So Russia, Iran and Turkey, among others it would appear, are going to oppose Israel militarily, according to the book of Ezekiel which was written in approximately 593-571 BC, almost three thousand years ago. Already, in light of Iran's recent threats to wipe Israel off the map along with Russia's recent arming of Iran with air defense rocket systems and nuclear reactors, the prophecies of Ezekiel written literally thousands of years ago are amazingly demonstrative of alliances that threaten the nation of Israel's existence today, are they not?

Time to talk Turkey!

Presently a member of NATO, why would Turkey want to ally with the anti-Israel horde described in Ezekiel 38? At a glance it seems illogical, but day by day the picture is becoming more clear.

What of potential prophetic significance is presently going on where EU membership-seeking Turkey is concerned? A lot! To say that Turkey's odds of getting into the EU are spiraling downward by the moment is an understatement.

Recently, as I documented in a different commentary, NATO member Turkey froze its military ties with fellow NATO member (and EU member) France in retaliation to the French parliament's support for a bill making it a crime to deny claims of an Armenian genocide taking place at Turkish hands in WWI.

As I additionally noted in the previous commentary, the EU and Turkey are presently at odds as a result of Turkey's refusal to negotiate a deal that would see Turkey open its ports and airports to traffic from EU member state Cyprus. Since I wrote that commentary on 11-16-06, have any concessions been made to end tensions? No - and I'm not sure there will be, quite frankly.

As seen in an EU Observer commentary dated 11-20-06, the Finnish EU presidency has raised the political stakes in the faltering EU-Turkey talks since then, giving Ankara just over two weeks to put them back on track, calling on the European Commission to concretely say what it will do if no solution is found as well.

Turkey's position in response to the Finnish presidency's implied threat to its accession talks? The following excerpt from an EUBusiness.com article entitled "Turkey stands defiant despite new EU warning" leaves little doubt that Turkey isn't going to alter its position on the issue, potentially setting up an early December showdown that could have prophetic implications, as noted above:

Turkey said Monday it would not back down from its refusal to grant trade privileges to Cyprus despite an EU warning that Ankara's failure to comply by the first week of December would have consequences for its troubled membership bid.

"We stand at the point we are. A new step is out of the question," the government's spokesman, Justice Minister Cemil Cicek, said after a weekly cabinet meeting.

It may be very interesting to see how this developing story turns out, huh? One thing I believe may play prominently into how this turns out is dependent on what happens when the Pope, who recently upset the Muslim world, visits Turkey next week. Already as seen in a Reuters report, Turkey's top Muslim official is calling for the Pope to clearly state that he believes Islam, like Christianity, is a religion of peace!

Oh yes, Christians! The next few weeks are going to be anything but boring! There should be lots to comment on and I am looking forward to keeping everyone abreast of these issues of prophetic interest and much more.......if the Lord should delay His coming, of course!