We’ve shared a lot on the end times lately and should hope that any of our readers would be quick to call foul if we cross the “times or dates” line. This post will be as close as we get to that, and it will be close, and likely earn some criticism.
Something is really wrong these days. Terribly wrong… There is no doubt that 2016 will prove to be dramatic. There are so many “signs of the times” that it’s difficult to keep track of them.
Donald Trump represents a political/military (in the USA they are one-and-the-same) personality that we’ve really only encountered in other Countries. He’s ultra-rich, “connected”, “self-made”, arrogant as they come, and ready to do drastic things to “save” “his” Country. He admittedly made his money “buying” politicians and people. I understand why he is gaining so much support, especially from non-believers, and especially from those on the “fence”. At least one reason is that American citizens are afraid, and for good reason. Our current administration has been an abject failure on virtually every measurable front.
Yet, while I know this will be as unpopular as any of Trump’s critics, believers must be sensing some of the same things from the Holy Spirit. Perhaps the history buffs will remember a man named Benito Mussolini? This similarity has already been noted by the WaPo. Trump is certainly his own man, but with Biblical warnings about human arrogance, such as the Tower of Babel, many Christians should be cringing to think that he is currently the most likely to succeed here.
Trump isn’t the only disconcerting anomaly “rising out of the sea” these days. If you use credit cards you may have recently been forced to accept that a family can no longer use the same card number among them. While this may seem innocuous enough, the reasoning is disturbing and the power is irresistible. If you want to use a credit card, you will have to do what they say and what they say will be more and more specific, limiting, and exclusive. Their reasoning? Liability. You can no longer “be one” financially with your wife and still use a credit card. A subtle step toward: “No one could buy or sell without this mark.”
Liability is code for “trading liberty for security” and is being eradicated by our behemoth institutions at an impressive clip. It used to be that the reason that credit card company you have charged so much interest and such high fees to vendors, is because they were accepting “all” of the “risk”. Now, they want their cake and eat it too. They don’t want any of the risk, and they will trade your liberty for their security and there’s nothing you can do about it but stop using their “service” no matter how tied into the economy it is.
We shared a recent podcast about how this looks in the medical community with young doctors feeling more like gods every day, while also wanting to shirk all responsibility. For the sake of 0 liability, and maximum profits. Since then, I’ve seen a family who was asked to sign a waiver declaring that they understand that they are “putting their children at risk” if they do not do everything the doctor tells them, or the doctor would not see them. They claim their insurance company is “insisting”. See the defense being erected against us? I’m curious, does anyone believe that if they do everything that the doctor says, will the doctor accept the responsibility? They are fighting you, defending against you, and smiling and claiming to be your servants all at the same time. All for the sake of maximum control, with minimum accountability. We’re no longer human, we’re invaders. Invaders that need to be defended against. Ironically, while our institutions of every shape & sector build their defensive walls our national leadership is calling citizens “paranoid” that want standards on those crossing our borders. Irony is weaved throughout prophetic outcomes. It’s a natural law as ultimately humans are the cause of our own problems.
Perhaps most citizens feel quite content to just do whatever they are told, sign whatever they are given, and bow to whatever golden statue is standing before them?
Yet, perhaps the “newest” thing we’ve ever seen is the pathological denial of the existence of evil. Especially if it’s in the form of Islam. Atheists must deny evil religiously, as to acknowledge it defies their faith. Even if they are atheists claiming to be Christian. They use Christianity as a sheep costume, but beneath are ravenous wolves. Is it really so hard to believe that the majority of humans reject God today?
In most of our parents’ lifetimes America went to war with the Japanese and above is what happened to Japanese Americans. It isn’t pretty, but it’s no “concentration camp”. Here we are a few decades later and we’re seriously discussing admitting 10s of thousands of citizens from the exact same places that we are at war with?
Who is at war you say? America is, it was called “the war on terror” but it turns out to be as similar to a “war with Islam” as it possibly can be. Sure, to keep it all PC we point at North Korea and say: “see, they aren’t Muslims.” Yet, when was it that the last North Korean that shot up a concert hall full of civilians?
While this is indeed “new” it’s not entirely unprecedented. Similar to the technological advances and personalities mentioned above, there were precursors to this. Remember Vietnam? That war was not against “Vietnam” it was against the spread of communism. Before that, the Korean war… (which is still going in case you didn’t know, there’s a ceasefire, albeit a very long one, but no peace treaty has been signed). With each decade we’ve entered into and ungracefully exited more un-endable engagements and the war on terror is probably the most un-endable of all of them.
With any war the enemy must be defined, and failure to correctly define the enemy will result in an inability to measure success or failure. We “lost” Vietnam, because communism spread and we couldn’t stop it. We “lost” Korea, even though we won’t admit it, because the Kim Jungs continue to brainwash millions to serve their whims. Yet, in the case of the “war on terror” we’ve completely failed to correctly define our enemy. Instead we defined a general military tactic. Which means, we cannot succeed until there is no longer “terror”. What an absurd goal!
If 9/11 was really this war’s “shot heard round the world” then Armageddon Islam is the enemy. If America would define it as such our strategy would change significantly.
First and foremost we would stop making treaties, and giving billions, to Armageddon Islamists.
1st Samuel 11, one of those “bloody” and “scary” parts of the Bible that so many like to criticize these days, describes some ancient precursors of today’s situation. Please give it a read. What perhaps stands out most as we enter an election year to choose our equivalent of a “king” is the fact that this is the point in Israel’s history where they decided that Saul was their savior instead of God. Where they subjected themselves to a man, rather than the Lord alone. How ironic, when a nation with “no king but God” destroys their brutal enemies and rather than rejoice and accept God’s design for them, they turn their revel into a push to change things. To gain a King, and to heap praise on Saul, rather than God. What does that say about them? What does that say about us?
I promised to really push the “times & dates” limits with this post, so here it is. With the stock market plunging well below “correction” territory. With oil prices irrational by standards from a few years ago. With leading presidential candidates that are unapologetic narcissists, and with ISIS making Al-Qaeda look like “the JV team.” With that just being the tip of the iceberg. It seems more likely than ever that the next 8 years cannot possibly look better than the last 7 without it being a complete lie. Too much damage has been done. Too much hate has been stoked. Too many sins are now socially acceptable. Not just in this nation, but throughout the world.
Things can go lots of different ways, and by a literalistic interpretation it stands to reason that the 7 year treaty may come after some terrible things, or it may come quickly, at which point prophecy says we will have 3 1/2 great years. Will that begin this year? Has it already begun? I’m afraid I don’t know. I doubt it has already begun, but I suspect it will begin soon. To get through the next decade will be truly unprecedented. The world is so volatile, the Middle East, so soaked with the blood of martyrs, that the earth itself is likely about to declare war on mankind.
I think you covered a broad range of the festering problems facing the world today , and I , for the most part , agree. Some of the damage done to our country , may be solvable , but even then , there will not be a simple quick fix , while other problems , such as those concerning the middle east , have gotten so far out-of-control , there will be no solution for a while, if ever , and the same goes for 19 trillion dollar debt that is still ballooning . I do believe that the farther we ,as a country , are separated from ” IN GOD WE TRUST” , and not living within morals and values , we are headed for failure , for sure !
“we are headed for failure , for sure !” – It’s difficult to even bother to point this out. I suppose I’m stubborn enough to dare to hope there is something we can do, even something small to mitigate a moment of the impending damage.
Watching for the “7 year Covenant”. I am wondering how much publicity it will get? Will the media give it “Peace in our time” coverage or realizing its significance downplay it?
Yes, I wonder the same. Depending on how literal we take “whole world” statements in the Bible (for instance, did the “whole world” flood at the time of Noah, or just the part that people lived in?), it may be that clock is already ticking. However, I’m fairly suspicious that we’re going to see another big war. Some big attack. I’ve got my eye on N. Korea, Iran, Russia, and China in that order. In fact as bold as it seems I would even go so far as to say that N. Korea or Iran could just be a proxy aggressor for China or Russia or both or all. I deeply suspect that they have already confirmed their alliance, and that includes Pakistan, Syria, the Saudis. Turkey is a bit of a wildcard just now, but I suspect they will fall into line with their “brothers” soon and then they’ll attack Israel. When they do other nations will attempt to come to their aid and in that process I believe we’ll get the ultimate peace treaty. My real curiosity is where this leader will come from. I suspect Asia because the middle-east has no-one of much western persuasion. The few that entertain those philosophies are pretentious and usually end up attacked by the people they attempt to appease. Westerners are too apologetic to get behind one of their own. While there are relatively few pretentious “cross-cultural” and tolerant wanna-be-the-offspring-of-Ishmael those that are persuaded by the far east are MANY. A leader to rise in the likeness of Buddha, or Confucius, would be incredibly popular. More important than any Billy Graham or Obama of western privilege. Yet, at his core, wherever he comes from, he will advocate against religion and for secularism, even if under the guise of spirituality. I suspect he will save us from the upheaval that is coming and then make a move for world domination in the middle of that “peace”.
Whatever comes to pass, “peace peace” is going to be our downfall. We want it for free. We want to wish away evil and enemies. In general we’re a cowardly society because we have manufactured our own little towers of Babel in which we delude ourselves into believing that we’re safe, and we’re at peace, and when the prophetic equivalent to Paul Revere comes riding into town everyone laughs at him in the same way that Sodom & Gomorrah laughed. 2 years, 3 years… plenty of time for the wolf to dwell among the sheep and lull them to sleep. He picks one off here, one off there, but his end game is coming and few will “be ready“.
Many – even believers – are propagating theories about how all of Revelation has already been fulfilled, or how for thousands of years everyone thought they lived in the end times. Yet another sign of the times. It would stand to reason that the generation that stops thinking they are at the end would be the ones that are.
Naval Medical Center San Diego terrorism? how do you know? nobody knows yet.