News and Prophecy Staff

Today there is growing animosity between Russia and the West—Europe, Britain and the United States. Some experts note that “China, Russia, India, Turkey, Iran, and others are seeking to carve out a new space for themselves in the newly emerging international system, as the United States is struggling to redefine its place and identity in the new world” (Oxford Research Group, January 2, 2018). “Although the West continues to possess the power of influence, Western leaders have not been effective in using such power.

School shootings remain a terrifying staple of news in the U.S. The most recent shooting occurred in a Maryland high school on Tuesday, March 20. Two students were critically injured before the shooter himself was killed (Chicago Tribune, March 20, 2018).

As regional and global tensions increase, there is growing concern humanity could annihilate itself by nuclear war. In a recent interview, SpaceX and Tesla founder Elon Musk commented, “Humans must prioritise the colonisation of Mars so the species can be conserved in the event of a third world war….

Those who call themselves Christians and attempt to follow biblical morality as they understand it are now among the most persecuted religious groups in the world (Newsweek, January 4, 2018). Sadly, this is increasingly true even in nations where “Christianity” is considered the predominant religion.

With the U.S. and Britain quickly fading from their global leadership positions, China has stepped into the gap! “[F]rom the fight against climate change to global trade rules,” China has risen to the level of a world superpower and “the past year has seen its status cemented” (Deutsche Welle, February 15, 2018). Chinese historian Zhang Lifan observed, “The current situation is China wants to be a world leader, at all costs.”