The assassination of King Abdullah of the Hashemite Kingdom of the Jordan, and the untimely death of Admiral Forest P. Sherman, Chief of Naval Operations of the United States, within one week, give pointed evidence to the uncertainty of human life. Surely no man, no matter what his station, knows what a day may bring forth. The one died from violence and the other from natural causes.
Their sudden and unexpected deaths also show how quickly the affairs of men and nations can change, for they were both prominent in the great arena of international struggle, and their decease could mark changes of policy.
King Abdullah was shot down as he was about to enter the Mosque of the Rock (also called the Mosque of Omar) by an assassin who leaped from behind a gate. This happening where it did, gives added emphasis to the Lord's word, "Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." Luke 21:2424And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. (Luke 21:24). The Mosque with its surrounding "noble sanctuary" covers the spot of all spots in all of Palestine most desired by the Jews, for it was there that their temple stood. Today it is the site of a Mohammedan mosque, and it is as tenaciously held by the Moslems, as ardently desired by the Jews.
This king had been highly favored by Great Britain, and he was well known as a friend of the West. His death is a great loss to the West which is precariously situated in the whole of the Middle East. Russia stands to gain, and will lose no chance of fomenting unrest in the area where resurgent militant Mohammedanism has an increasing appeal to the populace who desire more intense nationalism, rather than subservience to the West.
King Abdullah has been a great factor in keeping a measure of tranquility in the highly explosive Middle East. He was one of the very few capable Arab statesmen, and has been willing since he agreed to peace to live side by side with the Nation of Israel in Palestine. He would have liked to bring the other Arab countries of Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia into his camp, under his direction. This has been opposed by Egypt on the one hand, which has sought to bring them all under her control, and Syria on the other, which also wants to dominate the Arab league. Egypt and Syria would each, if they could, gain the leadership, and strike against Israel; they have designs of conflict with and conquest of the Jewish state. Thus we see the two old rivals of the book of Daniel—the "king of the north" (Syria), and the "king of the south" ( Egypt)—readying themselves for their future prophetic operations. The removal of King Abdullah may help to pave the way for the more aggressive and more warlike aspirations of Syria.
There was another cold-blooded murder of an important personage of the Middle East just four days earlier. He was Riad Bey el Solh, a very shrewd political leader of the tiny nation of Lebanon. He, like King Abdullah, was a balancing factor for peace among the Arab states. He was a friend of King Abdullah's, and had gone to Amman to visit the king. After the visit he was being driven to the Amman airport in Abdullah's limousine when he was shot by assassins from a passing car.
This also bodes ill for the Middle East (also the Jews and the West) for el Solh was a national hero in Lebanon, and was resisting the efforts of the radical Syrian National Party which is bent on taking over Lebanon in a plan to form Syria into an Arab superstate.
It is no mere accident that these two powerful figures in opposing the warlike intentions of Syria were removed within one week. Thus the way is being paved for the coming "king of the north." The Scriptures must be fulfilled.
The godly Jewish remnant who will be in Palestine after the Church has been taken to the Father's house will pray the words of the 83rd Psalm:
"Keep not Thou silence, 0 God: hold not Thy peace, and be not still, 0 God. For, lo, Thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate Thee have lifted up the head. They have taken crafty counsel against Thy people, and consulted against Thy hidden ones. They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against Thee: the tabernacles of Edom [descendants of Esau], and the Ishmaelites [descendants of Ishmael]; of Moab [descendants of Lot], and the Hagarenes; Gebal, and Ammon [descendants of Lot], and Amelek [the first enemy of Israel after they came out of Egypt, and their constant foe]; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tire; Assur [the Assyrian] also is joined with them: they have helped the children of Lot." Psalm 83:1-81<<A Song or Psalm of Asaph.>> Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God. 2For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head. 3They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. 4They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. 5For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee: 6The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes; 7Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre; 8Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot. Selah. (Psalm 83:1‑8).
This is the list of Moslem confederates who will oppose the Jews, and consequently take issue with the Roman Empire who will favor the Jews and back them with military might—"the god of forces." The godly remnant of the Jews, however, will make an issue between this opposing horde and God, for they say, "They are confederate against Thee."
It is striking that in this quotation the enemies say, "Let us cut them off from being a nation," and it is only very recently that they are "a nation" again; and then they say "that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance," for this is the name that has been adopted by the new "nation."
The capital city of Jordan where King Abdullah was buried is called Amman; is not this the old name of the children of Lot, Ammon, showing itself again? In Biblical times this city was called Rabbah, and Rabbath, and was the fortified capital of the Ammonites (see Deut. 3:1111For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of giants; behold, his bedstead was a bedstead of iron; is it not in Rabbath of the children of Ammon? nine cubits was the length thereof, and four cubits the breadth of it, after the cubit of a man. (Deuteronomy 3:11); Josh. 13:2525And their coast was Jazer, and all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the children of Ammon, unto Aroer that is before Rabbah; (Joshua 13:25); 2 Sam. 11:1; 12:26-291And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem. (2 Samuel 11:1)
26And Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and took the royal city. 27And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, I have fought against Rabbah, and have taken the city of waters. 28Now therefore gather the rest of the people together, and encamp against the city, and take it: lest I take the city, and it be called after my name. 29And David gathered all the people together, and went to Rabbah, and fought against it, and took it. (2 Samuel 12:26‑29)). It was there that Uriah was slain.
The mission of Admiral Sherman to Europe points up more preliminary steps to the formation of the revived Roman Empire, which is to play such a great and terrible part in the last moments of man's day. He had gone to Europe to arrange for Western air and naval bases in Spain, and thus bring Spain—a necessary part of the future Western confederacy—into the Western alliance. His death of a heart attack in Naples, Italy, probably will not affect the purpose of his mission, for there will be others to take it up where he left off, but it does bring him and his mission into sharper focus in these crucial days.
There can only be one conclusion—"the night is far spent, and the day is at hand." May we who are saved not sleep as do others, but be thoroughly awake, watching for our Lord to come, and warning men to flee from the wrath to come.