In the last three months whilst we have been delving into the outline of end time happenings, quite a lot of activity has been going on. Russia has shown their real heart in it’s dealing with the Ukraine and as I write it does not seem to be improving. The main problem seems to be that half of the country wants to go with Europe and half of it with Russia. The whole situation appears unsolvable, as turmoil and bloodshed continues. The Russians have occupied the Crimea to make sure of the security of their Mediterranean and Black Sea Fleet base and workshop, and shows just what they will do to secure their influence in the breakaway nations of the old USSR and to maintain their presence and power in the Middle East.
In Syria with the rebel forces losing ground and fighting between themselves, it appears that the Syrian Government and President Assad are slowly winning the civil war. If peace finally comes to this country the amount of clearing up and rebuilding to do will be enormous. What started as a rebellion by frustrated people has become a vehicle for fanatical Islamic forces to highjack the action and take over. No one seems to want this to happen as it would result in a strict Moslem country, and its people who are used to western ideas, and Christians and even moderate Moslems are very nervous of losing their freedom. Hezbollah the resident Islamic group were quite happy with the way it was and took the side of President Assad. Russia too with the risk of losing their Mediterranean base has supported Assad both with armaments and within the United Nations by taking Assad’s side. Which ever side wins, it is of no doubt that Israel faces a real threat for the future, although Syria for the present will be fully occupied clearing up the damage.
In Iraq only a few years after the American withdrawal the government of that country are now faced with a very militant group of rebels known as ISIS or Islamic State of Iraq & Syria, who were forced to break away from Al-Qaeda as Al-Qaeda thought they were too extreme in their behaviour! Their plan is to take over both Iraq and Syria. The splinter groups have become a bigger problem than what remains of the old core Al-Qaeda, and one that is in many ways harder to address or contain. The loss of the cities of Mosul and Tikrit to the Islamic State of Iraq, U.S. officials and experts acknowledged, is a powerful demonstration of the extremists’ growing effectiveness and reach. More about them next month.
In Nigeria and parts of Kenya the Islamic militants are slowly encroaching into a previous free Christian area. In Nigeria the government is fighting back and the recent kidnapping of innocent school girls by the rebels, seems to have spurred the army and others to try and curb the advancing Islamic rebel forces. In the past, the problem was mainly in the north of Nigeria, where Islam predominates, but now Islam has crept down from North African countries into the more moderate ex-colonial free nations further south such as Sudan, Chad and Ethiopia. Sudan tried to solve the problem by dividing the country into north and south but it has not stopped the relentless spread of Islam. Although Russia seems to be hand in glove with the Arab nations, as yet there does not seem to be any movement towards Islam in Russia itself. However this is not the case with Europe with the ever increasing Muslim influence in Britain, France, and Scandinavia seeming inevitable. There is much concern at the number of Muslim Arab immigrants in various areas. In France many Jews have migrated to Israel as the rise in Anti-Semitism has affected their lives. This has been accompanied the move by some political activists to the far right. It is inevitable that sooner or later as Moslems begin to make up parliaments of the European member nations, the far right will increase their influence and the situation will create conflict. Let us remember the Nazi Party of pre war days was another name for the National Socialists, a very far right political party, which brought so much mayhem to Germany and Europe. The far right will probably be, in the light of Scripture, the area in which the Antichrist first appears. “And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. If anyone has an ear, let him hear. (Revelation 13:5-9 NKJV).
At the moment Europe is at the crossroads. Will it stay as a group of partner trading nations or will it become a United States of Europe, where finances, laws and a European army are under the control of Brussels, Strasburg or wherever it is decided to have the main parliament building. Rome or a new capital in a future Babylon are future candidates. Although the Church, all those written in the “Lambs Book Of Life” those who are born again and redeemed by the blood of Jesus, will be taken up in the Rapture before the Antichrist is revealed in all his power, we might well see the gradual setting up of the organisation that will propel him to take control [Rev 13:11 to 17][Dan 19 to 27].
Watch and pray for much has to happen before the presence of the Antichrist is manifest, however there is nothing to prevent the advent of Jesus coming for His believers in the Rapture. There are something like 160 language groups who have yet to hear the Gospel, and some count this to cause delay in the final rapture as Jesus said the Gospel will be preached throughout the whole world. However It does say all mankind will hear and believe, it just says, that it will be preached throughout the whole world in connection with the woman mentioned [Matt 26:13][Mk 14:9]. And in the general commission by Jesus before His departure [Acts 1:7-8].
Brian D. Papworth
Representative for the Prophetic Witness Movement International in the South Pacific
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