WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE MIDDLE EAST?

I THE POWER OF OIL

“ Oil has become vital to running our highly industrialized society. Oil has become the new basis for our world economy, the resource most highly valued by the “Industrialized and emerging nations of the world.” David Jeremiah

“Oil provides an essential ingredient for our standard of living and for our world economy.”

II THE PASSION FOR OIL

* 2008 – 86,000,000 barrels of oil a day

* 2015 – 98,500,000 barrels of oil a day

- A significant milestone occurred in 2005:

The world used more oil than was even produced in the following year, 2006

- Early 2008 – Psychological barrier of $100 / barrel was broken

III THE PERIL OF OUR OIL DEPENDENCE

1^st – No alternative energy source can be relied on

2^nd – The 5 top countries with the greatest known oil reserves are Arab nations, and the reserves in these countries, totaling almost 716 billion barrels, are now controlled by a few Arab leaders.

3^rd – CONSUMPTION - vast majorities of the world’s oil are consumed by

“ The Thirsty 4”

4^th – RUSSIA - 2.92 Million barrels / day

3^rd – JAPAN - 5.16 Million barrels / day

2^nd – CHINA - 7.17 Million barrels / day

1^st – UNITED STATES - 20.7 Million barrels / day

IV PROPHECY AND OIL

“ You can discern the appearance of the sky and of the earth, but how is it you do not know how to discern this present time? “ Luke 12:56

I Believe our addiction to oil is one way that God is using to set the stage for Christ’s return.

“ Oil holds the key to the prophetic events of the future.” What in the World is Going On – Page 26

Because the vast amount of the world’s oil is found in the

Middle Eastern Countries, world ATTENTION is always focused on the Middle East.

A HUGE PERCENTAGE OF THE WORLD’S OIL RESERVES IS FOUND IN THE POSSESSION OF POWERS NOT FRIENDLY TO THE WEST, OR TO ISRAEL.

A Muslim writer said: “ Why do we find that Allah has entrusted most of the world’s oil wealth primarily to Muslim nations? To finance a final victory over Christianized Euro – American civilization.”

A. ALIGNMENT

Ezekiel foretold a time when Russia would attack Israel. Ezekiel listed a coalition of nations that would join Russia:

“Persia, Ethiopia and Libya are with them, all of them with shield and helmet.” Ezekiel 38: 5

PERSIA = IRAN

- For 2500 years, no alliance between Russia and Iran

- Now – There’s a military alliance fastened by Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

B. ATTACK

Why would Russia attack Israel? - Ezekiel tells us in 38: 12

12 to capture spoil and to seize plunder, to turn your hand against the waste places which are now inhabited, and against the people who are gathered from the nations, who have acquired cattle and goods, who live at the center of the world.'

SPOIL = OIL

Exodus 2:3

3But when she could hide him no longer, she got him a wicker basket and covered it over with tar and pitch Then she put the child into it and set it among the reeds by the bank of the Nile.

Moses, in giving prophetic blessings to the children of Israel before he died, spoke this in Deuteronomy 33: 24

24 Of Asher he said, "More blessed than sons is Asher.  May he be favored by his brothers, And may he dip his foot in oil.

How do we respond? - Psalm 90: 1,2,14,17

1 Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.

2 Before the mountains were born or You gave birth to the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.

14 O satisfy us in the morning with Your loving kindness, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.

17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us; And confirm for us the work of our hands; Yes, confirm the work of our hands.

PERPETUAL - vs. 1.2

PRAISE - vs. 14

PERMANENCE - vs 17

Sources Consulted:

Primary – The Word of God – Bible

Secondary: Dolan, David: Holy War for the Promised Land

Evans, Michael: Beyond Iraq

Jeremiah, David: What in the world is Going On?

Laurie, Greg: Are these the last days?

Linstead Rob: The Next Move

Walvoord, John: Armageddon, Oil and the Middle Easy Crisis