Sound The Midnight Cry

“Election 2008 – The Real Issue?”

As I write this column, there are many newsworthy items that come to mind: the looming financial issues facing our nation, homeland defense concerns, job layoffs, home foreclosures and the list goes on. However, on this date, on everyone’s mind is the upcoming U.S. election and its outcome.

We would all agree that we are “election fatigued” in what has been the longest campaign for the U.S. presidency in history, not to mention the most expensive. Shrouded in all of the speeches, ads, blogs and news reports are the issues that separate or unite us as a nation. The usual topics are mentioned: taxes, defense, abortion, judicial nominees, gay rights and that list goes on depending on what side of the aisle you find yourself. However, there is one issue that has attempted to surface many times but never seems to get the attention that I believe that it should.

I cannot remember a time when the issue of religion and connections to the outside world has played such a prominent part. Of course, I’m referring to the questions raised about Senator Obama and some of his associations. The issue of what part he played with ACORN and accusations of voter fraud are still brewing. Much has been made about his association with William Ayers, a known domestic terrorist who thought the Islamic terrorists didn’t do enough on 9/11. This past week, accusations  have been raised that the LA Times is withholding a video showing Senator Obama Barack toasting and praising Jew-hating PLO operative (and Yasser Arafat henchman) Rashid Khalidi at a 2003 event.

All of these things have me stepping back to try and get the bigger picture. I have found over the years that things happening in the natural world many times are a mirror of things happening in the spiritual world. With that in mind, I cannot help but believe that at issue in this election is Israel and its place in the future of American politics.

Considering that in a world where devout Muslims are defiantly determined to get their hands on nuclear weapons along with constant threats to 'rid the earth of Zionists'; where resurgent Russians under a KGB-trained killer is again extending its military reach, the danger could hardly be greater for the Judeo-Christian world—especially for Israel.

Stan Goodenough, from Israel recently wrote: "As we read in Joel 3, in these days and at this time when God brings back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem, He will also gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; and will enter into judgment with them there NOT ON ACCOUNT OF ABORTION, ‘GAY’ MARRIAGE, etc, but 'on account of My people, My heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations; they have also divided up My land.'”

Yes, America has been blessed because of our stand with Israel over the past 60 years of its existence fulfilling God’s promise to “bless those who bless you.” However, it is the United States that has for the last at 20+ years, has been spearheading the global effort to force Israel to relinquish its claim to the cradle of Jewish civilization, Israel’s biblical heartland, and to allow the establishment on those lands of a Muslim Arab state called Palestine. They may call it a ‘peace process’ but it flies in the face of God that declared the land to belong to Israel.

Those that study bible prophecy know that Israel is the key to everything in the future. It is the focal point of what will come to pass so it would benefit anyone to pay close attention to the events surrounding that nation.

With that in mind, I ask this coming week when you vote, as you decide which candidate is your choice, do not do it simply on the domestic issues alone. Consider that Israel is a primary concern and America’s relationship with Israel holds the key to America’s continued blessing. 

Update: "Fundamentally Freund" - this article also reaffirms what I have written

NOTE: I recently began posting current news events with respect to bible prophecy on a separate page instead of the simple links as before. You can find them at the top of the page under the link prophecy news updates. The article or the summary with the link to the full story will be listed there. I hope that you find this more convenient to use.

“There’s A New ‘Dey’ Coming!”

Having lived in Southern California, I can tell you that every time the earth would twitch, the question on anyone’s lips was, “Could this be day it happens?” Of course, “it” refers to the prediction by scientist that a massive quake will one day hit and half the state slide into the ocean—commonly known as “the big one”.

Today, it has another meaning for those with an eye on the world’s financial crises. The volatility of intra-day 1,000 point market swings is worse than riding the Wild Mouse at Coney Island. With every market drop, the questions come: “Is this it—the big meltdown? Where will it end and what will be the outcome? Are we headed for another Great Depression?”

As the heads of state from around the globe scurry to plug the leaks in the financial systems of the world, a new cry comes forth calling for global financial reforms. The intent is to relieve the fears of the populace in the hopes of bringing a new format to build the future upon.

President Bush is scheduled to have a dinner discussion at Camp David with French President Nicolas Sarkozy and European Commission President José Manuel Barroso to discuss global financial reforms.

Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is proposing holding a second Bretton Woods, a reference to the 1944 conference that set up the post-World War II global financial architecture and created the International Monetary Fund. The Wall Street Journal noted, "The U.S. is particularly queasy about international oversight of big banks…European leaders have political momentum, having played a lead role in finding a workable solution to the crisis, and some believe that the lame-duck Bush administration would have trouble resisting their proposals."

Students of bible prophecy should find all of this of interest, for it is the forerunner of the coming Mark of the Beast predicted in Revelation 13. Of particular interest, should be a focus upon the European Union—let me explain why.

Until now, the world already has had a universal currency –the US dollar. It's been the international benchmark since the middle of the last century. However, faced with a staggering national debt, the U.S. is losing its stature in world matters as it has become a debtor to other nations. Proverbs 22:7 tells us, “The borrower is servant to the lender.” One cannot demand anything from a ‘borrower’ position.

The global credit crunch in the world markets now has Europeans calling for the creation of a global central bank organized along the lines of the US Federal Reserve. The European Union has a unified currency in the Euro, but it has no central bank like the U.S. to regulate it. Because of this problem, European leaders are pressing for changes including global standards for regulation and banking. Along with leaders of other nations, there is a call for consideration of a centralized global currency.

The idea of a centralized global currency administered by a global central bank is not new. There have been plans for years for a replacement global currency called the 'dey' for Dollar, Euro, and Yen.

The lyrics of an old song remind us, “there’s a new day coming, and it’s just around the bend.” Except this time, the ‘day’ points to another ‘dey’ and the present financial crises are forerunner events leading to the coming of the Antichrist and his system.

"And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draws near." Jesus Christ is coming soon—and that’s a day I’m waiting for!

"Shock and Awe"

“Shock and Awe” is a military doctrine based on the use of overwhelming power, dominant battlefield awareness, dominant maneuvers, and spectacular displays of force to paralyze an adversary's perception of the battlefield and destroy its will to fight. Before the 2003 invasion of Iraq, officials in the United States armed forces described their plan as employing shock and awe.

“Shock and Awe” might also be used to describe the global pandemic in the financial markets. Day after day, citizens around the world have stood shaking their heads as they have watched trillions in monetary currency disappear. Central banks have engaged in universal worldwide actions trying to stem the tide of bank liquidations that are freezing up credit markets. Words like depression, meltdown, socialism, rescue and bailout are in the daily headlines of the media.

While the financial experts try to figure out the remedies to fix the problems, maybe the focus for the rest of us should be one the “Why” and what we might learn from this.

True, the why this is happening stems back to greed, power and pride. The greed exerted by those in financial power and the pride that nothing could ever happen to bring them down. And lest we try and blame it all on the “Wall Street Fat Cats” that greed extends to the average American household that has mortgaged themselves to the hilt, taken out second mortgages to turn their house into an ATM and spent what they didn’t have and carrying huge credit card debt. Yes sir, pride will get you every time.

Interestingly, the Scripture is clear that “pride goes before a fall” so we should have seen it coming. Many people will admit now that they knew better but people have a way of thinking that those are the things that happen to other people and somehow we are the exception to the rule.

God in His wisdom knew mankind’s nature and therefore instituted in the Old Testament a set of holidays to deal with these very issues.

Rosh Hashanah literally means “head of the year” hence, meaning the New Year. It also is the first of ten days known as the “Days of Awe” [coincidence?]. During those 10 days, Jews ask friends and acquaintances for their forgiveness for any wrongs committed against them. On the 10th day, known as Yom Kippur—the Day of Atonement, they approach God and ask forgiveness for their sins, missteps and unfulfilled promises.

Rosh Hashanah is characterized by the blowing of the shofar, a trumpet made from a ram's horn, intended to awaken the listener from his or her "slumber" and alert them to the coming judgment.

Yom Kippur 2008 was marked by two significant events in the stock market. In 2007, the DJIA reached its highest close ever. One year later to the date, it closed down over 42 percent from that high. In fact, during the 10 Days of Awe for 2008, the DJIA dropped 2,732 points, obliterating over $3 trillion dollars of U.S. citizens nest eggs. It sounds like we should have been listening for the shofar of another kind.

All of this points to the coming global economy, the Mark of the Beast, the Antichrist and the fulfillment of prophetic scripture. It also points to the return of Jesus Christ to planet earth.

Revelation 6:12-17 tells us of another “shock and awe” that will precipitate His return. 

“I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”

Consider this article your wakeup call—it’s time to get ready!

“Financial Humpty Dumpty”

As I write this today, the experts on the financial programs said over and over, “In all my years in this business [the average being over 30 years] I have never seen fear like this in the global markets.” More questions were being raised than anyone had answers to give with the overall question being, “What’s next?”

Anyone that has been following the global financial markets has been hearing the question, “What are we going to do when this drastic step doesn’t work.” They are referring to the drastic measures taken almost daily over the past few weeks by the US Congress, US Treasury, the Federal Reserve and the other Central Banks of the world.

Americans have been guilty of a sense of invincibility. We pride ourselves [to our own detriment at times] as being the best; number one, the top dog. We have an unmatched quality of life and brag, “it can’t get any better than this!” However, the past 60 days has shaken that belief and many are beginning to question that assertion.

We have seen that even our economic position in the world in threatened. World financial markets have been rocked and Americans have seen over two trillion dollars in retirement savings wiped out. Warren Buffet, the 75 year old Wall Street billionaire states he has never seen such fear in the market place. There is talk of a "global nervous breakdown."

The E.U. President Sarkozy is looking to Europe to solve the crisis. This past week, The People's Daily out of China states, "The world must consider building a financial order no longer dependent on the United States.”

The Washington Times had a bold headline October 1, 2008, reading, "Foreign Economists Urge 'Global Plan.'" The story went on to say, "Leaders and economists from Western Europe to East Asia urged that America go beyond reviving a failed domestic bailout and start working on a new global financial system. The next U.S. president should immediately…devise a new doctrine of international finance.' "

Revelation 13:15-16 clearly points to a coming one-world system as well as a one-world religion and a cashless society. There cannot be a new one-world system until the old order has failed—and the old order is failing. The U.S. government is technically bankrupt and so in debt that it will take a global solution to rectify the world’s problems and that stage is being set even now.

Where is this going? It reminds me of the old nursery rhyme:

“Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.

All the king's horses and all the king's men

Couldn't put Humpty together again."

The financial system of the world is falling and all the kings of the world won’t be able to fix it. There will come one [antichrist] that will offer a plan and the world will be waiting with hat in hand to take part in it.

I’m so glad that Christians are looking for another King and all these events are pointing to His soon return! Are you ready?

“Conspiracy Theories”

It seems that everyday a new conspiracy theory emerges on the internet. So many false reports have been propagated by email and word of mouth that websites exist for the purpose of debunking them.

Wikipedia defines a conspiracy theory as attributing the ultimate cause of an event or chain of events (usually political, social or historical events), or the concealment of such causes from public knowledge, to a secret and often deceptive plot by a group of powerful or influential people or organizations.

Some of the top ones include:

• The attack on 9/11 was done by the U.S. government
• President Kennedy’s assassination was done by the CIA, Federal Reserve, KGB, Mafia and the list goes on
• The Moon landing never took place
• The bombing of Pearl Harbor was allowed to take place to get the U.S. into the war

This week, the Green Party candidate for president declared that 5,000 prisoners where shot and dumped in LA swamps during Katrina and there names were entered into a Pentagon database. Personally, I have to shake my head in wonder how these people come up with this stuff and then shudder that they also have keys to vehicles and are driving on our highways.

The present financial crisis is not without those that suggest this is all a conspiracy. The concept is that a group of people through strategic planning and positioning have grown in power and influence with their goal being global financial domination.

I personally cannot buy into these theories and you may wonder why? The reason is simple: the Bible tells us that there is already an imposing schemer who has been working behind the scenes for literally ages to bring about the scenario unfolding before us—his name is Satan. This schemer of schemers, this conniver of connivers, this liar of all liars is using a group of well-placed, but ordinarily weak and greedy individuals whose individual self-serving activities are together bringing about his desired result. It is being put together in the same way a carpenter follows a blue print laid out by an architect.

Revelation 13:16-17 says, “He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, 17and 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.”

The Apostle John predicts of one coming named Antichrist whose principle weapons are deception and his control of what must be a centralized economy. Something must happen to bring about some kind of centralized economic system. He will be able to do more than simply restrict credit—he will be able to exclude people on an individual basis from engaging in even the smallest transactions.

So are the current global financial problems that prophecy coming to pass? I cannot say how it happens exactly [though everything taking placing is certainly setting the stage for that event], but I can say that it does happen because the Bible says it will happen. The Bible tells us that when we see these things happening, know that Jesus is coming back soon—and that’s no theory!