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Has peace finally cometo the Middle East? Will the peace treaty signed last March
provide a short respite- a lull before the storm? Where are Mideast events
c. onfronting each other
a state of war for nearly
1 years, Egypt and ls–
ael signed a formal
treaty at the White
House last March 26 to establish
peace and open "normal and friendly
relations."
As millions looked on via televi–
sion, President Anwar Sadat of
Egypt and Prime Minister Mena–
chem Begin of Israel put their signa–
tures on the Arabic, Hebrew and En–
glish versions of the first peace treaty
between Israel and an Arab coun–
try.
President Carter, signing as a wit–
ness for tbe United States, declared:
" Peace has come," adding that "we
have won, at last, the first step of
peace-a first step on a long and
difficult road."
All three leaders joined together in
offering prayers that the treaty
would bring true peace to the Middle
East and end the animosity that has
four times erupted into warfare since
Israel declared its independence in
May
1948~
Many have been swept up in the
12
by
Raymond F. McNair
euphoria generated by the signing of
this historie treaty. But will the trea–
ty really bring the peace which has
eluded the region for decades? Orare
uncontrollable events soon destined
to rupture the delicate fabric of
"peace" in this volatile part of the
world?
What happens in this strategic
area is of vital concern to nations in
every part of the globe. ·For over 40
years
The Plain Truth
has urged its
readers to keep their eyes on the
Middle East-the focal point of all
Bible prophecy. Wbat does the Word
of God say about the chances for
peace in this explosive region?
Where .is the Middle East headed?
Can we really know?
Who Can Know the Future?
There is a Creator God who knows
the past and can fathom the future.
He has given us in His Word, the
Holy Bible, many hundreds of proph–
ecies which foretell future events.
The Creator says: " . . . For I am
God, and there is none else; 1 am
God, and there is none like me, de–
claring the end from the beginning,
and from ancient times the things
that are not yet done, saying, My
counsel shall stand, and 1 will do all
my pleasure" (lsa . .
46:9-1O).
It is God who knows the end from
the beginning. His Word, if diligent–
ly studied and rightly understood, re–
veals to mankind many of the majar
events about to occur in the Mid–
east.
Amazing Future Prophecy
The prophet Daniel prophesied that
four great world-ruling empires
would arise one after the other (see
Daniel 2 and 7). These erppires
would domínate this earth up until
the end time when tbe "stone" (the
Messiah or Christ-see Daniel 2:45
and Ephesians 2:20) will demolish
and supplant all human govern–
ments.
The longest prophecy of the Bi–
ble, the eleventh chapter of Daniel,
specifically concerns the Middle
East. Most of this lengthy prophecy
has already been fulfilled. The first
four verses of this chapter foretold
that "a mighty king" (Alexander
the Great) would rise up and defeat
The
PLAIN TRUTH August 1979