Great Expectations

A great World War II leader, Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery, once said, “let us remember when all these things are said and done the one great fact, the greatest fact, remains supreme and unassailable. It is this. There are in this world things that are true and things that are false; there are ways that are right and ways that are wrong, men good and bad. And on the one side or the other we must take our stand: one, or the other, we must serve. A great commander once dismissed his troops after a long campaign in these words: “Choose you this day whom ye will serve….as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

After what appeared to be a marathon campaign and election process, George Bush finally has his four more years. The President seems sincere with his Christian beliefs and that great body of Americans who placed moral values as their number one reason for voting Bush is giving him the benefit of any doubt. We can only hope his re-election is the beginning of the fulfillment of Hosea 3: 5 when it was written, “Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king, and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days.”

So, based on what he said in the debates and on the campaign trail, can we dare speculate that in this new term of office Bush will place the stamp of conservative values on a nation long gone astray? Should we anticipate a return to sanity in such things as abortion, same-sex relationship demands, pornography, stem-cell research and so many other areas of our society that have turned against the Word of God? Can we hope that politicians finally realize that the downward spiral of their moral degradation has an end after all? And will the Christian community come to appreciate that they do have the power to effect change, providing they unite instead of splintering and cowering?

Yet, why am I so fearful? I may not be American; but let’s face it, whatever America does affects the entire world. So, is there reason for the deep-seeded concern? Could it be that I look at the team President Bush has gathered around him and wonder if he is unequally yoked? Perhaps it is the massive challenges he faces in this term of office, as mentioned in my editorial in October’s TKC. Or the reference on a major television newscast that he was a Yale Scull & Bones initiate and it has been speculated that this society runs counter to Christianity? Consequently, are his Christian admonitions for real?

Yet, there are concerns beyond this! We still have to look at the values and viewpoints of most politicians, and for that matter, a huge part of the electorate, and when we do, we can’t help but see successful workings of a plan set in action over half a century ago and rolling along with few stumbling blocks. Hopefully, President Bush will prove to be the stopper. Still, when the simple strategy as expressed by a high level educator in the early days of the plan is considered, many would say our nations and citizens have succumbed beyond the point of no return. This man said, “as our knowledge and power grows, religion declines and when there are no more mysteries there will be no more God.” The progress of the strategy should be crystal clear through observing the actions of the enemies of our Lord Jesus Christ and the great campaign to discredit Christianity. Theirs has been a powerful movement and no matter what political persuasion is followed, Christians everywhere should earnestly pray that President Bush truly possesses the resolve and the courage to follow a Godly path and if he does, that the Lord God Almighty watch over and protect Him.

As worrisome as this may be, there is on the horizon another potential monster creating tremendous anxiety in the minds of many, mine among them. It’s not so much Iraq any more, even though the situation looks perilous at the time of this writing, because I believe the terrorists will be subdued in time. America just has too much power and possesses too huge a resolve not to succeed. It’s what happens after this that is the worry. The problem, as I see it, is will the aggression stop with Iraq or go forward to other areas. A question that must be asked is, “Are the hostilities really over oil and terrorism or are they necessary steps in propping up a staggering world debt, debt that threatens to bring down even the greatest of nations?” If there is an iota of truth in this, is there already a plan to liberate all the region’s oil-rich nations?” You know, there has been a focus on other mid-east nations building for many months now and one gets the terrible feeling we are being conditioned for the next step forward.

For example, we have read almost daily of the fear of nuclear weapon development in Iran and while it appears, at least at this stage, that Iran is prepared to bend to western demands for a cessation, I wonder if this will be enough to stay an expansion of military hostilities toward that nation. The voices that we have been hearing warning of nuclear capability in the wrong hands are very familiar, much the same as those voices proclaiming Iraqi “weapons of mass destruction.” Will we now begin to hear more about the evil leadership of Iran and other oil rich countries and a call to lead the region’s hundreds of millions of people into a form of democracy? Are the voices of internationalists saying, “Get those oil revenues spread throughout the nations so their peoples can join the western style free spending habits and debt usury?” And is there a special bonus by taking the revenues out of the hands of country leaders who are hoarding and using the great wealth as a guillotine over the necks of western nations, thereby causing great gyrations in currency markets.

So far, the Americans and British, and their small band of allies, have been able to fend off the criticism and jealously of world leaders and do pretty much what they want to do in the Mid-East. Yet, can they continue to operate in the face of our natural enemies with such impunity, particularly if they extend their tentacles into other Mid-East countries. Remember, the invasion of Iraq cost Russia, Germany and France billions of dollars of lost business and it would quite likely be billions more if a nation like Iran proved to be the next domino. It’s almost “Ezekiel like” to think of the possible consequences. One Bible student reminded me that there will be a final war and that some very knowledgeable Bible scholars demonstrate that God has already identified our opponents as Russia, parts of Asia, the Moslem and Arab worlds, along with the black nations. Some even include Germany and Eastern European nations in the mix as well. Perhaps many of these nations are friends now but world events can change very quickly and “friends now” can be “enemies tomorrow.” And we must never forget that America and Britain represent the tribe of Joseph and God told us in Genesis 49: 23 that we will be hated. A quick look around the world today confirms that the hate is greater today than probably any time in the past.

So who knows, one false step and America, Britain and other Israel countries could find themselves facing the first of the two invasions depicted in Ezekiel 38: 9-12. Make no mistake about it, the great potential is there. I hope Messrs. Bush & Blair read their Bibles and not take an intrusion into other Mid-East countries too lightly. All it will take to fan the hate we have generated is a weakening of the west’s military capability, such as a disaster coming upon the military troops and assets located in the Mid-East. It’s hard to get the idea of the one time catastrophic event prophesied in Ezekiel 3-7 out of my mind. Then too, the backward step taken by Russia in the move to centralize power once again is a bad sign. I well remember Pastor Campbell saying at our 1997 Conference that God would pull Gog back, which He did when Russia lost her satellite nations, but then he would pull her forward to a battle. (Ezekiel 39: 4) The great question to ponder is whether they would sit back if True Israel invaded Iran or whether they would they move to protect their economic interests and their border. Still, perhaps it is not the time for this great event. We can only hope that cooler and wiser heads will prevail in the governments around the world. Who knows, it could be that even some of those who are directing events, but who are really on the side of evil, will be found out before it’s too late. Maybe this is wishful thinking but we should not lose sight of the fact that we have many enemies right here in our back yard and some of them are very likely at the very pinnacle of power.? Certainly, no great long-range plan would exclude the infiltration of confederates into the ranks of True Israel. Psalm 83 speaks of such a plan.

I suppose we can take solace in Genesis 49: 16 because in the final analysis the Lord God Almighty has given a promise of protection to the tribe of Joseph. We may face great dangers down the road but He will be there for us. Nevertheless, it is almost a certainty that the presidential term 2005-2008 will be the most challenging of any presidential term in memory. Sadly, for all but the few on the top who know the direction of the planning process, we can only wonder, “Is the dye cast?” Are we in the clutches of those who direct world economics and see the Mid-East as being the medicine to overcome huge national debts, trade deficits, falling currencies, the frightening risk of derivatives, and other scenarios. Or are we truly there to liberate and keep the world a safe place. As Montgomery said, “ there are ways that are right and ways that are wrong,” Based on your analysis, w hat direction do you think our nations are choosing right at this moment? Joshua said, “Choose you this day whom ye will serve.” Whom do you think our nations have turned to at this moment?

To conclude, it is very critical that we pray for President Bush to be given the wisdom of a Solomon , the courage of a David and the power of a Jeremiah . That he remains very committed to the Lord so it can be said of him, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord…” (Psalm 37: 23) May God bless him as he represents true Israel in the dangerous days ahead.