Back in the late 90's, one of our family's favorite television shows was Early Edition. The show follows the adventures of a man who, each day, mysteriously receives a newspaper the day before it is actually published, and who uses this knowledge to prevent terrible events each day. Of course, it was billed as a science fiction show, because, after all, who can see into the future—even a short time into the future?

Well, we can. Based on the Bible, as well as current conditions, we can see, for example, what will occur in regard to the Middle East peace process.

We know that the Israelis and the Palestinians will never confirm a treaty. While the world is focused on the Middle East peace process, hoping against hope that Israel and the Palestinians will somehow work out a treaty, we can know what will really occur: The Palestinians will continue to refuse to negotiate with Israel until God moves the process away from the Palestinians toward the fulfillment of the end-times treaty, a seven-year treaty predicted by the Bible that will initiate the final seven years before the return of Christ. Let's break it down.

As Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu stated two weeks ago, the Palestinians have been evading peace negotiations with Israel. Despite Israel's withdrawal from Gaza as a concession of land for peace, and despite the generous offer of 98% of the West Bank and East Jerusalem to the Palestinians by former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, the Palestinians have refused to work with Israel and will not do so any time soon. Now Palestinian leaders are openly refusing to negotiate with Israeli leadership.

While the Israelis have historically traded land for peace (though no peace has come, no matter how much land the Jews have given), the Palestinian plan is more about trading (away) peace for land. This does not mean that the Palestinians are willing to give peace, more like take it away. This can be seen by the approach of the Palestinian leadership in the West Bank which continues to incite hatred against Israel, both internally and internationally (including political attacks upon Israel at the U.N.).

Moreover, there is Hamas. The Palestinian Authority cannot legitimately confirm a treaty with Israel without Hamas, the ruling party of Palestinians in Gaza, signing onto it. But Hamas will never go for a treaty with Israel. For example, the head of Hamas' military wing recently threatened the extinction of Israel and stated that Jews have no right to any of the land on which they are sitting, and Hamas leader Khalil al-Haya reiterated that same philosophy in an interview in November. Meanwhile, Hamas continues to fire rockets into Israel, launching more than 250 grad missiles, Kassam rockets, and mortar shells against the Jewish nation in the past year.

The real problem is that the Palestinians refuse to recognize Israel as a Jewish state. Without recognizing Israel's right to exist, the Palestinians will never negotiate and, of course, will never sign a treaty with Israel. Since their position on this is built into their charter, they will never concede, which means that the peace process will bypass the Palestinians. After all, the world will not wait forever, and God will use the Palestinian obstinacy to move negotiations away from them to involve another group—a group of ten.

Thus, we can see that the Palestinians are not interested in being peace partners with Israel. This also means they will refuse to provide Israel with a guarantee of security. Since both peace and security will be important aspects of the end-times treaty, do not expect to see the Palestinians as co-signers of that end-times treaty with Israel.

This past week, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stated that Israel has reasons to be cautious. As she put it, "When the Israelis pulled out of Lebanon, they got Hizbullah and 40,000 rockets, and when they pulled out of Gaza, they got Hamas and 20,000 rockets."

In other words, Israel's experience has conditioned the Jewish leadership to be focused on "peace and security" in the next treaty they sign. Since the end-times treaty will be linked with "peace and security," it appears that God has prepared Israel for that specific end.

"Peace and security" has become a world focus, being driven home in almost daily fashion in public statements by the U.S., Israel, Arab states, Russia, the U.N., etc. Both Israel and the world at large will be looking for "peace and security" in the end-times treaty, which means that Israel will not have signed a "peace and security" treaty with the Palestinians before signing the end-times treaty. In addition, since the end-times treaty appears to involve ten national leaders co-signing the treaty, and because the Palestinians have never been a nation or a power (authority), we should not expect them to be one of the co-signers. Thus, the treaty will bypass the Palestinians in the near future.

So how long will the world sit and watch this total lack of progress because of the Palestinians' position? We may see some movement away from the Palestinians—toward another group—by the end of this year. If so, be on the lookout for a coalition of ten national leaders who will co-sign the end-times treaty with Israel.

We have received the "early edition" (from Scripture) and can, thus, look into the future. Not only do we know the Israelis and the Palestinians will not sign a Middle East treaty, we can see indicators that the movement toward the end-times treaty may not be far off. Therefore . . .

Keep looking up!

John