Introduction

ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY YEARS BEFORE the actual events came to fruition in the Middle East, two dedicated Bible scholars predicted accurately several key years in the then approaching conflict for tenure of the holy Land and Jerusalem, involving a long prophesised regathering of the Jews to their Promised Land, after nearly 2000 years of Diaspora.

Doctors Clarke and Guinness pointed well in advance to the coming years 1902, 1917, 1947-8 and 1967 AD, having based their predictions on the 2,500 year old Biblical book of Daniel.

Not only did their advance forecasts prove accurate decades later, but those key 'Signpost Years’ continue to mark events and developments in the holy Land, ever since their occurrence in modern times, that now represent the specific themes of serious contention in the struggle for Peace in that region today.

These following NOTES explain the rational behind the Clarke-Guinness thinking in as fast and concise a form as possible, and elaborations will follow. A second critical aim here is not to prove 'The Signpost Years' correct, but rather to use the scientific approach of attempting their falsification first. You can help either way by passing on any objective comments to this site.

PART 1 Is an Introduction and looks at each of the Signpost Years as they were foretold in the writings of Guinness and Clarke. It looks at many of the side issues and has a number of detailed footnotes.

PART 2 Looks at the period 1901 – 1903, and the first of the Signpost Years predicted by Clarke in 1825. This part explains the huge significance of the period and sets the scene for a further link that comes in Part 4.

PART 3 Begins to address some of the typical questions that might arise in the mind of the reader regarding the Signpost Years. Items are added to this from time to time as new considerations are brought to light. Again, feel free to contribute any comments that will add to those pages.

PART 4 Looks at the Signpost Years in the light of the last 6 months of Christ’s Ministry, and especially the last week of messages He imparted to His followers for the future. It ties directly back into PART 2.


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Click on QUICK LINKS to Parts 1 to 4 of the Signpost Notes:
Part 1: Introduction, Timelines, Conclusion.
Part 2: The SignPost Year 1902 AD and Max Nordau
Part 3: Q & A on the Signpost Years
Part 4: Jesus and the Signpost Years



Tuesday 21 January 2014

'WAR WITHOUT END'


SIGNPOST: 1947 - 1948

“ FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1947:

The gavel rapped. The General Assembly of the United Nations was ordered into session. “We shall have a roll call of nations on the partition resolution. A two thirds majority is needed for passage.
"Delegates will answer in one of three ways; for, against, or abstain.”

A solemn quiet fell over the great hall.

“Afghanistan”
“Afghanistan votes against.”
The Yishuv had lost the first vote. Barak marked it on a pad.

“Argentina.”
“The government of Argentina wishes to abstain.”
“We have to cut the abstentions down,” Barak whispered; “they could kill us.”

“Australia.”
Everyone leaned forward as Evatt got to his feet with the first vote of a British Commonwealth nation.
“Australia votes in favour of partition,” Evatt said. 
A buzz of speculation went up. Weizmann leaned close to Barak’s ear. “Do you think it might be a trend in the Commonwealth?”
“We’ll just have to count them one at a time…we can’t tell.”

“Belgium”
“Belgium votes for partition.”
Another buzz arose in the great hall. A few days earlier Belgium had abstained on the test vote. At the last minute Spaak had defied British pressure.

“Bolivia.”
“Bolivia votes for partition.”

“Brazil.”
“Brazil favours partition.”
The south American countries were sticking. A vital vote was coming up with the next call. If the Soviet Union had a double cross up its sleeve, the world would know it now, for a satellite, White Russia, was next.

“Byelorussia.”
“White Russia votes for partition.”
In unison the Jews breathed a sigh of relief. The Slav bloc was going to come in. The signs were bright.

“Canada.”
Lester Pearson arose and spoke firmly. “Canada votes for partition.” The second of the Commonwealth countries had gone against Great Britain.

“Chile”
Another delegate arose in place of the chief who had resigned in protest to his orders to abstain. “Chile has been ordered to abstain,” he said slowly.

“China.”
China, jockeying to become the dominant power in Asia, feared to go against the Moslems of India and Pakistan.
“China abstains.”
It was a setback for the Yishuv.

“Costa Rica.”
The Costa Rican delegate had been approached by the Arabs who tried to bribe his vote by a promise to support him for an important United Nations post. He stood and looked at the Egyptian delegation.
“Costa Rica votes in favour of partition.”
The man who would not be bought sat down smiling.

“Cuba.”
“Cuba votes against partition.”
This came as a complete and unexpected shock to the Yishuv.

 
“Czechoslovakia.”
“Czechoslovakia votes for partition,” Jan Masaryk said.

“Denmark favours partition.”
“The Dominican Republic favours partition.”

“Egypt”
“Egypt votes against and will not be bound by this outrage!”
The gavel rapped and order came about slowly, following the Egyptian’s angry outburst.

“Ecuador.”
“Ecuador votes for.”

“Ethiopia”
“Ethiopia….abstains,”

It was a bombshell ! The faces of all the Arab delegates turned to the Ethiopian with stunned expressions. The Syrian delegate shook his fist angrily.”

“France.”
The first of the big powers, reluctant France had its turn. Parodi came to his feet slowly. An abstention by France could prove disastrous for the Yishuv. Had Blum and the French people succeeded?
“The Republic of France votes FOR partition,” Parodi said in a voice filled with satisfaction.
An expectant murmur went up. It was the first excited awareness that the miracle might actually take place !

“Guatemala.”
Granados, the champion of partition, spoke. “For,” he said.

“Greece.”
“Greece votes against partition.” In the last moment the Greeks had bowed to Egyptian blackmail.
 
“Haiti.”
Haiti was a key vote that had suddenly been left without instructions in the last two days. “The government of Haiti has just been sent instructions for this delegation to vote in favour of partition.”

“Honduras.”
“Honduras wishes to abstain.”

“Iceland.”
“Iceland votes for partition.” The world’s oldest republic had worked to make the world’s newest republic.

“India.”
“India votes against partition.”

“Iran.”
“Iran votes against.”

“Iraq.”
“Iraq votes against and we will never recognise the Jews ! There will be bloodshed over this day. We vote against !

“Lebanon.”
“Lebanon votes AGAINST partition,” Malik said.

“How does the vote stand?” Weizmann asked Barak.
“Fifteen for, eight against, and seven abstentions.”

It was not too encouraging. So far the Jews were running one vote shy of their two thirds, and the deadly abstentions were piling up.

“What do you think, Barak?”
“We will know when they come to the next three South American countries.”
“I think we shall have to start pulling away. We are near the halfway mark and we show no decided strength,” Weizmann said.

“Liberia.”
“Liberia votes for partition.”

“Luxembourg.” Another small country under duress in the British economic sphere. “Luxembourg votes for partition.” Again, the British had been directly rebuked. The Yishuv now stood one vote over two thirds.

“Mexico.”
“Mexico abstains.”

The entire Yishuv delegation winced.

“Netherlands.”
“Netherlands votes for.”

“New Zealand.”
“New Zealand votes for.”

“Nicaragua…for.”
“Norway…for.”
“Pakistan votes against partition.”

The pivot votes were coming up. “If we get over the next four I think we are in,” Barak said shakily.

“Panama.”
“The Republic of Panama favours partition.”

“Paraguay.”
“Paraguay has just received new instructions not to abstain….instead, Paraguay votes for partition.”

“Peru.”
“Peru favours partition.”

“Philippines.” For a breathless moment the world stood still. Romulo had been called away from Flushing Meadow. The alternative stood up. “The Philippines votes FOR partition !”
A roar went up ! The members of the Jewish delegation looked at each other with dazed expressions.
“Dear God,” Barak said, “I think we have made it.”

“Poland.”
“Poland votes in favour of partition.” The Jews were beginning to pull away. Poland had paid its small indemnity for years of persecution.

Siam was not represented.

“Saudi Arabia.” The white-robed Arab screamed out against partition in a hate-filled voice.

“Sweden.”
“Sweden is for partition.”

And now the Arabs had their backs to the wall as they went into the last ditch.

“Syria, AGAINST !”
“Turkey votes AGAINST partition.”

Barak scanned the balance of the roster quickly. The Arabs still had a breath of life. They now had twelve votes with one more certain. If some last-minute change came through it could upset everything.

“Ukraine.”
“For.”

“Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.”
Vishinsky got to his feet. “The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics votes for partition.”

“The United Kingdom of Great Britain.” The hall became silent. The British delegate got to his feet and looked around the room ashen-faced. At this awesome moment he stood alone. The Commonwealth nations has deserted. France had deserted. The United States of America had deserted.

“His Majesty’s Government wishes to abstain,” the Englishman said in a shaken voice.

“The United States of America.”
“The United States of America votes for partition.”

It was all over. The reporters scrambled for their phones to flash the news around the world as the last vote was cast. Yemen gave the Arabs their thirteenth vote. Yugoslavia abstained in deference to a large Moslem minority. Professor Fabegat of Uruguay and the delegate of Venezuela gave the partition plan its thirty-second and thirty-third votes.

In Tel Aviv pandemonium broke loose.

In the final analysis, the Jewish victory was crushing. The Arabs had thirteen votes, and eleven of these were Arab or Moslem nations. The twelfth was a vote coerced from the Greeks. The thirteenth vote, Cuba, represented the only nation on the face of the earth that the Arabs were able to convince by force of argument.

Those men who had won this battle at Flushing Meadow and had seen the miracle unfold were realists. The Jews in Tel Aviv celebrated only for the moment. Ben Gurion and the leaders of the Yishuv knew that even a greater miracle would have to take place to win independence for the Jewish state, as the cry “Perish Judea!” arose like thunder on Arab lips.

KUWATLY, PREDIDENT OF SYRIA: We live or die with Palestine!

AL KULTA MEWSPAPER, CAIRO: Five hundred thousand Iraqis prepare for this holy war. 150,000 Syrians will storm over the Palestine borders and the mighty Egyptian army will throw the Jews into the sea if they dare to declare their state.

JAMIL MARDAM, SYRIAN PREMIER: Stop talking, my brother Moslems. Arise and wipe out the Zionist scourge.

IBN SAUD, KING OR SAUDI ARABIA: There are 50 million Arabs. What does it matter if we lose 10 million people to kill all the Jews ? The price is worth it.

SELEH HARB PASHA, MOSLEM YOUTH: Unsheathe the swords against the Jews! Death to them all! Victory is ours!

SHEIK HASSAN AL BANNAH, MOSLEM BROTHERHOOD: All Arabs shall arise and annihilate the Jews! We shall fill the sea with their corpses.

AKRAM YAUYTAR, MUFTI SPOCKSMAN: Fifty million Arabs shall fight to the last drop of blood.

HAJ AMIN EL HUSSEINI, MUFTI OF JERUSALEM: I declare a holy war, my Moslem brothers! Murder the Jews! Murder them all!

AZZAM PASHA, SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE ARAB LEAGUE: This will be a war of extermination, and momentous massacre which will be spoken of like the Mongolian Massacres.

Other Arab leaders and Arab press and radio spoke out in equally appropriate words in answer to the United Nation’s partition of Palestine.

On December 1, 1947, one day after the UN vote, Dr Khalidi of the Arab Higher Committee in Palestine called a general strike in which inflamed mobs broke out in wild rioting. They crossed into the Jewish commercial centre of Jerusalem and burned and looted while the British troops stood by idly.”

                         [ - Leon Uris, Exodus. pp 461-466 ]

The 1947-8 civil war had started and culminated six months later in 1948 in the War of Independence with the birth of the State of Israel.

The start of these conflicts after the UN vote has proven, to date, to be the most notorious, convoluted ever ‘war without end.’

14jan21

Wednesday 1 January 2014

THE 'SIGNS OF THE TIMES' IN GUINNESS, et al.


 

 
“JEWISH SIGNS:

‘Long ago, six hundred years before the Christian era, my nation lost its independence; it fell under Gentile rulers. But its fall was illuminated by hope, for our restoration had been predicted a thousand years previously by the same God who had also foretold our fall. Many particulars were associated with our fall in sacred prophecy, and they all came true.

Many more were associated with our restoration, and one by one they have been coming true for the last 150 years. Not a single jot or tittle has failed of the threats of judgement; all came on our people and lasted through ages. And now the promises are coming upon us; one by one they have been fulfilled, and there remain unfulfilled but one or two, and even of these we are already receiving the first instalments - the conversion of our people and their restoration to the land of promise. We cannot from our experience doubt that the day is near at hand when the throne of Judah will again be established on earth, and when Messiah, Son of David, will be King over the whole world.

You need not take my word for it; judge for yourself ! Compare the condition of the Jews in Europe and the wide world to-day, with what it was only two centuries ago! Then our portion was, and for ages had been, homeless exile, perpetually renewed banishment, cruel and constant massacre, ruthless spoliation, social contempt and degradation, destruction by torture and fire and sword; we were despised until we became despicable, oppressed until we became wicked, crushed down until we lost the power to rise, deprived of all chance of culture till we sank into almost brutal ignorance; we were enslaved and ill-treated till we hardly remembered we were men; and this for long, long centuries !

Now all is changed, and our portion in most lands is as good a one as that of the Gentiles themselves. In some countries we are still reminded of olden times occasionally, when our people by their financial dealings excite popular prejudice; but this is the exception, not the rule. Everywhere we are now being emancipated, possessed of civil, social, and religious liberty, and of citizenship in all lands; we take our places in every class, even among the legislators and judges of the Gentiles; we teach their youth, we conduct their Press; we enjoy honour and power, rank and wealth, and perfect equality with our Gentile neighbours.

Further, we have once more AN INTERNATIONAL BOND OF UNION, and one of the most rapidly rising, fast multiplying, vigorous, and advancing nations on earth. We can compete with the Gentiles in the mart, in the study, in the senate, wherever we get fair play; and we are getting that everywhere now.

Our restoration to our own land is but a question of time, and probably of a short time. If our revival, uplifting, and restoration mark the terminus of your Gentile age, then you may be very sure its years are few !’ ”

[Guinness comment continues]:

“So speaks the Jewish witness, and every fact he indicates is a sign of the times.

And there is further confirmation still in connection with the land of the Jews, as well with their people.

For eighteen centuries it has lain desolate and forsaken of its sons, occupied and oppressed by strangers, and its condition was indicated by our Lord Himself as especially a sign of the times. ‘And Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.’

The condition of Palestine, be it observed, is a wholly independent question to that of the state of the Jews. Since the close of the Jewish war 1800 years ago, the Jews have had no more to do with it practically than the Chinese. It has passed under the power of one Gentile nation after another, and no improvement in the condition of the Jews has yet had any direct influence on the fate of Palestine.

For the last twelve centuries it has lain desolate under Mohammedan despotism, and for 400 years it has been wasted by Turkish tyranny. But the cruel grasp that has held it so long is fast relaxing; paralysis has smitten away its strength; the slightest effort would remove the weak and unwelcome constraint; yea, it would have failed long since had not outsiders upheld the arm and steadied the hand. It must evidently, as all admit, resign its hold ere long.

But perchance some other Gentile Power may succeed the Turk ? It dos not follow that Jerusalem must cease to be trodden down by Gentiles because it ceases to be trodden down by the Turk.

True; but this decay of Turkish power is represented elsewhere under the figure of the drying up of the Euphrates, and that figure points back to Cyrus’ capture of Babylon, when the river Euphrates was actually dried up, that Israel’s liberator might enter Babylon and set the captive people free. Of this Cyrus it was said, ‘He shall build My city; he shall let go My captives.’ He is a type of Christ, who is now by His providence drying up the anti-typical Euphrates, ie. The Turkish Power, that He may effect a greater deliverance.

Furthermore, facts indicate that it would be impossible permanently to replace the Turks in Jerusalem by any nation except a Jewish one. The Powers of Europe would not suffer any one of themselves to possess it; when the Eastern Question comes to its solution, the probability is that the best course, even from a merely political standpoint, will be seen to be a Jewish occupation, under European guarantee as in the case of Belgium.

In any case, the condition of Jerusalem, and of the Eastern Question generally, seems to agree with all the rest in indicating that we have nearly reached the close of the ‘times of the Gentiles.’ ”

[ Light For The Last Days, 1917 edition with EP Cachemaille, MA. editor.

Morgan and Scott LTD, London pubs. pp 274 - 277 ]

Signpost Comment:


This clip with the initial Jewish-perspective contribution indicate a time of writing in the early years of the established world Zionist movement, the author notes in his own capitalized text : “Further, we have once more AN INTERNATIONAL BOND OF UNION, and are one of the most rapidly rising, fast multiplying, vigorous, and advancing nations on earth….”

Biographer of Zionism Max Nordau and others note that in or by 1902 the organization had come to have an office in many cities of the world, uniting Jews globally for the first time in centuries, it’s own postage stamp and emblems, global and universal fundraising system, and so on. The Jewish author of the above clip, then, seems to be writing at about that year.

Further, there is no mention of the fall of the Turkish Ottoman Empire that was the final Gentile nation to hold sway over Jerusalem-Palestine (1917), or ‘trample it’ in Jesus’ and Daniel’s words, before a future Jewish re-gathering there.

So this interesting text predates the First World War incursion into the middle east and the taking of Jerusalem by General Allenby.