[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]
Who Are The End-Time Superpowers?
Our world has been shaped, in large part, by the superpowers that have dominated global politics since World War I and World War II. Nations such as the United States, Great Britain, and the then Soviet Union have been called “superpowers” and have shaped cultures and influenced history for decades, far beyond their own borders.
But things change, and the arrangement of powers is in flux like it never has been before. How will the power structures of the world be reconfigured in the years ahead of us? What superpowers will rule the world in the days leading up to the return of Jesus Christ?
Bible prophecy tells us in astonishing detail!
On today’s program, we are going to explain the configuration of world powers that will be competing before supremacy in the years just before Christ’s return, and we’ill do so out of the pages of your own Bible, so you can see the answers for yourself! We will also tell you how to get a copy of our new, free DVD titled “The Antichrist and the Beast of Revelation.”
So, join us for the next half-hour on Tomorrow’s World as we answer the question, “Who are the end-time superpowers?” You won’t want to miss it!
What Does The Bible Mean, “All Nations Will Come Up Against Jerusalem?”
Greetings, and welcome to Tomorrow’s World!
Today we are going to identify the end-time superpowers of Bible prophecy. We are also going to give you an opportunity to request a free DVD explaining the Antichrist and the coming Beast of Revelation. Be sure to keep an eye out for the order information you’ll need for this free DVD when you see it on your screen.
Many national powers have come and gone across the world stage throughout the centuries. World War II left civilization with three national powers almost universally recognized as “superpowers”: the United States, the British Empire, and the Soviet Union. Then, as British influence declined, and the Soviet empire dissolved after the Cold War, the U.S. came to be seen as the last remaining superpower—able to project its influence and power to any location on the face of the earth and unquestioned in its military and economic might.
As the United States continues to be rattled by internal strife and divisions, other nations are seeking to contend for superpower status. China seems intent on extending its sphere of influence and taking up the mantle of superpower. Many look in the eyes of Vladimir Putin and suspect they see glints of hope that Russia may regain the power once held by the Soviet Union, and the European Union is increasingly having an impact on world policy that formerly only the U.S. was able to generate.
But that’s today. What of the future?
As the end of days and the return of Jesus Christ approach, who will be superpowers in the conflicts to come?
It doesn’t have to be a mystery. The Bible is truly unique among the religious writings of the world, not just promising to tell us how God wants us to live our lives and what our conduct should be amongst our fellow man, but revealing to us DETAILS OF FUTURE HISTORY! That’s all prophecy is—history written in advance! God tells us in the pages of the Bible:
Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, “My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure…”
So, what does Bible prophecy say about the superpowers that will exist in the End Time, right before Jesus Christ returns? Will the U.S. be among them? What of the others currently vying for the top spot?
In World War II, the superpowers were easy to find. You only had to look for the global conflict that gathered them into one location: which was in Europe. There, the U.S., Great Britain, and the Soviet Union were all brought together in one of the greatest struggles in mankind’s history.
So, to identify the end-time superpowers in prophecy, we need only look to where the climactic future conflict will lie, and God’s word is utterly clear on that point: The Middle East and the land called Israel.
Situated on the east shore of the Mediterranean Sea, this tiny piece of real estate—and, in particular, the city of Jerusalem—is prophesied by God in His word to be the CENTER OF FOCUS for ALL NATIONS during the days leading up to the return of Christ. Let’s see just one mention of this fact in Zechariah 12:2.
Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for ALL peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though ALL NATIONS OF THE EARTH are gathered against it.
The attention of the ENTIRE WORLD and EVERY NATION OF MAN will be focused on a small piece of land about the size of the American state of New Jersey!
So, if Israel and Jerusalem are center stage in the last days, who are the prophesied ACTORS God says will OCCUPY that stage? What will we see in the Middle East shortly before the return of the Messiah?
Many prophecies of the Bible combine to give us the details of the end time scenario. In the picture they paint, we see that a DOMINATING major economic and military power called by Daniel the KING OF THE NORTH will storm through the Middle East. It will be confronted by another RIVAL power identified by Daniel as the KING OF THE SOUTH. The King of the North will press against the King of the South, enter its territory conquering and pillaging, until it is troubled by NEWS it hears of incredibly MASSIVE ARMIES collecting to the North and East, on the other side of the Euphrates river. Eventually, the river Euphrates is miraculously dried up, allowing these two powers, the King of the North and the Massive Force from the East to meet on the hill of Megiddo—at what is called, in Hebrew, Armageddon—and gather there for what God calls in Revelation 16:14 “the Battle of that Great Day of God Almighty.” The power unleashed by these armies in their preliminary conflicts leading up to the final battle is prophesied to kill billions.
Jesus Christ tells us in Matthew 24 that the times to come are unique in human history, and v. 22 warns us that unless they were cut short, NO FLESH ON EARTH would remain alive! ALL LIFE—on the BRINK OF UTTER COSMOCIDE!
Yet that time SHALL be cut short, by the return in power and majesty of Jesus Christ, to rule this world and usher in the Glorious Kingdom of God!
So, who are these three end-time superpowers? We will examine their identities more closely in just a moment.
Before we do that, let me pause to give you an opportunity to request our free DVD, “The Antichrist and the Beast of Revelation.” This new DVD will reveal to you these two mysterious figures of prophecy! “The Antichrist and the Beast of Revelation;” it contains these three, full Tomorrow’s World programs:
- Seven Signs of the Antichrist
- The Prophesied “Beast”
- [and] 666???
If you want to be able to identify these two individuals when they appear on the world scene and understand the meaning of the mark of the beast and the mysterious number 666, this new, free DVD is for you. Request your copy today, and in our next segment, we will identify the prophetic King of the North.
What Are the Three Major Superpowers of Armageddon?
Welcome back! Before the break, we summarized the END TIME SCENARIO in the Middle East as it would look right before the return of Jesus Christ. We saw three major world powers interacting, two in the Bible called the King of the North and the King of the South, and a third massive army from the East. Who are these powers? And do we see any evidence of their existence today?
The massive forces from the East are quick to identify. Revelation 9:16 describes the armies from that area that march over the dried Euphrates as being 200 MILLION strong! There are very few nations in the world that could muster such an army in the foreseeable future. Of them, there are two candidates: China and India—both of which LIE EAST of ISRAEL and of the Euphrates River! These two nations, alone, together contain more than 1/3 of the ENTIRE POPULATION OF THE WORLD… ONE OUT OF EVERY THREE HUMAN BEINGS ON EARTH!And they will likely be large contributors to that ultimate collective army from the East, as will other key nations. No doubt that other peoples east of the Euphrates River will contribute, as well—including the territories of Iraq and Iran, Russia, North and South Korea, and Japan. All are candidates as additional partners in this combined Eastern superpower.
Next, let’s consider the KING OF THE NORTH. This terrifying individual is more commonly known as “the Beast of Revelation,” and we discuss him in far more detail in today’s new DVD. Don’t forget to request your free copy! But for now, let’s look a portion of what prophecy says of this individual and his kingdom.
In Daniel 2, we read of a great prophetic image that symbolized four successive world powers, beginning with the Babylon of Daniel’s day. The fourth world empire pictured by the legs of iron in that image is the ROMAN EMPIRE and its various, successive revivals throughout history—such as the reigns of Charlemagne, Napoleon, and Mussolini. The feet of the image made of iron and clay, which are SMASHED in the vision by a stone picturing the coming Kingdom of God, symbolize the FINAL, END-TIME REVIVAL of the ROMAN EMPIRE. We read of these feet, beginning in Daniel 2:41…
Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay. And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile. As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay.
This end-time power will be “partly strong and partly fragile” because its component parts DO NOT NATURALLY ADHERE TOGETHER, just as iron and clay do not. Yet God tells us that a unifying element WILL be found, to bind these very different nations together, and that element will be a COMMON RELIGION. Notice in Revelation 17, we see that the Beast—that is, the revived Roman Empire in Europe—is being ridden by a woman, which symbolizes a church or religious organization.
As this Work has explained for the better part of a century, the beginning of this Revived Roman Empire—a mixture of iron and clay—is taking shape in the current EUROPEAN UNION.
Recent headlines have discussed the difficulties the leaders of the EU have experienced as it seeks to remain a united, cohesive political entity. With the U.K. voting to leave the bloc of nations, many have wondered if the EU will survive the nationalistic sentiment of its individual member states. Yet the passion for European unity remains high in many. As Chancellor Angela Merkel told a crowd in Munich in 2017,
“Europe is a union of peace and freedom and it is worth fighting for.”
A troubled unity of iron and clay—just as the Bible predicted.
Significantly, one of the biggest supporters of a united, religiously identified Europe is the Vatican. Before he retired, Pope Benedict REBUKED Europe’s leaders for purposefully neglecting to mention the unifying role that the Catholic Church has had in Europe—saying that such neglect represents, quote, “a peculiar form of apostasy.” And his predecessor, John Paul II, famously exhorted Europe to RETURN TO ITS ROOTS!—meaning its common RELIGIOUS roots!
The Bible predicts that the “iron and clay” nature of this European King of the North WILL BE BOUND AND UNIFIED by a powerful and deceptive FALSE RELIGIOUS SYSTEM! Watch for it as the days ahead unfold!
Still, what of the King of the South? Can we know the identity of this third superpower of end-time prophecy? Yes, we can, and we will examine the Bible for the details we need in our next segment!
Before we do that, let me pauseand briefly give you another opportunity to request today’s free DVD, “The Antichrist and the Beast of Revelation.” This new DVD contains more than an hour of material, and answers such questions as
- What is the meaning of the number 666?
- How can you recognize the Antichrist?
- How does a person get the Mark of the Beast?
- Who is under the influence of the Antichrist today?
You need this free DVD! It’s already paid for and ready to ship. Just use the information on your screen to get your own free copy of “The Antichrist and the Beast of Revelation.”
Who Or What Is The King Of The South?
Welcome back.
We’ve discussed the armies of the East and the King of the North. What of the prophesied King of the South, who resists the King of the North and then suffers the consequences? Some commentators have tried to identify the King of the South with Iran, which is, admittedly, frequently in the news. However, we must avoid looking at the world today and trying to READ IT INTO THE BIBLE. Many have done this in the past—for example, declaring Saddam Hussein as the Beast of Revelation or former North Korea, Kim Jong Il, as Antichrist. Both of these men are dead, though I’m sure that false predictions will continue.
We DO not and SHOULD not read current news events INTO the Bible—rather, we must let the BIBLE tell US what to expect of current events!
In biblical prophecy, compass directions are determined from the vantage point of Israel and Jerusalem. And any school child with a map can determine that IRAN is EAST of Israel! NOT SOUTH! And regardless of Iran’s intentions for the region, we can say authoritatively that it is clearly NOT the prophesied King of the South.
But then, where is he?
A passage from the Psalms gives us a clue. Turn to Psalm 83, and let’s start in v. 3:
They have taken crafty counsel against Your people, and consulted together against Your sheltered ones. They have said, “Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, that the name of Israel may be remembered no more.” For they have consulted together with one consent; they form a CONFEDERACY against You: the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites; Moab and the Hagrites; Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek; Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre…
These are ancient names for ARABIC nations. Bible prophecy indicates the future existence of a CONFEDERACY of ARAB NATIONS that will oppose Israel—even teaming up, for a brief time, with Assyria (or Germany and the future European power) as indicated in verse 8, before becoming at odds.
Interestingly, while Iran is NOT the King of the South, the rise of Iran in power and influence in the region MAY be spurring the very creation of the confederacy that will become the King of the South.
Let me explain. Not everyone realizes that Iran is an Islamic nation, but it is NOT an ARABIC nation! In Bible prophecy, Iran is called “Persia,” and is not counted among the Arabic nations as one of them. Iran practices Islam in the Shiite tradition, while much of the Arabic world generally practices Islam after the Sunni tradition. And history has demonstrated too often, there is DEEP & POWERFUL ANIMOSITY between these two traditions. And it is this animosity, coupled with the rise of Iran, that may act as a catalyst for the creation of the King of the South confederacy of ARAB nations.
Iran’s attempts to become an influential power player in the Middle East are the stuff of our regular headlines. But less well known is the antipathy other hopeful powers in the area hold against Iran, often—but not always—dividing along Sunni and Shiite lines.
A little more than ten years ago, the Wall Street Journal accurately summarized the situation that applies all the more truly today:
Shiites make up 15% or less of the world’s Muslim community, but in many Sunni eyes they hold outsize influence because of Shiite-ruled Iran, which now rivals and sometimes even eclipses Israel as an object of loathing.
In contrast, look at this map of the Arab League. Draw a line at Israel and Jerusalem, and notice how prominent Arab nations are below that line. Notice, too, that the collection includes Egypt—an interesting detail, since the book of Daniel describes the attack of the King of the North against the King of the South, and specifically mentions that
“…the land of Egypt shall not escape.”
Now, we’re not saying the Arab League IS the King of the South. Not at all! This region of the world is still very volatile and undergoing important changes. But students of prophecy will be watching that area for things to come.
Now, what you’ll notice in our discussion of end-time superpowers a conspicuous ABSENCE of some very important nations. Why are they missing? And what does all of this imply about the return of Jesus Christ?
We’ll answer those questions in the last part of our program.
But first, let me pause one final time to give you an opportunity to request our free DVD, “The Antichrist and the Beast of Revelation.” This new DVD dives deeply into prophecy to reveal more about these mysterious figures than you may have thought possible.
Will you recognize these two prophesied individuals when you see them? What is the meaning of the mark of the beast, and the number 666? “The Antichrist and the Beast of Revelation” will show you what you needto know in the pages of your own Bible. Request your copy today.
After the Rise and Fall of Nations
Welcome back. You may have noticed the absence of the United States or any of the British-descended nations in our discussion of end-time superpowers. That’s because at that time they will be superpowers no longer. In fact, in the times to come, those nations will find themselves subjugated by many of the global powers we have discussed on today’s program. If you’d like to find out more, I recommend a visit to our website, at TomorrowsWorld.org, where you will find a wealth of material available, free of charge. There, you can also order today’s free DVD, “The Antichrist and the Beast of Revelation.”
But let there be no doubt: God’s word is sure! These three powers—the King of the North, the King of the South, and the armies of the East—will rise! And we see pieces of their rise to power being put in place in today’s headlines.
Still, the fact that they have not yet come together teaches us something very important.
Bible prophecy says that there are significant developments that remain to be seen before Christ returns. And while they can happen quickly, they do demonstrate solidly that those preachers who say that Christ “could return tonight” have NO IDEA what they are talking about! Now of course, you or I could die before the next sunrise, and, if so, we would face our Creator at our allotted resurrection. And we certainly can’t afford to become spiritually lazy—on the contrary, these prophecies ARE BEING FULFILLED before our very eyes, and it is GOD—not the crafty, scheming, greedy governments of man—who controls the pace of these events!
But if you are being called by God, and your mind is being opened to His purpose, His plan, and His way—and you are RESPONDING to that call—then the terrible time that will be unleashed by THESE THREE POWERS soon to emerge on the world scene is not a reason to despair. Quite the contrary. Turn with me to Isaiah 19:24, where God speaks of a time AFTER all of this conflict—a time when Jesus Christ will be ruling the world with His saints in the Kingdom of God. Look at what it says of the ultimate state of these end-time adversaries:
In that day Israel will be one of three with Egypt and Assyria—a blessing in the midst of the land, whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, “Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance.”
What a beautiful and inspiring contrast to the time pictured right before the return of Christ! And what a privilege the saints of God will have to work alongside the glorified Jesus Christ to make the world such a place in the magnificent—and soon-coming—Kingdom of God!
Please don’t forget to request the free DVD we are offering today, and please don’t forget to come back next week! Gerald Weston, Richard Ames and I—as well as our guest presenter Rod McNair—will be right here ready to share with you the inspiring teachings of Jesus Christ, the encouraging good news of the coming Kingdom of God, and the exciting end-time prophecies and their meaning. We’ll see you right here next week!
