In your 8-6-09 Article regarding “Will Babylon Be Ready” you stated that we are several years away from conditions being right for the start of Daniel’s 70th week. It is my understanding that there is nothing in the Bible that would indicate a several year gap between the rapture of the church and the start of Daniel’s 70th week. Therefore, keeping in mind that no one knows the day or the hour that God will call for his people, it does sound like you are implying that we are still several years away from the rapture taking place.
I believe the rapture can happen at any moment. Just because the Bible doesn’t mention a span of time between the Rapture and the beginning of Daniel’s 70th week doesn’t mean there isn’t one. After all the Rapture is an unannounced event so the more we know about its timing the less of a secret it would become.
Since I believe the Battle of Ezekiel 38 must precede the 70th week, I look at world events and don’t see that battle happening just yet. Israel is not a peaceful and unsuspecting people as Ezek. 38:11 requires and Israel does not possess the plunder Ezek. 38:13 mentions as Magog’s justification for attacking.
Also today Israel’s main threats come from its next door neighbors (Lebanon, Syria, Hezbollah and Hamas) and all are missing from the line up in Ezekiel 38. This leads me to believe Psalm 83 and Isaiah 17 will probably be fulfilled first.
That said, I also believe that all end times prophecy including the 2nd Coming will likely be fulfilled by the end of 2018. Subtracting 7 years for Daniel’s 70th week means I’m looking for everything I’ve mentioned above to take place in the next 2 1/2 years.