The World Is Moving Into Position: War, Pressure and Control

Luke 21:25–28 ESV

25 “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, 26 people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

The World Is Moving Into Position: War, Pressure and Control

There is a word Jesus uses in this passage that describes our moment remarkably well: perplexity.

Perplexity is the state of being so overwhelmed by confusing, complicated, or seemingly unsolvable circumstances that you cannot see a clear way forward. Like standing at your locked front door and realizing your key doesn’t work—and you have no other way in.

Jesus speaks of people unable to find a way out, nations surrounded by problems for which they have no lasting solution. Natural disasters expose the fragility of our world. Wars expand beyond their original borders. Nations increasingly turn against Israel. Technology is moving toward forms of identification and control that previous generations could scarcely have imagined. Yet Jesus did not tell us these things so that His people would live in fear. He told us beforehand so that we would understand the times, remain faithful and recognize that history is moving toward the return of its rightful King.

Matthew 24:7–8 ESV

7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.

Nepal and Indonesia: Creation Groans

The human scale of the disaster in Nepal is almost incomprehensible. The International Organization for Migration reported on September 8 that the August 26 flash floods had resulted in 1,355 recovered bodies, with 4,996 people still listed as missing. More than 13,000 people had been rescued, approximately 84,000 were affected and around 7,570 homes were damaged. Roads, bridges, electricity and telecommunications have been destroyed or disrupted, making it exceedingly difficult for rescuers and humanitarian organizations to reach some communities.

As Nepal searches through the devastation left by water, Indonesia is watching fire rise from the earth. Six volcanoes have erupted in close succession since late August. Five remain at an elevated alert level, while twenty-two others are under heightened monitoring. Scientists say these eruptions are independent geological events, not one connected chain reaction.

Jesus described earthquakes, famines, pestilences and fearful events as part of the birth-pain pattern that would characterize the age leading toward His return. Paul expands upon this in Romans 8:22: “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.” Creation itself bears the consequences of sin and awaits redemption.

These events are the pattern Jesus told us to expect … and they are increasing in frequency and intensity. They remind us that human beings cannot stabilize creation, eliminate death or engineer permanent security. The world needs more than better disaster management. It needs redemption.

Psalm 46:1–2 ESV

1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth give way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,

Matthew 24:6 ESV

6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet.

The Middle East Conflict Is Spreading Across Two Strategic Waterways

The United States has now struck eight Iranian oil tankers after Iran repeatedly targeted American warships. Iran fired 20 ballistic missiles toward a base used by American forces in Jordan; Jordan says it intercepted 18, while two fell in unpopulated areas. Iran also claims that it attacked ten vessels attempting to move near the Strait of Hormuz. Although not every Iranian claim has been verified, maritime agencies have confirmed that several commercial ships were damaged.

At the same time, Iran-backed Houthi forces launched missiles and drones against four Saudi cities, wounding 73 people and starting major fires at oil facilities. Saudi Arabia has reportedly retaliated inside Yemen. Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah has also intensified in Lebanon, where repeated strikes, drone attacks and growing civilian casualties threaten the fragile ceasefire.

These conflicts now endanger two of the world’s most important maritime corridors. The Strait of Hormuz historically carried roughly one-fifth of the world’s petroleum supply, while Bab el-Mandeb connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the wider Indian Ocean. Disruption at either location is serious. Simultaneous disruption at both could have global consequences.

The story is no longer simply Israel versus Iran. Iran, Israel, the United States, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Hezbollah are being drawn into interconnected theaters. We are watching alliances tested, shipping routes threatened, energy markets shaken and military retaliation become almost automatic.

Persia is specifically named in Ezekiel 38:5 as a participant in the future coalition that comes against Israel. Nevertheless, we should not declare that Ezekiel 38 has begun. The complete coalition, leadership, conditions and direction of the invasion described by Ezekiel are not yet present. What we can say is that Iran’s strategic and military importance is becoming increasingly visible. The world can now see how quickly a Persian-centered confrontation could draw surrounding nations into a much larger war.=

Zechariah 12:3 ESV

3 On that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples. All who lift it will surely hurt themselves. And all the nations of the earth will gather against it.

International Pressure Against Israel Is Becoming CoordinatedPU 0909.2

Britain, France and Canada have moved against commerce connected to Israeli settlements in Judea and Samaria—the West Bank—with nine additional countries supporting or considering coordinated measures. Britain says its restrictions will cover both goods and certain services associated with the settlements and will be implemented over the coming months.

Israel responded by closing the British consulate in Jerusalem, removing British representatives from the international center monitoring the Gaza ceasefire and ending British training for Palestinian Authority security forces. What began as a dispute over settlement commerce has therefore expanded into a significant diplomatic and security rupture. ⁠Associated Press, ⁠ABC News Australia Multiple nations are discovering that economic restrictions can be coordinated and used to pressure Israel over the biblical heartland.

Zechariah tells us that Jerusalem will ultimately become a burdensome stone for all nations. Joel 3 describes the nations being judged in connection with their treatment of Israel and the division of God’s land. We are not watching the final fulfillment of those passages this week. Nevertheless, we are watching Israel’s territory—and increasingly Jerusalem itself—become an international issue upon which nations believe they must collectively act. Romans 11:1

Romans 11:1 ESV

1 I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin.

Revelation 13:16–17 ESV

16 Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, 17 so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name.

Quantum-Dot Tattoos, Vaccine Records and the Mark

MIT researchers announced that they had developed an invisible quantum-dot dye that could be placed beneath the skin through a microneedle patch. The patch could administer a vaccine while simultaneously leaving a pattern containing vaccination information. The research was funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the National Cancer Institute.

The Greek word is charagma, meaning an engraving, stamp, impression or identifying mark. It comes from the same word family as charax, which can mean a sharpened stake, palisade or defensive rampart. That etymological relationship is real. However,

The infrastructure precedes the ruler. Long before the Antichrist commands a system, the world must possess the technology, the databases and the conditioned public acceptance necessary to operate it.

This is where Yuval Noah Harari’s own warning becomes so revealing. Speaking at the World Economic Forum, he explained that the combination of biological knowledge, computing power and data could produce the ability to “hack humans.” He warned that corporations and governments could create digital dictatorships capable of monitoring people continuously, understanding their fears and manipulating their decisions.

1 Thessalonians 5:9 ESV

9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

Mark 10:14 ESV

14 But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.

A Maine Court Gives a Father Final Authority Over His Daughter’s Church Attendance

The Maine Supreme Judicial Court upheld a custody order preventing a daughter’s participation at Church. The order gives him sole authority concerning Calvary Chapel Greater Portland. For any other church or religious activity, the parents must investigate and discuss it together, but the father has the deciding vote

The mother, Emily Bickford, contends that the practical result has prevented her from taking her daughter to church. Her attorneys at Liberty Counsel say they intend to petition the U.S. Supreme Court.

The ruling was not based solely on the father’s disagreement with Christianity. The courts found that the girl had experienced anxiety and panic attacks concerning hell, the Rapture, and fears that her father would be left behind.

The precedent deserves serious attention. Once strict constitutional protection is removed, judges possess considerable discretion to determine whether a parent’s religious influence serves a child’s “best interests.”

Scripture warns of growing pressure upon believers and of governing authorities reaching further into matters of conscience.

John 10:27–28 ESV

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.