Bombings continue to rock Iraq

An Associated Press story at yahoo news by BARBARA SURK and HAMID AHMED published today, Monday, October 26th, 2009, described Iraqi anger at a "major security lapse that allowed two suicide truck bombers to penetrate what was supposed to be one of Baghdad's safest areas, killing 155 people, including 24 children leaving a daycare center."

The bombings targeted the Justice Ministry and the Baghdad Provincial Administration and were the "worst attacks in more than two years" according to the AP report. They bring into question "Iraq's ability to protect itself as it prepares for January elections and the U.S. military withdrawal." U.S. President Barack Obama has pledged to pull combat troops out of Iraq in August 2010.

The prophecy of judgment on Babylon -- modern-day Iraq -- found in Jeremiah 50-51 describes the next catastrophe as the burning of the cities (Jer 50:32) -- "And her high gates will be set on fire; so the peoples will toil for nothing, and the nations become exhausted [because of the] fire" (Jer 51:58).

A January timetable for Iraqi elections presents an interesting pattern: 270 days passed from (and inclusive of) the day of the start of the invasion (March 19, 2003) to the capture of Saddam Hussein (December 13, 2003). Then another 1,113 days passed from his capture to his execution (December 30, 2006). Almost 3 years have passed since then. If one were to again count exactly 1,113 days from his execution, that would bring one to the specific date of January 16, 2010.

I had calculated these dates out several months ago, while attempting to distinguish if a pattern existed in the passing of time through the sequential order of the nine judgment events. For the last several months the date of January 16th, 2010 has been popping back into my head as we get closer to it.

In a startling discovery I uncovered just a few minutes ago, according to ElectionGuide.org, the January elections in Iraq are scheduled for -- guess which day? -- Yes, January 16th, 2010. Someone told me I looked visibly shaken a few moments after I read that.

Apparently, these future elections are not anticipated with joy by certain factions. According to an ABC News report by Timothy McDonald for PM today, "The Iraqi Government says last night's two massive suicide bomb attacks were an attempt to prevent the country from holding elections in January."

Will the fires burn on January 16th, 2010? If they do, the fourth judgment will have unfolded, and the five remaining will most likely transpire in similar sequential pace: after the burning,

Abandonment

War with and defeat by the Kurds

Plundering of the treasures

Flood

Drought.

Nine judgments in all, leading to a complete desolation, forever.