News and Prophecy Staff

Long ago the prophet Daniel foresaw an end-time European empire composed of ten kingdoms or nations and represented by feet of "iron and clay" (Daniel 2:41-43). The mixture of "iron and clay" is symbolic of a union of nations that do not naturally adhere to each other. This past week’s parliamentary elections reflected the iron and clay nature of the European Union and illustrated that "Europe is a divided continent" (EU Observer, May 26, 2014).

"Scientists using two different age-determining techniques have shown that a tiny zircon crystal found on a sheep ranch in western Australia is the oldest known piece of our planet, dating to 4.4 billion years ago… They used a technique known as atom-probe tomography that was able to identify individual atoms of lead in the crystal and determine their mass, and confirmed that the zircon was indeed 4.4 billion years old" (Reuters, February 23, 2014).

A school headmaster commented recently in a major British paper that "The state education system is producing a generation of 'amoral' children who fail to understand the difference between right and wrong" (Telegraph, May 15, 2014). With the major emphasis on testing and "the basics," schools are failing to equip student with the "moral compass they need for life" (ibid.).

Following World War II, Japan's constitution was developed to prevent future military conquests by the Japanese. However, recent provocations by China and North Korea have caused the Japanese to reconsider the 70-year-old ban on a military (Reuters, May 15, 2014).

The “hot topic” of same-sex marriage is heating up in more surprising ways (Washington Post, April 28, 2014).