Mar 23, 2009

Prophetic Repositioning Proceeds

By Terry James

Three key ingredients that almost certainly are part of end-times Bible prophecy can be discerned in current news as boiling on the surface of this troubled generation. Those specific ingredients are two signals that Bible prophets of old forewarned, and a question that is inevitably brought up at every prophecy conference or class in which Q & A sessions are entertained.

The two prophecies involve:

1) Israel’s status among nations as the tribulation approaches; and

2) the buying and selling instrumentalities of control of Revelation 13:16-18. The third ingredient of this commentary is the question that is inevitably asked during Q & A:

3) Q & A -- Is America in Bible prophecy?

Israel’s Status

Israeli leaders are concerned about the anger against the Jewish state they see developing. They are so troubled by Israel’s falling favorability ratings that they are closely examining opinion surveys, the Israeli Foreign Ministry having been granted an extra $2 million to improve Israel's image through cultural and information diplomacy.

Arye Mekel, the ministry's deputy director general for cultural affairs, said, "We will send well-known novelists and writers overseas, theater companies, exhibits. This way you show Israel's prettier face, so we are not thought of purely in the context of war."

It is probably a profound understatement to say that the gentleman and all who think the way he does in the matter of attempting to make the nations love Israel, or at least have a favorable opinion of it, have no concept of Bible prophecy. The rage against the Jew, against Israel back in its God-given land, is luciferian. There is no hope of such cultural arts missiles being launched at the likes of the 190 nations of the U.N. and the many anti-Semitic leaders within that globalist body ever producing peace for God’s chosen nation.

This news item frames Israel’s status in these increasingly troubled times.

“Jerusalem: Israel, whose founding idea was branded as racism by the United Nations General Assembly in 1975 and which faced an Arab boycott for decades, is no stranger to isolation. But since its Gaza war, and as it prepares to inaugurate a hawkish right-wing government, it is facing its worst diplomatic crisis in two decades.

Examples abound. Its sports teams have met hostility and violent protests in Sweden, Spain and Turkey. Mauritania has closed the Israeli Embassy. Relations with Turkey, an important Muslim ally, have suffered severely. A group of top international judges and human rights investigators recently called for an investigation into Israel's actions in Gaza. ‘Israel Apartheid Week’ drew participants in 54 cities around the world this month, twice the number of last year, according to its organizers. And even in the American Jewish community, albeit in its liberal wing, there is a chill” (“Is a global rebranding what Israel needs?” Ethan Bronner, International Herald Tribune, 3/18/09).
The foretelling of Israel’s end-of-days position during the tribulation era comes starkly into focus. Discerning Bible prophecy students watch while the angry eyes of those under the influence of the prince of the power of the air glare voraciously in the direction of the chosen people through whom the Prince of Peace came into this fallen world.
“And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it” (Zech. 12:2-3).
Let us pray diligently that President Obama and the U.S. State Department –as well as all others in authority in American government—will heed these words from the throne room of God.

America and Antichrist Technologies

The repositioning of the United States with regard to developing the instrumentalities of electronic enslavement (even if unwittingly) is made manifest in daily, even hourly, news reports.

It is ironic that the nation the Lord saw fit to infuse with the greatest technological capability of getting the gospel to the whole world, thus blessing mankind, will likely provide the instrumentalities of control that will curse mankind. A report gives a heads-up on one brilliantly innovative company that is leading the way, without knowing it, into eventual bondage to the computer. It is interesting that the company incorporates America’s very name in its title.
“USA Technologies (NASDAQ:USAT) announced today it had been issued its 69th patent, relating to the ePort® product line which accepts both magnetic swipe cards and emerging RFID payment solutions.

USA Technologies has another 26 patents pending, bringing the total number of pending and issued patents to nearly 100, supporting the company’s leadership in designing cashless payment, telematics, and energy management technologies…

USA Technologies is a leader in the networking of wireless non-cash transactions, associated financial/network services and energy management. USA Technologies provides networked credit card and other non-cash systems in the vending, commercial laundry, hospitality and digital imaging industries. The Company has agreements with AT&T, Honeywell, Blackboard, MasterCard and others” (“USA Technologies Extends Leadership in Unattended Cashless Transactions and Networking Technology with Issuing of 69th Patent,” Business Wire).
It is plain to most who understand Revelation 13:16-18 that the beast regime–Antichrist & Associates—will use a system of control based on numbers and marks. That will have to be an electronic system in order to keep tabs of the whole world’s transactions. We have seen develop electronic funds transfer (EFT) that links all nations through telecommunications technologies, which the U.S. has been primary in bringing into existence.

At the same time, we have seen, through observing the developing global economic crisis, a practically unanimous call by all nations to do something to prevent a global depression. The world’s fiscal equilibrium has heretofore been linked inextricably to the American dollar’s health. The dollar’s prognosis isn’t good, according to the experts. There must be conjured a new currency within a changed economic order to do the job the global economists elite perceive as necessary.

America in Prophecy

That brings us to the third of the news items that point to the prophetic repositioning taking place.

The U.S. is found nowhere by name, of course, in God’s Word. So, where will America be, if not at the top of the nation-heap when Bible prophecy plays out in the final act of human history?

Many who observe the events now occurring through the prism of God’s prophetic Word think we are seeing America slipping beneath the waves of economic distress and perplexity. The upcoming G-20 meeting on April 1 and subsequent such meetings are almost certainly focused upon bringing into being a new global economic order. The dollar must die so that a new currency can be born – a new monetary pillar to which all nations can be tethered.
“LUXEMBOURG (Reuters) - A U.N. panel will next week recommend that the world ditch the dollar as its reserve currency in favor of a shared basket of currencies, a member of the panel said on Wednesday, adding to pressure on the dollar.

Currency specialist Avinash Persaud, a member of the panel of experts, told a Reuters Funds Summit in Luxembourg that the proposal was to create something like the old Ecu, or European currency unit…

Russia is also planning to propose the creation of a new reserve currency, to be issued by international financial institutions, at the April G20 meeting,

according to the text of its proposals published on Monday…” (“U.N. panel says world should ditch dollar U.S.,” Jeremy Gaunt, Reuters, 3/18/09).
The intensification of the powers that be to construct a new economic order is second only to Israel being the focus of world hatred as a major indicator in the present prophetic picture. America’s position as the world’s lone superpower is being eroded while our government is spending the U.S. into oblivion with what should almost certainly be viewed as supernaturally spawned wantonness.

Related Links

Olmert warns of Israel isolation on world stage - AFP
China Urges New Intl Reserve Currency Over Time - Wall Street Journal
China ready to discuss new reserve currency at G20 summit - RIA Novosti