Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide…
…Change and decay in all around I see;
O Thou who changest not, abide with me.
This old hymn is becoming very relevant in this world which has lost its way, and becomes like a ship without power slowly drifting towards the rocks, without a guide and counsellor, as mankind forgets his maker and goes on his own sweet way. Forgetting the ways and laws of God and doing that which is right in his own eyes, digging ever deeper into a mire of destruction which will not be solved until Jesus comes to make up His kingdom.
Referring to the Antichrist the Bible says; “And 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: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. (Daniel 7:25 KJV)”. One prophecy about the Antichrist, when he takes control is the changing of times and laws. We have already seen signs of this, where our calendars now are labelled starting on Monday’s, so the first day of the week is no longer Sunday but Monday. No longer do the Lords people gather to remember our Lord on the first day of the week but according to our calendars the last day of the week. The Sabbath, [The last day God rested after creating the world, and the Jews Sabbath is now the 6th day]. The measurement of years for 2000 years, have been BC, “before Christ” and AD “Anno Domini” Latin for “in the year of our Lord”. Now it is BCE and CE or rather “Before the common era” and the “Common era”. Anything to acknowledge that God is irrelevant. One government is experimenting apparently, with a 100 minute hour and a 10 month year. I think this probably will not get anywhere as 100 are not easily divided into quarters. I remember in the early days of converting to metric, where inches did not easily convert accurately to millimetres and centimetres.
A matter which has alerted many church and charity leaders is the decision by the New Zealand Charities Registration Board to de-register the “Family First” charity which seeks to protect families and matters that affect families. This will mean the “Family First” organisation will have its tax free status removed, having to pay taxes and meaning donations will be fully taxed and not be subject to the Donation Rebate which most registered charities enjoy. What has concerned many is the decision of the CRB has come after a campaign by the “Family First” to protest against the “Gay Marriage” law being passed against much dissension and protest of the Church and many of the population. The Charities Board stated that “Family First promotes certain points of view about family life”, and because of the law change has been classed as a political organization. What many are wondering is how many Churches and charities will be de-registered if they stand up for their beliefs and standards. The Bishop of Auckland recently turned down a candidate for the Priesthood due to the candidate living in a homosexual relationship with a partner. The Bible clearly states the requirements for an officer of the Church. Will the Anglican Church now be de-registered because of this belief, as it does not conform to the world’s standard? Are we seeing the beginning of the world rule to be imposed in time to come?
As we look at the Middle East it appears that President Assad was right when he referred to the rebels in Syria as Moslem Militants. They are made up of groups like Al Qaeda, and other militant groups, which have only one aim in view, to take control of the government of Syria, and turn it into strict Moslem state. Because of President Assad’s oppressive rule, these militant groups with the help of the common people of Syria have rebelled against the government, where any rule other than Assad’s is preferable. As Egypt and Libya are finding out to their cost, these forms of government have only one election and then proceed to restrict the population, by persecuting minorities, like the Christian Cop’s in Egypt and the Jews and Christians in Libya. Slowly the net will close, so the whole of North Africa will be subject to Moslem Sharia laws and the people of the land will find themselves as restricted as they were before under the previous rule of such as Gaddafi [Libya] and Mubarak [Egypt]. If Assad looses power, the risk of access to weapons of mass destruction and chemical weapons, which are held by the Syrian government, will be the trigger for the rebels including Al Qaeda to use them, not only to threaten the West but also to try and annihilate Israel.
Jordon is already under threat and there have already been riots in Bahrain. Iran becomes stronger every day, and with the help of North Korea will soon have Nuclear weapons. In discussions between the USA and Israel it looks as though the deadline for a war is probably in July and August this year. Israel is certainly preparing for such an eventuality and many rulers of neutral Arab states such as the United Arab Emirates, Jordon, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Yemen are beginning to worry. However the Lord will allow His plan for the end of the world to run its course, and in His own good time, not man’s, will the Lords plan reveal itself. Let us pray and be thankful, being careful how we live and who we support. “For God has the whole wide world in His hands.”
Brian D. Papworth
South Seas Representative for The Prophet Witness Movement International.