Nearing Midnight: 2011 Prophetic Year in Review

“Do not forsake our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encourage one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near”(Hebrews 10:25). Another year has come to an end and with it comes my annual prophetic year in review. My conclusion: The clock ticks ever closer to midnight. Unless the Lord tarries, one wonders just how much longer things can continue as they are. Clearly, the prophecy clock is racing. I had dinner recently with Jack Kinsella of The Omega Letter (http://www.omegaletter.org/) who observed when world events can go in one or more directions they always go in the direction prophesied in the Bible. I couldn’t agree more. Politically, militarily, and financially, this world is staging itself for an appointment with its Creator. And those with an eternal perspective know this means one thing—Jesus is coming soon for His church, perhaps today.

Politically speaking, the political map of the Arab world was totally reshaped in 2011. This is significant considering it is that part of the world—the Middle East—with which the biblical prophets were primarily concerned. The so called “Arab spring,” which is quickly becoming an “Arab winter,” has seen the end-time alignment of nations come into sharper focus. With the collapse of the Mubarak regime in Egypt—the anchor of stability in the Middle East—and the ascendency of the Muslim Brotherhood and other radical elements, a united effort to annihilate Israel is clearly underway. Add to that the fact Iran may be only months away from developing a nuclear weapon. Syria’s dictator Bashar al-Assad’s continues his ruthless grip on power. All of this brings the prophecies of Ezekiel 38-39, Daniel 11, and Isaiah 17 into sharper focus. War is on the way in the Middle East and it could literally break out any moment. Former Assistant Defense Secretary under Ronald Reagan—Frank Gaffney—warns that, “A cataclysmic regional war [is coming] and it will be over the future existence of the state of Israel. It may involve all of her neighbors, as they want to drive the Jews into the sea. It may include the use of nuclear weapons.” In the end, I’m not worried too much about Israel, as “He who keeps watch over Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps” (Psalm 121:4). But it is interesting to note that of all the directions things could have gone in the Middle East in 2011, everything has moved in the direction prophesied by the Bible.

Along with the political reshaping of the Middle East one must also consider significant events militarily. The United States has pulled out of Iraq with Afghanistan not too far behind. It will be interesting to see what happens in that part of the world once the U.S. completely withdraws. Russia continues to strengthen its military ties with Iran, Syria and other Middle Eastern regimes. In fact, Russia has confirmed plans to send a flotilla of naval ships led by Russia's only aircraft carrier to a little-utilized base in Tartus, Syria, by spring 2012. Furthermore, Russia continues to provide military assistance and weapons to Iran and Syria. One can only wonder if the groundwork is being laid for the Ezekiel 38-39 war: “Be prepared, and prepare yourself, you and all your companies that are assembled about you, and be a guard for them” (Ezek. 38:7). Additionally, things are happening in the East. China continues to pursue a global military presence and its President, Hu Jinto, recently told China’s military personnel they should "make extended preparations for warfare.” Interestingly, China is the only country in the world that could field an Army of 200 million (Rev. 9:17; 16:12). Again, of all the directions the world could go militarily it is moving quickly in the direction spelled out in Bible prophecy.

Finally, as 2011 draws to a close one should also consider world events from a financial perspective. The world has only gone deeper into debt. The financial crisis that exploded in 2008 continues to affect the entire world. One area of the world that has witnessed the affects of this global financial crisis is the European Union which is currently fighting for its own survival. This union—now 27 nations strong—has been described by many experts as being simply too big to survive. I am neither a prophet nor a son of a prophet but if I had to guess I would say the worldwide financial crisis will ultimately work out in the direction the Bible says things are going to go in the last days. What is 27 nations strong today may very well collapse and regroup with a smaller number of much stronger nations—say ten? Daniel wrote, “After this I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrifying and extremely strong; and it had large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed and trampled down the remainder with its feet; and it was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns” (Dan. 7:7). Furthermore, this global financial crisis may very well lead to the rise of a global leader—a man-with-a-plan kind of a guy—to solve the world’s financial problems as well as the problem of an elusive peace in the Middle East. “While I was contemplating the horns, behold, another horn, a little one, came up among them…” (Dan. 7:8). 2011 was an interesting year from the perspective of Bible prophecy. 2012 promises to be even more interesting. But my focus is not so much on world events as it is on the promise of Jesus, “I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:3). As the world struggles to overcome insurmountable problems and seeks after a super-man who can seemingly solve it all, I am looking for Jesus and 2012 may very well be the year we see Him face to face—“Even so. Come, Lord Jesus” (Rev. 22:20).