A few of you have written and asked about the significance of the Russian warplane that was shot down near the Turkish-Syrian border. While I don’t believe it has any major effect on the Signposts themselves, the incident is indicative of the behavior of the countries’ governments that will be markers for the Signposts.
So here are some things that I think are worthy of note:
1) IS has had hundreds of Russian sorties flown overhead without one incident of a plane being shot down. Two planes fly for 17 seconds over a segment of Turkish territory and one is shot down by F-16s. Nations like Turkey and Iran are the true world-class militaries to watch in action during the Signposts. This is another data point showing that IS is just not that significant of a power.
The fight paths of the Russian warplanes according to Turkey and Russia. Note that according to Turkish sources, the Russian planes flew over the southern tip of Turkey.
2) This incident reminds me that Turkey and Russia have great animosity towards each other after having been bitter enemies for five hundred years. Remember, Turkey’s heritage is the Ottoman Empire. The Ottomans used to occupy the Crimea, while making forays deep into Russian territory kidnapping and selling people for sale as slaves, just like what happened in the slave trade in West Africa before the American Civil War. In both cases it was Muslims that captured and sold the slaves to slave traders. This old animosity is why Turkey made a natural ally with NATO during the Cold War. Today, Turkey and Russia are constantly on guard against each other. Seventeen seconds over Turkish territory is the only reason Turkey needed to down a plane belonging to Russia. Turkey as the Confederacy and later Turkey as the main Antichrist nation will also have great animosity towards Russia. There will be no great Russian-Arab alliance invading Israel as so many believe. That is fantasy.
Turkish President Erdoğan defends Turkey’s actions downing the Russian plane. Note the Ottoman insignia on the wall to the left, and on the flag. Turkey is returning to its imperial past.
3) Two planes fly for seventeen seconds over Turkish territory and one is shot down in peacetime. The article says it is the first Russian plane shot down by a NATO power since 1950. So this kind of incident doesn’t happen often. How much more embittered do you think Turkey will react towards Iran when a whole Shia Muslim army invades up to half its territory in the east and sets up shop to start Shia Muslim revolutions?
Well, those are three things. Can anyone think of more?
Categories: In The News, The Four Signposts
THE FOUR SIGNPOSTS 
Hello Mark. I trust that you and your family celebrated a very thankful Thanksgiving, as you wrote.
Another cause of enmity between Turkey and Russia is religious: Islam vs Greek/Russian Orthodox Christianity. Here is a well-written article about that (while on some other matters in the article I think we would agree not to agree): http://www.kjvbible.org/daniel.html The writer clearly sees a coming battle between Iran and Turkey/Greece.
Wow! Interesting back story, Mark. I really learn a lot when you teach us the background behind the actions of current Middle East events. This kind of reporting you will never hear on MSM and gives a richness to biblical prophecy that so many will never know. Thank you.
I wish I could think of more reasons, but I’m in the middle of decluttering my basement to hopefully put up my townhouse for sale next year after 23 years. But I still read everything you post, even if I don’t comment often.
So now, I better get to it!
Blessings!
I can think of a little more… Actually not thought out myself, I just repeat what I read from commenting journalists:
Putin has now openly accused Turkey of supporting terrorism and ISIS, and has threatened Turkey with everything except open war: sanctions, no more trade with Turkey, no more Russian tourists to Turkey – only Russian natural gas still flows to Turkey.
It is exepected this will become a proxy war between Turkey and Russia:
– Turkey supporting ISIS and other anti-Assad groups, and attacking the Kurds in Turkey, Syria and Iraq.
– Russia attacking ISIS and other anti-Assad groups and supporting the Kurds in Turkey, Syria and Iraq.
This will help both to unite the Kurds, and to push the Kurds into the Iranian/Russian camp. They might be Sunni, but I think they will accept Shia support against the fellow Sunni Turks that wage war on the Kurds.
Just suppose that Russia and/or some Ayatollah whispers to the Kurds that they can have there own state as a reward for them helping Russia and/or Iran against Turkey… Then the old alliance of the Medes and the Persians will come alive again…
I am aware Mark that you regard the two horns of the Goat to be the Grand Ayatollah and the head of the IRGC, and you may be right. But I do not want to forget the possibility that it will be the ancient coalition of the Medes and Persians again.
Suppose the second signpost occurs very soon, then your interpretation will have been proven to be the right one. But if there are some years to pass, who knows whether angry Kurds cannot become even more dangerous and numerous than the Bashi, to become the greater horn of the ram…
Hi Adamant,
The Kurds as a whole are mostly Sunni.
Keep in mind that Khamenei, Soleimani, and Jafari – all candidates for men to be the two horns of the ram – are all Persians. I believe that whoever the men are who are the supreme leader and the IRGC leader, they will be of Persian background. The Persians include the Medes since the Medes are intermarried and submerged with the Persian peoples.
Interestingly, the first supreme leader, Khomeini, was not Persian but Hindi, from an area near the Pakistan border. But he was still “king” of the Persians while he ruled.
I’m not sure why Iran during the second signpost has to push into Turkey? They could possibly stop at the Turkish border. But I can see if Russia has some sort of alliance with Iran during the second sign post push, then jointly they could take control over parts of Turkey?
When the second signpost starts they go north south and west but it seems like you always mention that they go into Turkey,most of your comments suggest that,why would not Iran just not go as far north as the Turkish border.To have a country invade a NATO country is imidiate war.
Mike D,
You are right – Iran does not have to push into eastern Turkey. However, the two reasons that I see why Iran would push into Turkey is (1) Iran’s leadership wants to start 1979-style Shia revolutions in every country in Islam and if it could grab Turkey that would be quite a prize and it could do so if the number of Basij used is large enough, and (2) the goat’s reaction is an embittered, personal rage, as if the Turkish leadership feels its country was violated by vermin worse than unbelievers.
Mike D,
Yes, it would be immediate war. Maybe that’s why the goat appears “suddenly”.
Hey, Mark I know this post is a little off topic for this post and it concerns consumer gas pricing. I realize it is traditionally lower in the winter months but this appears to be artificially low to me. Are the Saudi’s behind this to continue to try to economically crush Iran on the oil world market? I know the Saudis and Iran are also fierce enemies and they are afraid of Iran.
Are the Saudis doing all they can short of all out war to stop Iran which is why gas prices are so low? To me, this is just too good to be true. Around here it is in the $1.60’s range, just for comparison purposes in Israel it is over $8 and everyone drives an economy car, except for the “floating hotel” tour buses that I was in while there.
You just get that “feeling” that the other shoe is being prepared to drop, except the Saudis who see the writing on the wall are trying to stop it. Thoughts, please?
Blessings!
It is interesting what Adamant writes about the Kurds. An overlay of all the Gentile kingdoms that have covered the Middle East seemingly have a common ground among them all: the territory promised to the Kurds. http://biblestudying.net/maps12.html
Hi Good4u1,
I have the same feeling about the other shoe. In fact I look at these lower prices as actually making things harder for all of us when the Second Signpost finally strikes.
The same market forces are in place. The Saudis have stepped up production to crush competition, so they can maintain their share of the worldwide oil market. Its like any other business. In retail Walmart has crushed most other competition so only Target can compete. By keeping oil prices low, oil companies will go bankrupt and stop producing.
Several shale oil producers here in the USA are going bankrupt. The depend heavily on credit from banks to keep producing, using their sales on oil to pay back the loans. But with prices so low, they cant pay back loans and so will not get fresh credit. And when the Second Signpost strikes and as Bill Holter has said, thus ending the credit system, I believe all that extra oil being produced here from shale will stop for a while. And this is a reason why I say the low prices will make things harder for us in the end.
Iran will have a hard time competing too. That is yet another reason for them to take all the oil fields and control the market. The Saudis are betting they can outlast the competition here and in other countries. They have already started drawing down on their massive foreign reserve of dollars to cover for losses from the low prices. Even they cannot produce for profit at this level. Russia, too, is suffering economically.
Does this help?
Howard, Adamant,
If you look at the map in the link from Howard, there is a region of deepest blue outside to the southwest of the Kurdish area, in Syria. It compares well with the map I made for this post. Look at the area around Raqqa in Syria. It is the same as the blue area in the linked map.
Remember too that the Bible shows us in Daniel 9:26 who the candidate peoples are – Syrians, Egyptians and Arabians – all Arab. The Kurds are a Persian-Turkish mix with no Arab heritage. This makes the origin of the Antichrist unlikely from Kurdish lands and peoples.
Yes thanks for your comments, with the further degradation of Russia, Turk relations, one could see Russia support a incursion of Iranian troops, into turkey,well what ever the final outcome we know the goat will rage and win.setting the stage for Antichrist rise.
Yes, it explains that the Saudis desire to be THE oil supplier to create a world monopoly of sorts for themselves without rival which I understand. But is this Saudi strategy a hedge, if you will, to try and stop Iran from invading them to try and crush them economically first before any military strike occurs? I know it is hard to divine tea leaves and human dust cannot know the heights of God’s mind for true purpose in this most bizarre situation, but this is just uncomfortably weird and most do not take notice except but to enjoy the “here and now” of cheap, plentiful gas. Actually, I don’t like it for most of the rest of the western world and developing world pay far more for energy than we do. It feels like we have a massive target placed right over our nation and the fatal arrow to be deployed at any time.
Perhaps I think too much…
Blessings!
Mark, aren’t the Kurds the ancient Medes? Which makes up the two horns of the goat, plus take your pick the two horns are also representative of powerful persons who will come to light. Great article!
All Glory to God
I think ISIS is a false flag. It exists because the Turks allow it. The Turks allow it because they need an excuse to enter Syria. There are some economic interests too.
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-11-28/isis-oil-trade-full-frontal-raqqas-rockefellers-bilal-erdogan-krg-crude-and-israel-c
The downing of the plane was a test, a test of Putin’s resolve. it was carefully planned to test how far Putin will go if the Turks invade. If Putin had backed down (that is withdrawn air operations from the border) then the invasion would begin shortly as Russian presence in the skies (especially at the border) is the most serious threat to any Turkish incursion. However, Putin did not back down so a deal will have to be made.
It is fashionable these days to think of Vladimir Putin as a grand-master of strategy. My Bible tells me that he has made a foolish move by getting into Syria. A move that will lead, ultimately, to World war 3 (the 2nd seal war).
God Bless
mark… here is a serious development i think regarding Iran.. the head of the military has been seriously injured and such… just breaking news on Fox…
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/11/30/high-value-target-was-legendary-iranian-general-badly-hurt-in-syria/?intcmp=hpbt1
LJW,
The Kurds are descended from the Persians. But sine the Medes and Persians intermarried to an extent, the Kurds might very well have some “Mede” in them.
Momonapurpose,
It might be a significant event. God has chosen the man to be the second horn – we just don’t know who that will be. It could be Soleimani, Jafari, or anyone else in the IRGC command structure. If Soleimani is incapacitated, that is God taking Soleimani out of the picture. We will soon see.
What do you think of this article? Do you think the author is right that the reason the Russian plane was shot down was because the Russians have been bombing the trucks that transport oil from ISIS into Turkey?
Read more at http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/2015/November30/301.html#cFJviORwHYJ8SCHX.99
http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/2015/November30/301.html
Janae,
I doubt it. Also, when it comes to connecting events to prophecy Michael Snyder has been taking shots in the dark.
All Glory to God
An interesting article.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/erdogan-trump-card-against-putin-222844006.html
God Bless
Curtis,
That is a good article and shows another dimension to the situation that taps into reality. Thanks for the link.
Hi Mark
I have a few questions on the Islamic Antichrist theory that I hope you can answer. I have read some of Chris White’s work and just need some things cleared up. In Daniel 9:26Open in Logos Bible Software (if available) White claims that only 10% were Arab and 90% were Roman citizens according to Josephus. Do you have any clear evidence that the Roman citizens were middle eastern?
Do you believe that Micah 5:5 is in the context of the millennium and not at Jesus’s Second Coming? Thanks for your help
Turkey moving into Iraq? This could provoke Iran to move in as well…
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-12-04/1200-turkish-troops-said-invade-iraq-near-mosul
Hi Jared,
The makeup of the troops is complex and either Mr. White or yourself has it a bit mixed up. There were four legions made up entirely of Roman citizens, 100%, but they were mostly Syrians with some Egyptians and some Moesians. Then there were auxiliary troops who were NOT citizens and they were Syrians, Arabians, and Egyptians. Today all those people are Arabs (except the Moesians).
Hope this helps. Re-read my chapter 2. Regarding Micah 5:5 I don’t know; I haven’t studied it.
A well-grounded and chilling observation by an Arab commentator that BOTH Putin and Obama actively work towards the second signpost:
“The picture is now clear, is it not? Under the pretext of fighting ISIS, which in reality does not seem to be a priority for anyone for the time being at least, Moscow is fighting its own war to extend its own influence, support its ‘tactical’ ally Iran, destroy the influence of Turkey, and subsequently, ‘Sunni Political Islam’ throughout the region. In return, Washington is providing Moscow’s plans and actions with every possible help…”
“The fact is that what looks like an American ‘no stance’ isn’t a ‘no stance’ or ‘miscalculation’ anymore. It is actually a well-thought out strategy and those behind it know only too well where it is leading. However, they do not care much about the exorbitant price the Middle East is going to pay for in terms of human suffering. The region may soon become a fertile soil for a new generation of even more extremist, angry and alienated generation of terrorists…”
“… the leaders of Russia and Iran are attempting to sever the last links by geographically separating Arabs from Turks by a ‘Kurdish belt’ and a ‘Shi’ite belt’, and this is with American blessings!”
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/news/world/2015/12/05/Has-Washington-given-its-blessing-to-Moscow-s-Mideast-ambitions-.html