the kings of Jordan have tended to be more oriented favorably towards the West, including Europe, than other nations in that region. While Jordan likely will originally be part of the coalition that becomes led by the final King of the South, it may be amongst the nations that betrays it and supports the Europeans:

25 “He shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the South with a great army. And the king of the South shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand, for they shall devise plans against him. 26 Yes, those who eat of the portion of his delicacies shall destroy him; his army shall be swept away, and many shall fall down slain. (Daniel 11:25-26)

So, Europe will have allies within the Middle East and some the Jordanians seem to be among them.

As far as Iran goes, I have long written that it will likely somehow be neutralized prior to the fulfillment of some of the prophecies related to the King of the South and that Iran will NOT be the King of the South.

Iran wants to bully Sunni Muslims into supporting it and will likely take military steps, such as possibly against Israel (cf. Isaiah 22:1-14) when it feels the timing is right. But it will NOT end up well (Jeremiah 49:34-38).

Related to the idea of an Arab NATO, the Continuing Church of God (CCOG) put out the following video years ago on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:

Arab NATO and the Coming King of the South
For two weeks in November 2018, a joint-military exercise called ‘Arab Shield 1’ took place in Egypt. Some have wondered if this will lead to an ‘Arab NATO.’ Is this something the Obama and Trump administrations have pushed for? Is this consistent with biblical prophesies? What do followers of Islam want? What about a caliphate and the ‘Imam Mahdi? Has this type of Arab unity been promoted by American and European leaders? What territories will support the King of the South of Daniel 11? What peoples are involved in Ezekiel 30? Will Turkey betray the coming King of the South? Will Arab unity turn out well or disastrous for the Arab nations? Will Arab unity be in place by the time of the start of the Great Tribulation? Dr. Thiel answers these questions and more.

Here is a link to the sermonette video: Arab NATO and the Coming King of the South.

We are seeing more calls for military cooperation among Arabic armies.

This will tie in with the rise of the final King of the South that the Bible prophesies.

Full article and related items: https://www.cogwriter.com/news/prophecy/ti-jordans-king-says-ukraine-war-exposes-need-for-middle-east-nato/

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