Capitalism

Listening to the commentary about what our government is trying to do with heath care reform, it has become clearer that they are not really trying to improve health care; it is instead about the government controlling this segment of our economy. The least that government meddling in health care will do is increase its costs. They say they are increasing competition but government control is a monopoly that eliminates competition. The public is beginning to catch on to the truth behind the rhetoric but those in power may yet manage to take this big step closer to socializing our economy.

The government take over of health care is only one aspect of a multi-front effort to fundamentally change America from a capitalist to a socialist economy. Many of the Presidents “Czars” have Marxist credentials and they are pursuing all the classic Leftist strategies such as “spreading the wealth around” and stirring up class envy. Due to the government’s big push to demonize capitalism, I feel the need to address which economic system is more biblical.

Definitions
Capitalism is an economic system in which wealth and means for creating wealth are privately controlled and owned. Free enterprise enables individuals to operate businesses for profit with minimal governmental interference. The government’s role is limited to maintaining a stable currency and upholding laws which protect rights to own property.

Socialism requires state administration or ownership of goods and services in the pursuit of equality. Socialists believe that capitalism unfairly concentrates wealth (and power) in only a few. Thus socialism seeks to redistribute a society's wealth more “equally” to all its citizens.

Dignity of the Individual
One of the reasons why capitalism is more biblical than socialism is the value God has for every person. Indeed, we are made in the very image of God per Genesis 1:26-27. This gives each of us great dignity. Capitalism provides people with more opportunities to realize their worth than socialism. Capitalism motivates people to excel because their efforts are rewarded. God promised rewards for the good works of those who trust in Jesus, see Matthew 16:27. While capitalism does not deliver for equal outcomes, it does offer equal opportunity.

Capitalism requires each person to rely on themselves and God to meet their needs, thus it provides more dignity than depending on government hand-outs. The Old Testament Law required farmers to leave some of their crops in the field for the poor to glean. This meant that the poor had to do some work themselves in order to have their needs met. Socialism seeks to usurp God role in meeting our needs and it eliminates opportunities for individuals to help the poor.

Leftists often act religious to claim that socialism is more biblical than capitalism. They point to the sharing of wealth by the early Christians in the book of Acts as proof that the Bible advocates Marxism, the parent doctrine of socialism. But what they are missing is that the property sharing in Acts show individuals making free moral choices to use their property for the good of others. 2 Corinthians 9:7 says, “let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver” (NKJ). If all economic decisions are made by centralized authorities, opportunities to act upon personal moral convictions are reduced.

Good Intentions
Leftists put a high value on the good intentions of their policies. But good intentions are not worth anything without being accompanied with good actions. It is amazing how often good intentions fail to be accompanied by good actions to end up producing consequences directly opposite to what was desired.

Capitalism and socialism are based on completely different assumptions about human nature. Socialism totally disregards the Bible’s doctrine on the fallen nature of mankind and assumes that people will act morally if their basic needs are met. Capitalism recognizes our fallen nature taking self-interest into consideration to cancel out most of the consequences of greed.

For example, suppliers of goods or services generally want to make as much possible and so they will tend to set their prices high. But the self-interest of the consumer resists paying high prices so the vendor must yield some of their self-interest with a low enough price to attract customers.

No economic system is perfect and greed can taint a capitalist system but free market forces minimize that. The government’s role in a capitalist system should be limited to punishing the greediest. But excessive government control can neutralize the self-correcting balancing forces of a free market to actually cause worse economic problems. And in a socialist system, the government is the ultimate authority over all so there is no one to appeal to for justice.

Sins of Socialism
When President Obama was a candidate he revealed his agenda to transform America into a socialist economy when he told “Joe the Plumber” that we needed to spread the wealth around. But forcing people to give up their resources even for the common good is stealing, see Exodus 20:15. The end should not justify the means. A good end is sin if robbery is the means. Sure the government is entitled to taxes to pay for their role of keeping the peace but when they take on more authority than this, the taxes required to fund it is stealing.

The other thing the Obama administration is doing to dupe people into embracing their policies is to claim all their tax increases will be directed toward the rich. They have also been actively ridiculing executives for their perks and making a lot of money. This stirs up class envy which is sin. Exodus 20:17 says, “You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's” (NKJ). Of course Leftists have no concept of sin, they totally disregard what God has to say about it in His Word.

The Federal Government’s wasteful spending practices are legend. We’ve all heard of the ridiculous prices the government pays for things it buys. This is because the arrogant bureaucrats write specifications for what they want that force suppliers to jump through ridiculous hoops to comply with. Now consider that wasteful practice extended to even more segments of our economy, the system will eventually break like what happened to the Soviet Union.

Government wastefulness is sin. Proverbs 21:20 says, “there is desirable treasure, and oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man squanders it” (NKJ). The bigger the government, the bigger the sin and socialism requires a significantly bigger government than capitalism.

Socialism requires debt to fund it and debt is sin. Romans 13:8 says, “owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law” (NKJ). It is obvious that “the borrower is servant to the lender” (Proverbs 22:7, NKJ) which is contrary to Gods plan for us because he wants us to be free. John 8:32 says, “you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (NKJ). The debt our government is incurring to pay for wild social programs will have to be paid back through either future taxes, future inflation or cancelled due to political upheaval. I don’t see how this country will avoid all three of these consequences.

The Trend
Unfortunately the direction this world is headed is toward is more socialist than capitalist. The Antichrist, “causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name” (Revelation 13:16-17, NKJ). This is total control, the socialist utopia. But it will end in total disaster, see Revelation 18.

Those who rob workers of their due wealth due to excessive taxes and inflation will ultimately suffer worse than we who labor… James 5:1-7 says, “Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you! Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days. Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury; you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter. You have condemned, you have murdered the just; he does not resist you. Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord.” (NKJ)

De-radicalizing Islam

I was listening to Dennis Prager when he praised liberal columnist Thomas Friedman for his recent article on Islam. The refreshing thing about this article is that it avoided political correctness as it called on Islamic leaders to police their own radical elements. I believe that this is in fact what will eventually happen when the raging Jihad perpetrates a sufficient international crisis.

Most of Islam is looking forward to the day that their Mahdi comes to bring peace to the world under Islam. One thing Sunnis and Shiites have in common is that they both look forward to the day when all Islam is united as they were under the Muslim Caliphate during the Ottoman Empire. Iranian President Ahmadinejad, a Shiite, recently stood inside the Sultanahmet Mosque and prayed behind a Turkish Sunni imam to demonstrate that he and the Iranian government are supporting the emerging Turkish-led Islamic Union.

Many Muslims including Ahmadinejad believe that their Mahdi will emerge to resolve a great conflict between nations in the world. That is what makes Ahmadinejad so dangerous; he believes he is called to initiate that great confliguration between nations that summons the Mahdi. This also explains why Iran is doing everything they can to provoke Israel to attack them.

The parallels between what Muslims expect of their Mahdi and what the Bible says about the Antichrist is striking. I believe that Muslims will embrace the Antichrist as their Mahdi. Certainly all the world will obey him... "all the world marveled and followed the beast" (Revelation 13:3, NKJ); indeed, "all who dwell on the earth will worship him" (Revelation 13:8). And Daniel 8:25 says the Antichrist, "by peace shall destroy many" (KJV). The Antichrist will initially enable sufficient peace that Israel is able to build a temple in Jerusalem. Such a peace will most certainly involve compromises by all parties... "through his cunning he shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule" (Daniel 8:25, NKJ).

The international crisis that enables the Antichrist to emerge and orchestrate a temporary peace is brewing. It is just a matter of time before Israel responds to Iran's nuclear ambitions which will set off a chain of events that will shock the world into embracing a man who solves the crisis. Since Satan is inciting the crisis, his anointed will be able to defuse it. This peace however will be short lived, "for when they say, 'Peace and safety!' then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape" (1Thessalonians 5:3, NKJ).

Thank God that followers of Jesus in our present age will not suffer through the reign of the Antichrist. It is so liberating to be "looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:13, NKJ). The alternatives of trusting in oneself, the growing government or the coming of the Mahdi are extraordinarily weak in comparison.

Iron & Clay

I predict that Turkey will never be admitted into the European Union. There is a report out today that Jonathan Racho, an analyst with International Christian Concern, said that admitting Turkey to the EU would exacerbate the increasing Islamization of Europe. Such positions are resonating with many in Europe because there is increasing realization that Islamization is not a good thing there.

This development reinforces my position that a coalition of Islamic nations led by Turkey (the "revived" Ottoman Empire) is represented by the clay in Daniel 2:37-44, the Prophet Daniel's interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. And we certainly know that the iron in the dream represents the Roman Empire (or its revival). Daniel 2:43 says that the two national coalitions ruling the world at the time Jesus returns would not “adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay.”

Assuming my interpretation of the iron and clay in Daniel 2 is correct, it makes sense that the entire world will either be aligned with the European Union (EU) or the Islamic Coalition (IC) being formed by Turkey. Revelation 17:12-13 indicates that the world will be effectively ruled by ten kingdoms who yield their authority to the Antichrist. While these ten world rulers will be more or less aligned with either the EU or IC, they will come together to solve the world's problems of the economy, climate, and terrorism. As Revelation 17:13 says, "these are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast" (NKJ).

With the US becoming less powerful in the world, the EU is stepping up to fill the void. But we should watch the IC because it is most likely that the Antichrist will come from the IC than from the EU because of Ezekiel 38.

There are spectacular developments going on in the nations today. The Lord said, "Look among the nations and watch-- be utterly astounded! For I will work a work in your days which you would not believe, though it were told you" (Habakkuk 1:5, NKJ).

Ezekiel 38

Ever since I finished reading “The Islamic Antichrist” by Joel Richardson, I’ve been planning to do my own analysis of the countries mentioned in Ezekiel 38 to corroborate the author’s interpretation that Turkey is the main protagonist and not Russia. I used Wikipedia for my research since it is a good repository for generally accepted historical scholarship.

Ezekiel 38:2 mentions “Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal...”
Magog was the son of Japheth; grandson of Noah. But no particular nation or territory is associated with him beyond his descendants being to the north of Israel. Some Biblical scholars believe that Gyges, king of Lydia (687 BC-652 BC), is meant. In Assyrian letters, Gyges appears as Gu-gu so Magog might be his territory in Anatolia which is in modern day Turkey.

Rosh is the seventh of the ten sons of Benjamin so this would be inconclusive if it represents a nation. But this term is probably better used as a modifier for “prince” thus Gog is the “chief prince” of Magog as Rosh Hashanah is literally the "head of the year."

Meshech is named as a son of Japheth who has been associated with Phrygia which was a kingdom in the west central part of Anatolia (Turkey).

Tubal is a son of Japheth and is associated with Tabal, a Luwian speaking Neo-Hittite kingdom of South Central Anatolia (Turkey).

Ezekiel 38:5 names “Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya” which are obvious. Persia is now called Iran but most Iranians still refer to themselves as Persians. Ancient Ethiopia also included Sudan and Somalia which are certainly in the same rabidly anti-Israel Islamic state category as Iran and Libya.

Ezekiel 38:6 mentions, “Gomer and all its troops” and “the house of Togarmah from the far north.”

Gomer was the eldest son of Japheth and is usually identified with the migratory Cimmerians from Assyrian inscriptions. The Cimmerians were ancient equestrian nomads of Indo-European origin and Assyriological archeology establishes them to have been near Urartu south of the Caucasus. Urartu was an Iron Age kingdom centered in the Armenian Highland adjacent to modern Turkey. It is interesting to note that Turkey has recently signed a treaty with Armenia. This is pretty incredible given the historical animosity between these two countries due to Turkey’s atrocities against Armenia in WWI.

Togarmah was the third son of Gomer, and grandson of Japheth. He is regarded as either the ancestor of the peoples of the South Caucasus (the Georgians and the Armenians) or the Turkic peoples. The reference to “the far north” was the description that previously convinced me to go along with those implicating Russia in Ezekiel 38. But in the day these words were written, Turkey would have also qualified as being to “the far north” of Jerusalem.

Ezekiel 38:13 says, “Sheba, Dedan, the merchants of Tarshish, and all their young lions will say to you, ‘Have you come to take plunder?’” Sheba was a kingdom mentioned in the Old Testament but the actual location is disputed with most evidence tending toward Yemen in southern Arabia. Dedan’s descendants probably settled among the sons of Cush, on the north-west coast of the present Persian Gulf; thus modern day Saudi Arabia.

Tarshish could be a number of places. Solomon traded with Tarshish and received ivory, apes, and peacocks (2 Chronicles 9:21, 1 Kings 10:22) which are all native to the jungles in India. India's state bird for example is the peacock. Jonah 1:3 indicates that Jonah also attempted to sail to Tarshish but was swallowed by a large fish and taken to Ninevah by way of the Tigris River. Today Ninevah is known as Mosul, found in the nation of Iraq, geographically between Israel and India. Additionally, the Bible uses the term ships of Tarshish to denote large ships intended for large voyages whatever their destination. Others think the name may denote Spain, Italy or the European coasts west of Greece.

So my findings reinforce the conclusions of Joel Richardson that the nations threatening Israel in Ezekiel 38 are in a coalition led by Turkey and not Russia. Indeed, terms referring to Turkey are mentioned multiple times. It is also interesting to note that this coalition of nations are all Islamic and they effectively surround Israel with Turkey to the north, Iran to the East, Ethiopia to the South, and Libya to the West.

The nations feebly protesting the Turkish coalition are some combination of Western nations and the Persian Gulf nations that supply them with oil. Recent developments with Turkey becoming more aligned with their Islamic neighbors indicate that Ezekiel 38 coming to fruition may not be far off.

The only other reference to Gog and Magog in the Bible is Revelation 20:8 which reveals Gog to be a term for the Satan-inspired (or possessed) world leader that precedes God pouring out His wrath. So harmonizing this with Ezekiel 38 means that Ezekiel’s Gog must refer to the Antichrist.

I once thought that Ezekiel 38 could precede the Rapture which meant that the reference to "unwalled villages" in Ezekiel 38:11 was only symbolic since they are no barrier to modern armor. But since I'm now convinced that Gog is just another term for the Antichrist then this event must occur during the Tribulation, probably just before the midpoint when the Antichrist declares himself to be god in the Jerusalem Temple. Ezekiel 38 happens when Israel has their guard down in the midst of the coming false peace that enables them to build a temple due to a 7-year peace treaty brokered by the Antichrist. This peace treaty may also require Israel to remove the security fences that they have put up... a Mideast version of "tear down this wall."

I know it sounds pretty improbable that Israel will be able to build a temple in Jerusalem but this is what Daniel 9:27 tells us. I think the most likely scenario for this to transpire is that Syria and Hezbollah will attack Israel in response to action taken to neutralize the Iranian nuclear threat. This forces Israel to act decisively probably nuking Damascus as Isaiah 17:1 indicates. The Antichrist comes on the scene in the wake of this conflict to unite the Islamic world and bring the false peace to Israel.

Since we know that the Rapture occurs before the Antichrist reveals himself by brokering the false peace to make the Jerusalem temple possible, seeing the Ezekiel 38 coalition being formed helps us see how close we really are to seeing Jesus face-to-face. Maranatha!

The End Justifying the Means

ClimateGate is not going to be the end of the Global Warming Dogma. I read an article this weekend on ClimateGate in Newsweek where I get my insight into the rationale of the Liberal mind. The article lamented the airing of ClimateGate dirty laundry but insisted that the science of global warming is sound. When you are dealing with religious beliefs, people's minds are not going to change when you provide them with evidence that contradicts their beliefs. Indeed, it is a miracle of God when people change their minds about Him.

The other major factor that gives life to the Global Warming Dogma is the powerful forces working to bring about the political changes necessary for a one world government; the Global Warming Dogma is simply a means to that end. So if the science of global warming becomes tarnished, other justifications for curbing carbon dioxide emissions will emerge. Indeed such has been proposed in Copenhagen where a UK participant said that acidification of the oceans is a "powerful incentive" to cut carbon emissions because of the threat to marine life and humanity's food supply.

What the Global Warming Dogma does is provide a reason for redistributing the world's wealth from rich, successful nations to poor, failed states. This will put the world on more of an even footing with no superpowers to act unilaterally.

One way or another, a one world government will come to fruition. No matter how much evidence is brought forward to prove the errors of the global warming science, the agenda to unite the world under one government will move forward. Indeed, "Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?" (Revelation 13:4, NKJ).

One thing that the climate change fear mongers have right is that global warming will in fact happen. Revelation 16:8-9 says, "the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory" (NKJ). And this is only a precursor to the ultimate global warming that will occur... "the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up" (2 Peter 3:10, NKJ). Fortunately, followers of Christ will be with the Lord during these two global warming events.

Where the climate change fear mongers are wrong is that the global warming that is coming is something that humans can stop. The best thing we can do on an individual level is to recognize the truth about what is coming and be "even more diligent to make our call and election sure" (2 Peter 1:10, NKJ). A good way to do that is to evaluate ourselves using the tests of faith in Christ given in the book of 1 John.

Another Power Grab

We have learned this week of the EPA decree that carbon dioxide is a toxic substance which they must regulate. I believe that this was done to boost President Obama's credentials as a faithful citizen of the world at Copenhagen. If Congress can't pass Cap-and-Trade then the Obama Administration will invoke all cap and no trade by administrative fiat.

Since all of us "pollute" the atmosphere just by breathing, the EPA now has the power to direct what we can and can't do. Fortunately the government is too inept to micromanage all of us but they are trying hard to get that ability. I'm sure the EPA will focus on controlling the "worst offenders" but the threat of unbridled regulation will further stifle growth of the economy in this country because businesses will not risk investing when the rules are changing so much.

We are in the era of changing rules. America voted for change and we are getting it. That is one accomplishment that history will credit Obama with; he is delivering on his campaign promise to fundamentally change America. I'm sure there will be constitutional challenges to the EPA's power grab on Obama's behalf but this will not undo the damage to the economy resulting from postponed growth. And there is risk in this postmodern age where words are subject to interpretation that the rule of law embodied in the Constitution will have little power.

Despite his eloquent public rhetoric, the power grabs by the Obama administration reveal that he has little respect for the Constitution of the United States. Obama has a pattern of doing things that avoid the checks and balances on administrative power required by the Constitution. The unprecedented number of "Czars" that do not have to be confirmed by Congress is another power grabbing example. Obama is acting as if he believes the Constitution to be an antiquated document that needs to be updated for the new age we are in. This disregard for the rule of law is right out of the Antichrist's playbook. Daniel 7:25 says, "he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws" (KJV).

President Obama's challenges to the Constitution certainly reveals his thinking to change laws. And he is also seeking to wear out opposition to his agenda of change with the continuous attacks on many fronts of the freedoms and prosperity that this country has been blessed with for so long. The Holy Spirit working through the saints of the most High is what restrains the evil that results from concentrated human power in this world... "the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way" (2 Thessalonians 2:7, NKJ).

While the evil-restraining ministry of the Holy Spirit ceases at the Rapture of the Church, the Obama power grabs foreshadow how the Antichrist will consolidate his political power. These power grabs reveal how close we are to the Rapture when we see the strategies of the Antichrist being employed so effectively even with the Restrainer still being active. So watching to see if opposition to the growth of the Federal Government gains or loses ground is an excellent gauge of how close we are to the Rapture.

Clay Kingdom

It occurred to me that I have been neglecting developments associated with the “Revived Roman Empire” in large part because I have recently been convinced that the Antichrist will emerge from an Islamic nation. But there is no question that the European Union will have a huge impact on the coming global government. The EU is already leading the world in regulations affecting international commerce. And the EU is the prototype for how diverse nations can work together to achieve common goals.

The essential problem I have avoided is reconciling my new interpretation of Revelation 17:9-10 with Daniel 2:37-44. The Revelation passage refers to “seven heads” representing the gentile governments that have ruled over Jerusalem prior to the reign of the Antichrist which will be an eighth kingdom. The Daniel passage picks up with the Babylonians but appears to be one kingdom short…

Revelation 17:10 – The five governments that had fallen at the time this Scripture was written were the Egyptians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, and Greeks. Rome was the one that “is” and they morphed into the Byzantine Empire. The one that would come best describes the Turkish Ottoman Empire as the seventh head.

Daniel 2:37-44 – This is where the Prophet Daniel interprets Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of a statue made with materials ranging from gold which is the most precious building material to ceramic clay which was the most common. The gold head represented Babylon, the silver chest and arms referred to Medo-Persia, the belly and thighs of bronze were the Greeks and the legs of iron represented Rome. Since the Iron continued into the feet and toes, it is generally recognized that the Roman Empire continues in some form until the time Christ returns. But there is also the clay that is in the feet and toes.

I have heard many interpretations of the clay which quite frankly have never quite satisfied me. I recall one author who made the case that the clay represented fallen angels who are bolder in running the government of the Revived Roman Empire because Daniel 2:43 says, “they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay” (NKJ). Certainly fallen angels mixed it up with mankind before Noah’s flood; as Jude 1:6 says, "the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day."

I have also read the case that that the iron mixed with clay represented democracy since the people being governed will participate in running their government. Certainly, “O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and You our potter; and all we are the work of Your hand” (Isaiah 64:8, NKJ). I think the democracy explanation still has merit but not to explain what the clay represents.

The idea that the clay in Daniel 2 refers to fallen angels or people are category errors. A better explanation for the clay which helps reconcile the apparent disparity between the historical kingdoms in Revelation and Daniel is that the clay represents the Ottoman Empire. This resolves the category error since all the materials in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of a statue represents kingdoms that would rule over Jerusalem. As Jesus said in Luke 21:24, “Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled” (NKJ).

As I read through the history of the Ottoman Empire in Wikipedia, there is a lot which resonates with Daniel 2 and Revelation 17. For example, Wikipedia says, “the Ottoman Empire was, in many respects, an Islamic successor to the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire.” The Ottoman Empire took over the Byzantine leg of the Roman Empire by military conquest. This was the same for each of the kingdoms that have ruled over Jerusalem. There were also many times in the history of the Ottoman Empire that they were allied with the remnants of the Roman Empire. Throughout their history, the land ruled by the Ottomans and Rome jockeyed back and fourth from the time the Ottomans came on the scene up until Israel regained authority over Jerusalem in 1967. Israel let the Palestinians hold onto the Temple Mount so technically the heart of Jerusalem is still being “trampled by Gentiles” thus we are still in “the times of the Gentiles.”

The “iron mixed with ceramic clay” represents the Romans ruling the world alongside the Ottomans and they certainly did not “adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay” (Daniel 2:43). The Ottoman Empire morphed into Turkey making it something of a “Revived Ottoman Empire” so to speak. If the European Community is the Revived Roman Empire, Turkey certainly is the Revived Ottoman Empire. And their joint history of loosely working together but not mixing well continues with the EU refusing to bring Turkey into the fold. In response, Turkey has begun to make alliances among their Islamic neighbors and is poised to unify them to be a more formidable competitor to the EU.

The more I consider the interpretation that the clay of Daniel 2 is the Turkish Ottoman Empire, the better everything fits. The Roman Empire and the Ottoman Empire are represented by the iron and clay that have traded off in ruling over Jerusalem and will continue to do so “until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” I believe that the EU and the Mideast nations led by Turkey will be two of the ten horns representing world leaders who yield their authority to the Beast in Revelation 17:16-17.

Daniel 2:42 says, “as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile.” The two independent iron and clay governments have not been effective in ruling over Jerusalem. This has contributed to Israel and the Palestinians haggling over who controls what in Jerusalem.

Daniel 2:43 says, “As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men…” I think the best explanation of this is that both the iron and clay kingdoms will be democratic. Unlike the former kingdoms, the rulers of the iron mixed with clay kingdoms will be subject to the people they rule. This is certainly the case with Turkey and the EU today.

It is also interesting to note that for democratic rulers to be successful in their agenda, they must control the opinions of their people. That is why spin-doctoring has become such an art form in our day. The mainstream media has basically become a propaganda arm of the government. Jesus warned us about this time saying, “take heed that no one deceives you” (Matthew 24:4).

The exciting thing about the times we live in is that it is becoming easier and easier to understand how the end-times prophecies will be fulfilled. While the prophetic Word has been “shut up” and “sealed until the time of the end,” we are now living in the time when “knowledge shall increase” (Daniel 12:4, NKJ). So the day Jesus comes for His Bride has to be approaching fast. This is not a time to be caught without oil for your lamp (see Matthew 25:1-13).

Copenhagen: Undoing the Blessings of God

The Global Warming controversy is in the news a lot lately due to the world climate summit in Copenhagen and Climate Gate. It looks like the leaders of the most developed nations are of one mind that it is urgent for mankind to curb carbon dioxide emissions. The only ones opposing this are a skeptical minority who has thought through the economic ramifications of trying to control the climate.

I’ve long been struck with the religious fervor of the global warming proponents epitomized by Al Gore declaring the debate to be over and refusing to consider dissenting perspectives. Despite the growing evidence that global warming is not even occurring, government officials of the most prosperous nations act as if it is their moral duty to cut carbon dioxide emissions. Thus Satan’s control over the nations is growing every day.

The proposed solutions to global warming seek to moderate (and even reverse) the progress of the most developed nations. This is what Liberal/Leftists do; punish success while rewarding the underprivileged. Their irrational pursuit of this ideology dooms us to failure because privileges are intrinsically coupled to success and thus must be earned. Such striving for universal mediocrity is what caused Soviet communism to fail dramatically. The fact that mankind can’t learn from history is proof on its own that the time will come when God must bring it all to a conclusion. I guess the Liberal/Leftist rationale is that while communism fails on a national basis, it might just work if implemented world-wide.

Western Civilization has been greatly blessed by God as rewards for seeking to know Him better through studying His creation. Indeed, “every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights” (James 1:17, NIV). Discoveries of Western scientists have been applied to improve life everywhere. It is ironic that so many are now of one mind to remove the blessings from science in the name of science. But this is what Satan and his followers do, seeking to destroy what God has built.

Jesus said in Matthew 24:5 that many would come claiming to be the savior of mankind intending to deceive us. Satan has used corrupted science get people to believe his global warming dogma. And most are oblivious to the spiritual warfare that is occurring. A major strategy of the devil is to imitate what God does… “And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14, NKJ). Climate Gate shows how Satan has been corrupting science to foster the fear of global warming.

It looks like most people have set aside critical thinking to just accept the corrupted science of global warming. I’m sure they believe mankind must be causing global warming because who would think science could let us down so? Despite Climate Gate, it looks like there is nothing we can do to reverse the economic damage that the global warming zealots are pursuing.

As I consider the Copenhagen global warming conference, Psalm 2 comes to mind… “Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying, ‘Let us break Their bonds in pieces and cast away Their cords from us.’ He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; the LORD shall hold them in derision. Then He shall speak to them in His wrath…” (Psalm 2:1-5, NKJ)

God’s wrath is coming. Thank God that those who follow Jesus in this Age of Grace will not have to suffer His wrath during the Tribulation... “for God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:9, NKJ).

Signs of the Unexpected

You know you must be on the cusp of cataclysmic changes in the world when you learn that the undefeated University Of Cincinnati will be in the Sugar Bowl. This is the first time in the 76 year history of the Sugar Bowl that UC has had this opportunity. And if it wasn't for Texas upsetting Nebraska with a last-second field goal, fourth ranked UC would have a shot at the national title.

Things certainly change. When I was at UC (albeit more that three decades ago) there was talk of ending the football program because of apathy toward a lackluster team that usually lost. These unprecedented developments bring to mind Habakkuk 1:5 which says, "Look among the nations and watch-- be utterly astounded! For I will work a work in your days which you would not believe, though it were told you" (NKJ).

We do live in amazing times. Who would have expected that the United States would become so indebted and willing to yield our sovereignty to the community of nations so quickly? Who would have guessed that Islam would become such a catalyst for conflict between nations in our day? Or that the flawed science of global warming would become such a religion drawing the nations toward a global government? Of course the most amazing thing is that Israel has been re-established as a nation after the Jews have been dispersed throughout the world for almost two thousand years. And Hebrew has been revived which was long dead as a spoken language. Such developments are simply unprecedented in history.

I expect to see even more amazing things among the nations in the days to come. It is such a blessing to know how things will turn out and that God has a plan for us. Those who don't know God or His plan will be distressed by what He is doing in the world... "there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth" (Luke 21:25-26, NKJ).

Not being distressed by what is happening among the nations is one of the many benefits of being a friend of Jesus... "No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you" (John 15:15, NKJ). Since God has helped us with knowledge of things to come, this should compel us to share that knowledge so others may likewise experience these blessings.

Days Shortened

At church yesterday I had a conversation with a friend about the outlook for the economy. We both agreed that it was pretty gloomy and thanked God that we had good jobs. Our government is determined to pile on as much debt as they can to justify as many new additional taxes as they can keeping the environment for business as uncertain as they can which will stifle job growth. I am not an expert in economics but it doesn't take an expert to see that our country is on the path to financial destruction. The Bible provides ample wisdom about the perils of indebtedness.

There are signs that the American people are waking up to the damage President Obama and the Leftist Congress are doing to our economy so I am hopeful that the pendulum could soon swing back to a more conservative government. It is possible that the American voter can boot out many of the Leftists in Congress during the next election in 2010 and replace Obama in 2012. But we shouldn't think that a change of government will be the salvation of this country. God is in control and has raised up a Leftist government for us so that we may be on the path that we are on... "there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God" (Romans 13:1, NKJ).

Yesterday our Pastor cited a Bible passage that reinforces how God orchestrates events so that His will be done. In 1 Kings 22:20, the Lord asked His heavenly host, "Who will persuade Ahab to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead?" Reading on reveals that a "spirit" offered a plan to get Ahab's cadre of prophets to convince him he'd be successful if he went to battle at Ramoth Gilead. At first I thought this "spirit" might be a Holy Angel but upon reading further the text refers to him as a lying spirit. So God authorized a demon to execute a plan that served God's purposes.

This tells me that the rapid pace we are on to reduce the economic power of the United States in the world is actually ordained by God. Obama and the Leftist Congress was appointed by God for the purpose of causing our country to make way for earth dwellers to experience their concept of a global government. As I was meditating on why God would be in such a hurry for this, the passage He brought to my mind was Jesus commenting on the Tribulation, "unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened" (Matthew 24:22, NKJ). Since the Bible teaches that the Tribulation is a fixed period of time, seven years, I always considered His commenting on the days being shortened as being rhetorical to emphasize how terrible the Tribulation will be. But it now occurred to me that this could also have an application to our day in the lead-up to the Tribulation.

It could be that we have reached a tipping point in the growth of the spirit of Antichrist putting us past the point of no return. Even though we are not yet in the Tribulation when the Beast of Revelation is in power, a lot of damage can be inflicted on God's people by those who share the mind of the Antichrist. As Daniel 8:25 says, "He shall destroy many in their prosperity" (NKJ). Now is not a time to be trusting in our worldly resources for deliverance. But God in His mercy is accelerating the schedule to minimize the damage to His people. While the days of the Tribulation can not be reduced, the lead-up to it can be. Indeed the Prophet Daniel said that events associated with the return of the Messiah will transpire very quickly, "the end of it shall be with a flood" (Daniel 9:26, NKJ).

It is good to remember that our Savior is in control and so that "all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28, NKJ). And we don't have long to wait, Jesus said in Revelation 22:20, "Surely I am coming quickly." Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Young Earth

I was struck by the inertia of the global warming dogma when I brought up ClimateGate with three coworkers over lunch yesterday. They believed that the shrinking polar ice fields is indisputable evidence of global warming. Such blindness to what is really happening is due to a materialistic world view which says, "all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation" (2 Peter 3:4, NKJ).

People reject the fact that the aggregate, average temperature of the planet has not been going up because this data does not fit with what should be expected with the polar ice fields shrinking. A materialistic world view thinks the polar ice has been in place for multiple millions, indeed billions of years. So it is very alarming to them when it becomes apparent that it is shrinking. But if the earth has only been here for thousands of years as the Bible says then a change in the polar ice is not surprising.

Those who don't have a biblical world view will be perplexed by unexplained phenomena in the time leading up to the return of Christ. Luke 21:25-26 says, "there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of heaven will be shaken" (NKJ).

The reason the polar ice can shrink without the aggregate, average temperature of the planet changing is due to the Second Law of Thermodynamics playing out on a world-wide scale. In this world since the fall of mankind into sin, entropy or randomness increases over time. So polarized temperatures will become less polarized or more dispersed over time. I am convinced that the polar ice fields formed suddenly at the world-wide flood during Noah's day...

The earth was originally created with an atmospheric layer of water vapor called a firmament in the Bible (Genesis 1:7). The water vapor canopy kept temperatures uniform across the planet so it did not rain. This dense water vapor layer compressed the air beneath resulting in a higher atmospheric pressure than today. It also diffused the solar radiation so that temperatures were moderate everywhere across the globe. This facilitated the growth of more plant life than we have today resulting in a higher oxygen content. Thus, the atmosphere was like a gigantic hyperbolic chamber which hospitals use to accelerate healing. This helps explain how people could live longer before Noah's Flood than they do today.

Over time, centrifugal force caused the water vapor canopy to mass over the equator so that there was a thinner vapor barrier at the poles. At the worldwide flood, most of the water in the vapor canopy precipitated down to the earth causing the vapor barrier to break up (Genesis 7:11). Since the vapor barrier was thinner at the poles, it broke up there first. The high pressure air venting through the vapor barrier at the poles caused a dramatic cooling effect, thus forming the polar ice. This is how air conditioners and refrigerators work… a rapidly expanding gas results in cooling.

After 40 days of rain, the earth was covered in water (Genesis 7:19). Eventually, the flood subsided leaving conditions on earth as we know it today (Genesis 8:14). The rapid formation of polar ice is supported by evidence such as the discovery of mammoths that were frozen so quickly that some still had food in their mouths. Also, explorers in Antarctica routinely report seeing tropical vegetation frozen in the ice crevasses. Old earth materialists can not explain these discoveries so the just ignore it or come up with weak explanations that are not logical.

There is a lot of evidence that the earth is not really as old as materialists believe. For example, satellite imagery reveals how much silt has been deposited in the Gulf of Mexico by the Mississippi River. We also know how much is deposited on average each year so simple math tells us how long this process has been going on… It is on the order of 5,000 years, not the multi-millions of years that materialists believe.

The conventional wisdom is that rock dating proves the earth to be multi-millions of years old but all rock dating techniques are dependant on assumptions as to how much radioactive material was originally in rocks. And no one knows what that was! Rock dating has declared lava rocks to be millions of years old in cases where their age is known to be only a 100 years old from the history of the volcano eruption that formed them.

Carbon-14 dating is limited to once-living matter so it is significantly more reliable than rock dating. No assumptions need to be made because the amount of Carbon-14 originally in the matter is known from living organisms. Fossil fuels are the oldest once-living matter on earth. Everyone I discuss this with are amazed to learn that Carbon-14 dating reveals oil and coal to be only thousands of years old, not millions of years as materialists expect.

If you think it was millions of years from the creation of the world before Jesus came then it is easy to believe that it could be millions of years until He returns. But if the earth is only thousands of years old as the Bible indicates then the return of Jesus could be any day now. As the Lord said in Genesis 6:3, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh" (NKJ).

ClimateGate

More is starting to come out about the conspiracy to perpetrate the hoax of global warming. For example, Google has been implicated in trying to cover up scientists challenging the global warming dogma. It is interesting to note that Al Gore serves as an advisor on Google's board. Gore has a vested personal interest in seeing cap and trade come to fruition since he is the co-founder of Generation Investment Management, which sells carbon offsets that allow rich polluters to continue with a clear conscience. It's a scheme that will make traders of this new commodity rich and Bernie Madoff look like a pickpocket.

I hope that ClimateGate will help people realize that there is such a thing as "bad science" where those involved allow their personal agendas to bias them in order to deceive others. This is important because science has become an idol for so many people in our postmodern society. Science cultists worship the process of discovery rather than the Giver of Discoveries as idolatry is worshiping the creation instead of the Creator. They look to science to be our savior rather than God. They don't realize that, "every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights" (James 1:17, NKJ). The many scientific discoveries that we have which so benefit mankind are actually gifts from God.

Most people don't even bother to ask why Western Civilization has been so blessed with beneficial scientific discoveries. It was followers of Christ who first began using the scientific method to study creation during the Renaissance period in order to learn more about the Creator. As Romans 1:20 says, "since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead" (NKJ). God rewarded the effort to know Him better through studying the creation with discoveries that has made life better for people.

In this postmodern age, people have deviated from the godly motivation of science and have even used it to manipulate and control people. And God has increasingly allowed Satan to give "discoveries" to mankind foreshadowing the removal of the Restrainer of Evil (2 Thessalonians 2:7). Any discovery that causes people to turn from God is gift Satan would endorse. I think the "science" behind global warming is a gift from Satan. The very idea that mankind is such a master of our own destiny that we can avoid planetary disaster through our own efforts is the height of arrogance. It elevates mankind to the level of savior usurping God's role. This is a lie of the devil and the reason why God scattered mankind at the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11).

By the way, I also consider the theory that mankind evolved from apes along with the technology of abortion to both be "gifts" from Satan. With that said, I also consider these to be "disputable matters" (Romans 14:1, KJV) which a person can embrace but still be a follower of Christ. I know that to be the case because I believed that God used evolution to bring about the creation when I first became a born-again Christian. I think that Christians who hold on to the idea that God orchestrated evolution to bring about the creation limits the depth of their relationship with Him as well as their eternal reward but this belief alone will not keep them out of heaven. Having wrong views about fundamentals such as who Jesus is and why He came is what keeps people out of heaven.

Despite what we now know about ClimateGate, I predict that the global warming dogma will persist. There are just too many powerful people who have a vested interest in it. And more importantly, global warming justifies actions that dark spiritual forces are working to make happen in our world: diminishing the economic power of Western Civilization in general and the United States in particular to make way for the global government of the Antichrist.

We will know how close we are to the Rapture as we watch to see how effective the honest climate scientists are in making known the truth about global warming. The forces of evil are certainly arrayed against them. If ClimateGate gets picked up by the mainstream media and a groundswell of public outcry puts the kibosh on cap and trade then the Rapture may not be as close as it would have to be otherwise. But if Cap and Trade gets implemented, I'm convinced that will be the straw breaking the back of the U.S. economy so the global government of the Antichrist (and the Rapture which precedes it) can't be too far away.

Pray for discernment as the days get darker because, "evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived" (2 Timothy 3:13, NKJ).

Afghanistan

Our President made a major speech last night on Afghanistan. I didn't see it because I've seen enough of his speeches to know that it would be long on eloquence but short on substance. I do know that he announced: (1) an additional 30,000 soldiers would be committed to the effort and (2) he'd begin pulling them out in 18 months. What a mixed message that is. By announcing the withdrawal, it makes you wonder why he is even bothering with sending in more troops.

I'm sure the President used flowery words to say how committed he was to winning in Afghanistan. But his actions speak louder than words. The fact that it took him so long to make a decision on Afghanistan shows that his commitment to the effort there was wavering. The 30,000 additional U.S. troops is only 75% of what his generals told him it would take to be successful there. And by setting a date for the withdrawal, he is making it clear that the real objective is to be out of Afghanistan, regardless the outcome.

A couple of the commentators I heard on Obama's Afghanistan speech said that by giving our timetable for withdrawing all the Taliban needs to do is to lay low for a while and they can have their country back. But I don't think that will be the result; Obama's speech signals weakness. I'm sure the Taliban see blood in the water and they will be encouraged to redouble their efforts to kill Americans in their country while they can.

Despite the increased carnage I expect we'll see there, I predict we will be pretty much done with Afghanistan by the time the campaign for the next presidential election heats up in 2012. Obama will have "punched his ticket" as a war president and also have done the responsible thing of getting us out of this entanglement.

Our president talking war but not being serious about achieving a true victory makes me think of the first of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Revelation 6:2 says, "I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer" (NKJ). Most Bible scholars equate the First Horseman with the advent of the Antichrist. Notice that the horseman has a bow but there is no mention of arrows. His weapon is incomplete; more for show than for use. Now I'm not saying that Obama is the First Horseman of the Apocalypse, but I am saying that how he is handling Afghanistan foreshadows how the Antichrist will initially conduct himself.

Liberals always make every effort to avoid war but the end result is a worse conflagration than if they went "all in" from the beginning. It is certainly noble to not want war but acting as if you are committed to avoiding war at all costs is a weakness that others will exploit in this world. History has demonstrated that over and over. Liberals act this way because they do not understand the nature of mankind... "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9, NKJ). Liberals think that people are basically good and that if you can just reason with those out to destroy you than the conflict can be resolved. While this sometimes does work on an individual person-to-person level, it is flawed thinking when when dealing with representatives of nations or groups of people. In these cases group-think trumps personal reasoning.

People of this world want peace but most do not realize that there will be no peace until the Prince of Peace comes. Since the way of the First Horseman of the Apocalypse seems popular in our day, we surely don't have long to wait.

Narrowing Windows

It is becoming more obvious that Iran is trying to provoke Israel to attack them. There is a report that they believe Russia will deliver their advanced antiaircraft missile system within a couple of months. And Iran is also claiming that they plan to build 10 new uranium enrichment plants. This must mean that Iran's rearming of Hezbollah, their proxy in Syria and Lebanon must be just about complete.

The radical Islamist leaders of Iran seek to provoke an attack by Israel to justify attacking them through Hezbollah. An Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear facilities will give Hezbollah legitimacy to attack Israel with the missiles they have been stockpiling. The Iranian Mullahs are also hoping that such a conflict between nations will spark the emergence of the Mahdi, the leader that will unite the world under Islam.

Russia pretty much confirmed to Israel that they would move forward in supplying their S-300 antiaircraft system to Iran claiming it was for defensive use only and that Iran was less of a nuclear threat than North Korea or Pakistan. So the fact that Iran will soon have a beefed-up antiaircraft missile system gives Israel a narrowing window in which to do something about Iran's nuclear program. Any action Israel takes would have to be mostly dependant on their air force and an operational S-300 system in Iran would reduce their effectiveness.

I also found interesting a story about an 18th Century Jewish Sage predicting that the Third Temple in Jerusalem would begin to be built immediately following the third completion of the Hurva Synagogue in Jerusalem. Given that this synagogue is scheduled to be completed on March 15, 2010, Haaretz.com surmised that construction will begin on the Third Temple on March 16, 2010. Of course such an event is politically impossible today so for that to happen, the situation in Israel would have to change dramatically.

I think that a very likely scenario is for an attack on Iran to dealing with their nuclear weapon ambitions will trigger a massive assault on Israel by Syria and Hezbollah. Now that Hezbollah has improved, longer range missiles, the impact on Israel will be deadly forcing Israel to do something drastic to stop the carnage of their people. This is where I think it is likely that Israel will use a nuclear weapon on Damascus; "Behold, Damascus will cease from being a city, and it will be a ruinous heap" (Isaiah 17:1, NKJ).

That the Mideast conflict could escalate to such an extent is intolerable to the world and the situation will be ripe for a leader to emerge that brings peace to Israel. Of course this will be a temporary peace but it enables Israel to build the Third Temple in Jerusalem. Could all this happen by March? Well it would be pretty amazing if it did. Indeed, it would be pretty amazing if it happened any time in 2010. But we know that these events will transpire very rapidly once they get started. As Daniel 9:26 says, "the end of it shall be with a flood" (NKJ).

And of course we know that the Rapture of the Church will occur prior to the revealing of the world ruler that enables Israel to build the Third Temple. "For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming" (2 Thessalonians 2:7-8, NKJ). The Holy Spirit is restraining through the Church the lawlessness that will spawn the Antichrist. Thus the Antichrist can not come to power on the world scene until God removes the followers of Jesus.

The idea that the Rapture really could happen soon should get us to make good use of the time we have left in our mortal bodies. As Jesus said, "I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work" (John 9:4, NKJ).