Thanks go to the many readers in the wave of emails who sent me the link to this story which came out a few days ago. It is good to see readers watching just as our Lord commanded us. Yes, it looks like the Second Signpost is very close. The article, with the title “Mideast’s worst case: A ‘big war’ pitting Shia Muslims against Sunni,” shows that secular commentators are realizing what could potentially happen in the Middle East – a great Sunni-Shia War.
The great Sunni-Shia War to come is the Second and Third Signposts as shown to us from Daniel 7 and 8, and as I wrote about in Daniel Revisited. The Bible shows us that this great war to come is the next event in end-time prophecy.
From the cover of Daniel Revisited: the Persian ram of Iran and the goat that is Turkey tell us of a great Mideast War to come.
The article mentions this war as “worse things could happen.” I would say that puts it rather lightly as this great war will change our world economically, set it on the path to the Tribulation, will result in the emergence of Antichrist, and bring in the Tribulation itself. Things don’t get worse than this. The Bible even tells us the Tribulation will be a time of the worst times in all of human history.
In this post I compared the Mideast of today to Europe in 1914. In both cases, there are two basic factions (Allies vs. Central Powers, Sunni vs. Shia) involving many nations covering a continent-sized piece of territory. In the Table below I list the nations involved in these wars and their land areas. The number of nations to be involved will be roughly comparable to the number of nations that fought WWI in Europe. The territory covered is astonishingly equivalent.
In addition, according to the article Michael Stephens, of the Royal United Service Institute which is a think tank in London said, “The conditions are very much like 1914…all it will take is one little spark.”
A comparison of the number of nations by faction (red and black text) and land area, involved in World War I and likely involved in the great Sunni-Shia War to come.
Iraqi Kurd commentator, Hiwa Osman is quoted as saying, “The whole region is braced for the big war, the war that has not yet happened, the Shiite-Sunni war.”
Increasingly, people in the Mideast itself see this war as inevitable, as sure as there is a Sunni sect and a Shia sect. Saudi Arabia fears this war, as do the Gulf States. Turkey is wary.
It seems everyone is concentrated on the trouble presented by ISIS. The opening salvo of this war will be the invasion of the Middle East by Iran. I believe when the war begins, Iran will demolish ISIS in a matter of days. At that time, people will realize what they should really worry about.
Keep watching. It looks like it is getting close. Get prepared. Wake up your pastor. Above all realize the Bible tells us this war is the next necessary step to Christ’s glorious coming.
Categories: Signpost #2: Iran, Signpost #3: Four Nations
THE FOUR SIGNPOSTS 
Mark, your interpretation of the two horns of the Ram, or of the two sides of the Bear, is according to your book Ayatollah Khamenei plus General Solemani of the IRGC. (Or their successors.)
But could it not just again be the Medes and the Persians, that is the Kurds and the Iranians? Just like happened in history, and like in the historic interpretations of the Ram and the Bear?
Many Kurds are Shia, and those Kurds that are Sunni are not exactly friends with ISIS either, to say the least. What do you think of the possibility that all Kurds will join Iran once it attacks? Maybe spontaneously, or maybe with the promise of an independent state of Kurdistan, once the modern-day “Alliance of the Medes and the Persians” has won?
hey Mark and all.. check this… An Israeli mystic Rabbi had a vision of coming war… just learned of this a few minutes ago…
http://www.breakingisraelnews.com/43075/rabbi-receives-heavenly-message-in-the-cave-of-elijah-the-prophet-inspiration/#RhUsovDbpLM9cujZ.99
The area of Germany as stated above is of the current Federal Republic of Germany that encompasses both the one with the same name that was the Western part and the German Democratic Republic in the Eastern part in the wake of WW2.
Between wars, the area of the German Republic was 470,000 km2 for it still kept Prussia, Brandenburg and Silesia in the East.
Before WW1, the German Empire stretched over 550,000 km2 for it encompassed an area between Eastern Prussia and Pomerania around Dantzig (called Polish Prussia) and Posen (part of Western Poland) in the East; and Alsace and Lorraine in the West, plus some small areas such as Memel in Lithuania and Eupen and Malmedy in Belgium.
Despite the total area in 1914 of the nations engaged in WW1 turns out to be 7’500,000 km2, is still pretty close to the one of the Sunni-Shia confrontation.
Hans,
Thanks for the information. I could have gone into much detail on many countries in addition to Germany. France changed size. Italy changed sides, from the Triple Entente to the Allies. But I note that you see the basic idea and that is of the similarities in scope to the coming Sunni-Shia War.
God bless.
I don’t often come across articles about the STAN countries so I’m always curious relative to the 2nd signpost. Noteworthy in this attached article, in my opinion, is that 1) IS is advancing in the Stans, causing increasing unrest and 2) Iran is one of the powers designated capable to maintain peace and security in that region. Likely another sign unfolding of the ram advancing northward, happening before our very eyes.
http://southfront.org/foreign-policy-diary-central-asia-advance-of-isis/
Hi Roz,
I’m not sure what connection you see between the linked article and Iran and ISIS. ISIS is advancing in Syria and Iraq. When Iran runs out to the west, it would destroy ISIS. Iran would run north from Susa, i.e. into Turkey and Azerbaijan.
The nations of Central Asia (i.e., the ‘stans) will join antichrist as part of the ten nations, in the Fourth Signpost (Chapter 12 of DR).
However, that’s not to say that the stans will not have trouble with advancing fundamentalist Islam while the Second and Third Signposts rage.
Mark, thanks for the explanation. I shall go reread ch 12 to better understand. Look forward to your next book!
check this out on BBC Iran’s game plan http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-33075894
Greg,
No doubt, Iran is opposed to ISIS expansion into Iraq for obvious reasons- they might be next. Gulp! Is there more you see going on in Iran than just stopping this expansion?
Thanks,
IS