Do you believe the God of the Bible?

If not, then one day soon—though you may challenge it now—you are destined to be confronted by Him. For, through Isaiah the prophet, He boldly declares: “… I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear” (Isaiah 45:22-23).

What resolve—what purpose! This Being has uttered His word and claims to possess the might to fulfill it! He declares His omnipotence to make every knee bow before Him—to bring all humans to obeisance to Him!

By the mouth of the same prophet, this God proclaims: “… I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand …” (Isaiah 46:9-10). This is spoken by the God of prophecy, who promises to never go back on His word. When He claims something will happen, it is as certain to happen as the rising of tomorrow’s sun.

What God prophesies is absolutely reliable—after all, His reputation is at stake! “The Lord of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand” (Isaiah 14:24). Do you believe this God? Not many people do. But Bible prophecy is essentially a collection of promises from the omnipotent God. Consider: Could we implicitly trust a God who didn’t carry out those prophecies He has spoken and documented?

The same God who utters prophecy and brings it to pass also created the Earth and all that exists within it. He owns it all, as the psalmist wrote: “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein” (Psalms 24:1). Certainly God is aware of the locations of “the fulness”—the various resources—of the Earth, having placed them there Himself to begin with.

God even purposefully determined the geographic locations and national borders of the various peoples on Earth. Acts 17:26 reveals that He “hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation.”

Do you believe this God—the God of prophecy?

He has actually told us, millennia in advance, of the struggle over resources we see coming to a head in our time—even to the point of forecasting the outcome in gut-wrenching detail.

Is it possible that same God of creation who formed the Earth—who bedecked it with resources and populated it with people—the same God of prophecy who alone has the power to forecast an outcome and then to ensure it unfolds just as He has said— actually purposefully put specific resources in the hands of specific peoples, and denied resources to specific other peoples, in order to shape the course of human events in our day?

The Prophet Daniel made clear that God is not a passive observer of global events. We must accept this penetrating truth: “that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men” (Daniel 4:17).

Let’s look, then, at what God prophesies will happen in the time ahead, with confidence that He will ensure it comes to pass.

The Beast

No biblical book compares to Revelation in its stunning descriptions of events that will occur at the end of human civilization and the dawn of the glorious age of peace under Jesus Christ’s rule.

In Revelation 8:13, we read of three great woes to come upon Earth’s inhabitants. These woes are the final three of seven cataclysmic events heralded by seven trumpet-blowing angels (verses 6-12). The first of these woes is depicted in Revelation 9:1-11.

Here we see a powerfully destructive force at work. The Apostle John was inspired to use colorful analogies to describe modern military technology that is devastating in its effect on whole populations.

Here is how Herbert W. Armstrong explained these verses: “The power that causes the destruction, this time to men, comes out of the symbolic ‘bottomless pit.’ This is interpreted in Revelation 17:8-14. There we learn that a rebirth of the ancient Roman Empire is the power which emerges out of ‘the bottomless pit’ or abyss—a condition of underground existence not visible to the world. Verse 7 shows this future power will be a war-making, revived fascist power. It is described in prophecy as a power to the north of the Holy Land, because the prophecies always speak from the focal point of the Holy Land—to the north, and west” (The Book of Revelation Unveiled at Last!).

The development of this European superpower, led by a resurgent Germany—spoken of throughout biblical prophecy—is the single most earthshaking episode prophesied to occur in human affairs, prior to the return of Jesus Christ.

This is what John is describing in Revelation 9 and 17. This “beast” is warned about in more prophecies, by far, than any other threat facing the world in our age. The portrait painted of this up-and-coming empire, fleshed out in dozens of prophetic scriptural passages, is awesome.

Unsurpassed Wealth

As we will see, the sheer wealth amassed by this European kingdom will be unparalleled. There are strong indications in Scripture that its soft invasion, visible today, of Latin America and Africa will do much to enrich this entity and facilitate its path to power.

In Latin America, the European, Roman Catholic heritage that hails back to the region’s Spanish colonial roots only awaits a stimulus to awaken it to action. This heritage—religious, Roman and imperial—is far stronger than the recent economic inroads made by China within this region. Religion alone can bind a historically fractious group of nations together (as the nations of Europe and Latin America have been) when all else fails. It is religion that will bind this great imperial power, the soon-to-be-resurrected “Holy” Roman Empire, to its ancient colonies in Latin America.

History suggests and Bible prophecy confirms that the great trading association envisaged by leaders in Europe and Latin America, cementing the EU and the South American trade bloc Mercosur into one giant market of 680 million people, will soon become reality. This entity will overwhelm China’s efforts to sew up trade in this region. And it will richly supply Europe the raw materials it needs to stoke the engines of empire.

Expect Africa, too, to fall sway to this emerging titan of trade. Read for yourself this prophecy of Europe’s exploitation of African resources: “The men of Dedan were thy merchants; many isles were the merchandise of thine hand: they brought thee for a present horns of ivory and ebony. … The merchants of Sheba and Raamah, they were thy merchants: they occupied in thy fairs with chief of all spices, and with all precious stones, and gold” (Ezekiel 27:15, 22). As Britain and America fade out of Africa and into the sunset of superpowers past, Europe positions itself to march in. Germany in particular will corporately “reinvade” its old African colonial possessions, pillaging resources to feed the furnaces and drive the machinery that will turn out tools of war for a remilitarizing imperialist power.

Military Conquests

At what precise point in this process European leaders will consider themselves sufficiently equipped to undertake the next phase in their plan, we cannot be sure. But when that time arrives, it will come in shockingly explosive fashion. The Prophet Daniel describes it in a prophecy of this beast’s response to the provocations of the Iran-led Islamist power.

This prophecy (in conjunction with others, explained in our booklet The King of the South) convincingly suggests the kind of alliances Iran will manage to cement in the short term—including a likely takeover of neighboring Iraq. We are likely to see a continuation of the Islamic Republic gaining control of the region and the lion’s share of Middle Eastern oil, bloating its bank accounts and enabling it to push its violent program ever more assertively. Its final arrogant move may well be impeding the flowof oil supplies to the Continent. Such provocation would goad Europe, “the king of the north,” to suddenly unleash the full force of its military might: “[T]he king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown … and the land of Egypt shall not escape” (Daniel 11:40-42).

Thus we see foretold the dreadful fate of the radical Islamist nation that is proving to be such a pain to the international community today—Iran! This outcome is certain! Do you believe the God of the Bible?

Notice, within this prophecy, how significantly resources factor in. This European king, drunk on his impressive victory and the spoils of his conquest, “shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt …” (verse 43). Middle East resources will be Europe’s for the taking. Clearly, no single military campaign would do more to guarantee the security of the oil needed to fuel the expansion of this geopolitical colossus.

Shortly after conquering and securing the resources of the king of the south, this king of the north is prophesied to turn its attention to the biblical nations of Israel—specifically the United States and Britain, in addition to the Jewish state located within its newly acquired Middle Eastern territory. By that time, it will have insinuated its way into a decadent “lover” relationship with these nations (Lamentations 1:1-2; Hosea 2:13; Ezekiel 23:5-21).

On its path to superpowerdom, this European empire is prophesied to treacherously betray these Israelite nations and to swiftly demolish them! Notice the familiar battle tactics used by this wealthy kingdom in this second invasion: “And they shall come against thee [Israel] with chariots, wagons, and wheels, and with an assembly of people, which shall set against thee buckler and shield and helmet round about …. [A]nd they shall deal furiously with thee …” (Ezekiel 23:24-25). This is clearly the same power that will conquer the Middle East. And, just as it did in that first campaign, it will strip these subjugated nations of their wealth (i.e. verse 26).

Only, in this case, the God of the Bible is clear in stating that these European warriors will loot more than just material resources. They will take slaves.

The Merchants

Can you imagine Americans, today among the wealthiest people on Earth, being reduced—by the millions—to slavery? Inerrant Bible prophecy, in approximately 25 different passages, says it will happen soon.

This truly will be the most fearsome and ruthless empire ever seen. The stronger it becomes, the more power and influence it will wield over its colonies and protectorates in the Middle East, Africa, South and Central America, and yes, North America. Its economic tentacles will reach into all parts of the Earth. It will glut itself on luxury as it leeches wealth from whole foreign populations. The economic and trade dominance it enjoys, and resultant mammoth prosperity, will provide the fuel needed to feed the fires of its tyranny.

The great God of prophecy tells us in advance that this empire, which He labels “Babylon the great,” after reigning violently for only a few years, will be smashed. But His vivid prophetic description of its ruin tells as much about the nature of its reign as it does about its soon-coming demise: “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen,” He says, “For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the Earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury” (Revelation 18:2-3, New King James Version).

Please read those verses again. Let your imagination linger on them.

Consider the nature of a superpower that intoxicates all nations with its power! How shrewd, how insidious it must be to seduce and entrap into sin-soaked affairs thekings of the earth. How sumptuous, how opulent, how unsurpassably wealthy this kingdom must be, to be so intimate with the merchants of the Earth, enriching them with such overflowing luxury!

In this age of globalization, we have seen the emergence of these “merchants.” These are not the local town, city, province or nationally confined businessmen. These are true “merchants of the earth”— globalist corporate moguls who operate huge commercial conglomerates and who view the whole Earth as their marketplace. Driven by greed, they employ every conceivable stunt to avoid taxation, exploit labor and pillage resources, as they erect their corporate empires. These businessmen seek personal gain and the recognition it can buy above all else.

This passage in Revelation 18—which four times mentions these moguls being in symbiotic partnership and sympathy with the beast power—reveals how it will be these merchants that underpin the economic strength of the king of the north. Though it is the woman of Babylon—the great false church of Rome—that produces the spiritual glue that binds the Holy Roman Empire together for its final brief, yet destructive rule (Revelation 17:1-6), it is the financial clout of the merchants, the great corporatists, financiers and industrialists who drive the economy, that props up the beast’s strength.

Your Bible says these individuals will grow rich beyond their dreams through their dealings with this terrifying politico-economic beast power!

Think of it: Whole cities will be leveled—whole peoples and nations decimated—at the hands of this beast! And yet, in the midst of the staggering destruction, there will be an elite class of kings and merchants making enormous profit!God thunders that, amid the greatest tribulation this world has ever seen, some few will live “deliciously,” in wicked collusion with this evil empire! (Revelation 18:9). They will be selling whatever is requested, providing whatever is desired, satisfying every craving, doing whatever it takes to enrich themselves and stay alive—in order to remain part of the European despot’s privileged inner circle.

Consider what kind of perverse minds would relish profiting from the appalling destruction to come! Unbelievable as that may sound, such is the state of the “desperately wicked” human heart when pushed to its limit. These despicable activities, on a smaller scale, are documented to have routinely taken place in the midst of the Holocaust and genocide of World War ii.

This mighty kingdom of the north will become infamous for its voracious appetite for resources, including “merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men” (Revelation 18:12-13).

Yes—this empire will operate a slave market of unprecedented proportions. According to Bible prophecy, the world will face the atrocity of forced slave labor on a massive scale once again—as humanity endures another world war!

Kings of the East

In those dark times, the beast power will reign supreme and all nations will bow before it! But some of those nations will also be plotting a revolution.

China, having been pushed out of Latin America, pushed out of Africa, pushed out of the Middle East, forced to watch as the indomitable European king swallows continents, will have searched elsewhere for the resources it needs to keep growing. Look at the world map: There, to its north, lie the limitless Russian plains, dense with oil and natural gas—bristling with nuclear power. With one nation’s unmatched resources combined with the other’s unmatched manpower, this pair will form the core of a superpower—to be joined by Japan, India, South Korea, North Korea, and other Asian nations seeking protection in numbers—that is singularly intent on waging war with the European beast.

The prophecy in Daniel picks up on this future moment, when the king of the north, though glutted with power and wealth, becomes concerned and obsessed with reports of these activities emerging from Russia and Asia. “But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him,” the prophet records. And what will Europe do—this mighty empire that essentially recolonized the whole of Latin America and Africa, that consumed the Middle East in a whirlwind, that smashed the nations of Israel in a stroke? “[T]herefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many” (Daniel 11:44).

This strike by Europe against the Asian alliance is the first of the three woes described in Revelation 8 and 9.

The second woe follows: The Asian army counterattacking with an unimaginably huge army of 200 million soldiers (Revelation 9:12-18). This is world war on a scale never before seen—killing one third of all humanity yet surviving. The European empire will suffer a mortal blow at the hand of the combined military power of Russia, China and other Asian nations.

Your Bible then declares that the kings and merchants, these global corporate strategists, will weep, because the luxury they enjoyed on the broken back of Israel will be gone! They will wail and mourn at the destruction of the chief commercial, industrial, political and religious city of their global corporate empire, the Holy Roman Empire (Revelation 18:9-11, 15-19).

Notice what happens next: “The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly. And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 11:14-15). Follow the prophetic narrative to its conclusion, and you see Jesus Christ returning in power and glory, bringing to an abrupt end the madness of these kings of the north and east. The kings of the east and what remains of the king of the north will be likewise destroyed by the returning Jesus Christ (Revelation 19:11-21) and the Kingdom of God established on Earth.

All this warring presages the return of the King of kings to this world to establish His righteous, incorruptible Kingdom. Unto Him every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall swear—and His perfect reign will produce never-ending peace and prosperity (Isaiah 9:6-7).

This is the righteous word that has proceeded from the mouth of the God of prophecy. Through the Prophet Daniel, God told King Nebuchadnezzar, and recorded for our enlightenment, “[T]he great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure” (Daniel 2:45). As He has purposed, so shall it stand.

Thus, as we witness events in our day moving toward the fulfillment of these prophecies, we should recognize the fingerprints of the Most High who rules in the kingdom of men! As Jesus Christ said in John 14:29, “… I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe.”