Douglas S. Winnail

Seven centuries before Christ, the prophet Daniel interpreted King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream about a great image picturing four kingdoms that would dominate the Middle East (Daniel 2). The fourth kingdom is widely recognized as the Roman Empire, with its final phase (the feet and toes) composed of a loosely adhering mixture of iron and clay. This end-time phase with links to the Roman Empire will involve a federation of ten kings that forms just before Jesus Christ returns to this earth (Daniel 2:40-–45). In Daniel 7 these same four empires are seen as “beasts.”

Many Bible prophecies describe specific signs that will arise on the world scene as we approach the end of the age—the period of time just before Jesus Christ returns to this earth to establish the Kingdom of God. Jesus told His disciples to watch for these, so they would recognize when His return was near (Matthew 24:32–44).

Many are asking, "Is the new Pope really the successor of the Apostle Peter?" Will he be the last? What do history and Scripture tell us?

What does the future hold for the United States, Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the other English-speaking British-descended nations—the so-called “Anglo-Saxon” nations of the world? And what does the future hold for the Middle Eastern nation of Israel? In recent years, news reports have featured dramatic events that have occurred in these regions—events that are not isolated occurrences, but in fact reflect developing trends that do not bode well. While the modern secular media does not recognize a connection between modern trends and ancient Bible prophecies, the truth is that Scripture long ago foretold not only what is happening to these modern descendants of ancient Israel, but also what will happen in the future. More importantly, the Bible explains why.

News reports from around the world proclaim that record heat waves, major droughts, floods and on-going violence have seriously reduced harvests in normally productive regions of the United States, Australia, South Africa and Russia. As a result, millions are facing dangerous food shortages, and countless thousands dependent on these crops have died of starvation and malnutrition-related conditions. Yet, in our increasingly secular world, few realize that Bible prophecies have long foretold that these very conditions would dominate the news just before the return of Jesus Christ to this earth. These ancient prophecies are coming alive today—right before our eyes!