31 October 2017

On 31 October 2017 we had two important anniversaries.

First, we had 500 years since the Reformation, which began with Martin Luther nailing his ideas to a church door in Saxony. For 500 years Protestantism has accomplished much good.

Second, we had 100 years since the crucial Battle of Beersheba. For centuries Islam had been in power in the Middle East. The British forces were trying to defeat the Turks, and could not. Then General Allenby came up with a plan which consisted of using the Light Horse to flank Beersheba. The Australian Light Horse were ordered by Lieutenant General Sir Harry Chauvel to charge Beersheba after riding through the desert for two days. This charge was very successful, and with the fall of Beersheba, the Turks began to roll back, and were defeated, until eventually Jerusalem and then Damascus were captured. And so the First World War brought about the end of the Ottoman Empire.

Da 12:11 And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.
Da 12:12 Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.
Da 12:13 But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.

From when the Islamic religion first launched out on its world conquest in 632 AD to the fall of the Turkish Sultanate in 1922 was exactly 1290 years. The six day war with the capture of Jerusalem by the Jews was 1335 years after 632 AD.

The Reformation is about the authority of Scripture and the Battle of Beersheba is about God’s divine providence and the events which take place to fulfil Bible prophecies.