(Washington, D.C.) — As the week began, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered an historic address in New York City in which he told the gathered world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly opening session that “in our time the Biblical prophecies are being realized.”

What did the Prime Minister mean? Is it true that Biblical prophecies are coming to pass in our lifetime? If so, which ones, and what might be coming next? What does the Bible say about the future of Israel?

As the week comes to a close, a special conference is taking place in New York City — “The People, The Land, and The Future of Israel (Oct 3-5)” — which will bring together some of the leading theologians in the Western world to address these and related questions:

• What does the Bible teach about the role of the Jewish people and the nation of Israel at the present time?
• What is God’s plan for the future of Israel and her neighbors?
• How can believers in Jesus be part of God’s peace process in the Middle East?

The timing is quite interesting. I am deeply honored to have been invited to participate, and am greatly looking forward to speaking in several sessions, including delivering the final message at the close of the conference on Saturday evening. My focus will be understanding current trends in Israel, Iran, Syria, and the Mideast peace process in light of Bible prophecy. The pastor of Calvary Baptist Church has also asked me to preach during their Sunday morning services. There I will be focusing on Israel and key elements of Bible prophecy, as well.

To see the full conference schedule, please click here.

That said, even if I wasn’t speaking at the conference, I would be attending just to hear the caliber of the scholars who will be presenting. They are men I hold in high regard. Their research and writing has been helpful to me, and it will be a joy to be gathered with them in one place.

This CPM conference will be held at Calvary Baptist Church in Manhattan. If you live anywhere near Manhattan, I hope you will register today and join us. Indeed, even if you don’t live near New York, I’d strongly encourage you to prayerfully consider attending any way. It will be that useful and important, especially in the light of current events and the Prime Minister’s fascinating and historic words.

• For more details, please click here.
• To register online, please click here.

LATEST HEADLINES:

• At UN, Netanyahu spoke to a world that refused to listen — Whether credible or not, the Israeli military threat made a major comeback in New York on Tuesday. (Haaretz)
• Netanyahu: Iran’s Khamenei heads a ‘messianic, apocalyptic, radical cult’ — In interview with NBC, Israeli prime minister says Iranians may want change, but they are governed by Supreme Leader, not President Rohani (Haaretz).
• Iran gets senior seat on UN nuclear disarmament committee (Jerusalem Post)
• Israel, Gulf states said discussing new alliance to stop Iran (Times of Israel)
• Obama to PM: Iran more serious than before about nuclear diplomacy — White House sees collapse of Iran’s economy as main reason for readiness for diplomacy, senior official tells Haaretz.

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• Follow Joel on Twitter — @joelcrosenberg
• Order Damascus Countdown – now available in paperback online and in bookstores nationwide
• Listen to Damascus Countdown as an audio book.
• Order the paperback of The Tehran Initiative
• Order the paperback of The Twelfth Imam
• Learn more about The Joshua Fund (www.joshuafund.net) – educating and mobilizing Christians to bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus – and make a tax deductible contribution

>> NETANYAHU WARNS IRAN LED BY “APOCALYPTIC CULT…WILD IN ITS AMBITIONS”

Who is the Twelfth Imam? Do Iran’s leaders believe in the coming of a Shia Muslim “messiah” that will annihilate Israel and the United States and establish a global Islamic caliphate? What is the eschatology of the Iranian regime?

Meanwhile, what does Biblical eschatology teach? What do the ancient prophecies of Isaiah 17 & Jeremiah 49 say about the future of Damascus, and the future of Israel? What does the prophecies of Jeremiah 49 and Ezekiel 38-39 teach about the future of Iran?

Have these prophecies already come to pass, or are they yet to be fulfilled? If they are still ahead of us, how might they transpire?

With the future of Iran, Syria and Israel dominating headlines — and dominating the United Nations General Assembly’s Fall opening session — Tyndale House Publishers and I are excited to announce that Damascus Countdown released nationwide this week in paperback. The New York Times best-selling international political thriller is also available in hardcover, audio, and e-book formats.

Damascus Countdown is a novel that explores these very questions, and envisions one scenario of how some of these ancient texts could come to a cataclysmic conclusion.

What do you think? How do you see the prophecies, and do you think this novel offers a realistic scenario? 

I’d love to your feedback — the good, bad and the ugly. Please post your review via our “Epicenter Team Page” on Facebook or via Twitter, or on the Amazon and Barnes & Noble websites. For those of you who haven’t yet had a chance to read the novel, I hope you’ll have a chance to this Fall, and then please post your review as well.

Every author needs input from his or her readers, and I enjoy hearing from readers, even when they strongly disagree with me. Unfortunately, I don’t have the ability to respond personally to every letter, email, Tweet and Facebook post that comes in because of the volume. But I do try to read it all, as time permits. To me it’s an honor that you would not only read my books, but want to share your thoughts with me. I value such feedback, especially as I map out a new series and think about what is moving — and not moving — people intellectually, emotionally and spiritually.

Meanwhile, here are what some leaders have said about the novel in recent months:

Porter Goss, former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency: “Whenever I see a new Joel Rosenberg book coming out, I know I need to clear time on my calendar. His penetrating knowledge of all things Mid-eastern — coupled with his intuitive knack for high stakes intrigue — demand attention. I’ve read them all, and been richly rewarded. I’m especially looking forward to Damascus Countdown.”

Danny Ayalon, Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister: “I’ve loved reading Joel Rosenberg’s books in the past — Epicenter especially comes to mind — and I can’t wait to read this new one, Damascus Countdown. Joel is a stalwart and faithful friend of the State of Israel. He’s a good personal friend. And he’s a great writer. He understands the grave dangers posed by Iran and Syria, and he’s been a bold and courageous voice for true peace and security in the Middle East. If you haven’t read his work yet, I hope you will.”

Lt.-General (ret.) Jerry Boykin, former commander of Delta Force and former U.S. Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence: “Joel Rosenberg is the most knowledgeable and well-rounded author in America today regarding the realities of current events in the Mideast, North Africa, and the Persian Gulf. In fact, Joel is a true authority on the geopolitics and history of those regions, and speaks extensively about the serious threats that the Radical elements of Islam present to America and our close ally, Israel….Joel has an incredible ability to write both fiction and non-fiction in a way that the reader senses that they are part of the plot and often, on the front line. If you want to get a better understanding of what is unfolding in the ‘epicenter’ of today’s world, let Joel take you on an incredible and exciting journey.”

Rick Santorum, former U.S. Senator and presidential candidate: “Damascus Countdown will be the most chilling, pulse-pounding thriller you read this year. It will be banned and burned in Tehran and Damascus, but it should be required reading in Washington and Jerusalem. Joel Rosenberg is a good friend and a great writer and he is spot on. Nothing threatens our national security more than the mullahs of Iran and the tyrants in Syria building and deploying weapons of mass annihilation, and an American President who doesn’t have the wisdom or courage to stop them in time. I’ve warned about this for years. Now Joel paints an eerie, terrifying, page-turning picture of a worst-case scenario coming to pass. You have to read this book, and then pray it never happens.”

Steve Forbes, editor in chief of Forbes magazine: “If there were a Forbes 400 list of great current novelists, Joel Rosenberg would be among the top ten.  More than a decade ago we kicked off one of his masterpieces, The Last Jihad, at a book party at the Forbes Media headquarters. Today millions see what we saw then, one of the most entertaining and intriguing authors of international political thrillers in the country. No wonder Joel has sold nearly three million copies – his novels are un-put-downable including his new one, Damascus Countdown!”

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• Follow Joel on Twitter — @joelcrosenberg
• Order Damascus Countdown – now available in paperback online and in bookstores nationwide
• Listen to Damascus Countdown as an audio book.
• Order the paperback of The Tehran Initiative
• Order the paperback of The Twelfth Imam
• Learn more about The Joshua Fund (www.joshuafund.net) — educating and mobilizing Christians to bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus — and make a tax deductible contribution

The Israeli PM address the UN General Assembly.

>> Major conference in New York City this week on the future of Israel in light of Bible prophecy. Please join us.

(Washington, D.C.) — “In our time the Biblical prophecies are being realized,” Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu declared before world leaders gathered at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday.

“As the prophet Amos said, they shall rebuild ruined cities and inhabit them,” Netanyahu said. “They shall plant vineyards and drink their wine. They shall till gardens and eat their fruit. And I will plant them upon their soil never to be uprooted again. Ladies and gentlemen, the people of Israel have come home never to be uprooted again.”

I don’t personally recall a single other Israeli leader in the modern era who has spoken so clearly of the fulfillment of Bible prophecy. Perhaps David Ben Gurion did, for the first Israeli premier had a great interest in the Scriptures. But Netanyahu’s own interest in the Scriptures has been growing significantly in recent years, as I have noted on the blog, and increasingly pronounced in his public statements. At a speech at the Auschwitz death camp in 2009, for example, Netanyahu declared that the prophecies of Ezekiel 37 — the dry bones of the Jewish people coming back together miraculously to form the State of Israel — had come to pass in his lifetime.

Netanyahu also alluded in the speech to the Biblical prophecies of a Persian king named “Cyrus” would rise up one day and set the Jewish people free from captivity.

“The Jewish people’s odyssey through time has taught us two things: Never give up hope, always remain vigilant. Hope charts the future. Vigilance protects it,” Netanyahu said. “Today our hope for the future is challenged by a nuclear-armed Iran that seeks our destruction. But I want you to know, that wasn’t always the case. Some 2,500 years ago the great Persian king Cyrus ended the Babylonian exile of the Jewish people. He issued a famous edict in which he proclaimed the right of the Jews to return to the land of Israel and rebuild the Jewish temple in Jerusalem. That’s a Persian decree. And thus began an historic friendship between the Jews and the Persians that lasted until modern times.”

Isaiah was a Hebrew prophet who prophesied that a great Persian king named “Cyrus” would emerge one day to bless the Jewish people, release them from captivity, send them back to the land of Israel, and rebuild the city of Jerusalem. (See Isaiah 44:28 through 45:13.)

A Persian king named “Cyrus” did, in fact, emerge to fulfill Isaiah’s prophecies.

•  See 2 Chronicles 36:22-23 – “Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia – in order to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah – the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he sent a proclamation throughout his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying, ‘Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, “The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and He has appointed me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever there is among you of all His people, may the Lord His God be with him, and let him go up!”’”
• See the Book of Ezra – “Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia – in order to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah – the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he sent a proclamation throughout his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying, ‘Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, “The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and He has appointed me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever there is among you of all His people, may His God be with him! Let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel; He is the God who is in Jerusalem. Every survivor, at whatever place he may live, let the men of that place support him with silver and gold, with goods and cattle, together with a freewill offering for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.” (Ezra 1:1-4)

Israeli PM Netanyahu addressing the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, October 1st.

>> Iran responds to Netanyahu: Don’t even think about attacking us

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu finished addressing the United Nations General Assembly in New York City just before 1:00pm eastern time.

“Israel will not allow Iran to get nuclear weapons,” the PM said in what was one of the most important lines of the speech. “If Israel is forced to stand alone, Israel will stand alone. Yet in standing alone Israel will know that we are defending many, many others.”

Several times in his remarks, Netanyahu cited the Scriptures.

“The Jewish people’s odyssey through time has taught us two things: Never give up hope, always remain vigilant. Hope charts the future. Vigilance protects it,” Netanyahu told the gathered world leaders. “Today our hope for the future is challenged by a nuclear-armed Iran that seeks our destruction. But I want you to know, that wasn’t always the case. Some 2,500 years ago the great Persian king Cyrus ended the Babylonian exile of the Jewish people. He issued a famous edict in which he proclaimed the right of the Jews to return to the land of Israel and rebuild the Jewish temple in Jerusalem. That’s a Persian decree. And thus began an historic friendship between the Jews and the Persians that lasted until modern times.”

The Prime Minister closed by citing the Hebrew prophet Amos.

“In our time the Biblical prophecies are being realized,” Netanyahu noted. “As the prophet Amos said, they shall rebuild ruined cities and inhabit them. They shall plant vineyards and drink their wine. They shall till gardens and eat their fruit. And I will plant them upon their soil never to be uprooted again. Ladies and gentlemen, the people of Israel have come home never to be uprooted again.”

>> Click here to watch the video of the full Netanyahu 2013 address to the UN General Assembly.

>> Click here to read the full text Netanyahu’s 2013 address to the UN General Assembly

Excerpts (via Fox News):

• “Rouhani didn’t sound like Ahmadinejad, but when it comes to Iran’s nuclear weapons program, the only difference between them is this: Ahmadinejad was the wolf in wolf’s clothing. Rouhani is a wolf in sheep’s clothing,” Netanyahu said. “A wolf who thinks he can pull the wool over the eyes of the international community.” 
• “I wish I could believe Rouhani, but I don’t — because facts are stubborn things,” Netanyahu said, adding Iran’s “savage record” contradicts Rouhani’s “soothing rhetoric.” 

Excerpts (via New York Times):

• “They’ve all served that same unforgiving creed, that same unforgiving regime,” said Mr. Netanyahu, who regards Iran as Israel’s most potent enemy and its development of a nuclear weapon as an “existential threat.” He said “President Rouhani, like the presidents who came before him, is a loyal servant of the regime.”
• He said the international response to Iran’s entreaties for sanctions relief should be “distrust, dismantle and verify,” and he repeated his warnings that Israel reserved the right to preemptively strike Iran’s nuclear facilities if it deemed the Iranians were close to producing nuclear weapons

Excerpts (via Haaretz):

• If you want to cease Iran’s nuclear program, don’t let up the pressure. The greater the pressure, the greater the change. … Distrust, dismantle and verify.
• Rohani promises constructive engagement with other countries, yet two years ago Iranian agents tried to assassinate Saudi Arabia’s ambassador in Washington D.C. and just two weeks ago an Iranian agent was arrested in Israel for trying to plot an attack against the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv.
• Iran participates in Assad’s murder and massacre of civilians.
• Jewish history has taught us two things: Never give up hope, always remain vigilant.