NewsWatch

Egypt and Saudi Arabia Draw Closer

In late June, the leaders of Saudi Arabia and Egypt met and signed a series of agreements worth over $7.7 billion (Reuters, June 21, 2022). The 14 different agreements involved a wide range of economic sectors, including food and agriculture, power and energy, oil, and pharmaceuticals. The agreements are far-reaching and will tie the two nations together in multiple areas of their economies. Leaders of the two countries also met recently with those of several other nations to discuss cooperation against the Iranian threat in the region (Israel Hayom, June 27, 2022). The other nations, mostly Arab, included Qatar, Jordan, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Israel, and the United States. Iran’s continued military unpredictability has catalyzed Arab unity in the region—unity against Iran.

This increasing unity, especially considering the size and military power of Saudi Arabia and Egypt, is sobering in the light of Bible prophecy. Scripture warns that as the end of the age approaches, a militarily powerful confederacy involving Arab nations, known as the “king of the South,” will rise and press for control of Jerusalem, only to be countered by the German-led European “king of the North” (see Daniel 11). For this prophecy to come to pass, there must be a clear “king of the South.” Could growing unity between Egypt and Saudi Arabia, along with other Arab Gulf nations, lead to the formation of the “king of the South”? Time will make this clear.

Limits of Human Brilliance

We have launched humans into space and safely landed rovers on Mars. We fly from one side of the earth to the other in hours, and we communicate nearly instantaneously by video between points anywhere in the world. Technology advances daily, and now we drive battery-powered vehicles hundreds of miles on a single charge. Is there any end to what mankind can achieve and invent (Genesis 11:6)? Yet, each brilliant advance seems to create another disappointing setback.

For example, as electric vehicles continue to grow in prevalence, serious problems are emerging. In a recent event, a Tesla Model S sat in a junkyard for three weeks after an accident (Washington Post, June 22, 2022). Suddenly one day, the car burst into flame. It took a team of a dozen firefighters 4,500 gallons of water and over an hour to put out the blaze… a blaze that burned at over 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit and continually reignited after being doused with water. This was not a one-off event. Other Tesla Model S vehicles have also erupted into flame. And, lest Tesla feel picked on, electric batteries produced by other auto manufacturers have also spontaneously ignited, forcing the recall of tens of thousands of automobiles. In a December 2020 incident, firefighters poured 30,000 gallons of water on a car-battery blaze before extinguishing it—as much water as is contained in a moderate-sized swimming pool!

The innovations generated by human brilliance and ingenuity often bring with them a host of brand-new problems. God created mankind with insight and creativity, but God also warned, “Pride goes before destruction” (Proverbs 16:18). God put human wisdom into perspective when He noted that “the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Corinthians 1:25). Although man’s creations are often awesome, they are also often riddled with unforeseen consequences—unlike God’s perfect creation! As time goes on and humanity creates bigger and better things, the wise are frequently reminded of humanity’s imperfections. However, the Bible reveals that one day soon Jesus Christ is going to return and set up a Kingdom on this earth that will be perfect and without flaws.

Water: A National Security Threat?

Extreme drought in Chile over the last 14 years has resulted in half the nation of 19 million people being in a state of “extreme water scarcity” (The Guardian, June 1, 2022). Hundreds of communities now rely on emergency tankers to bring in water from other locations. A Chilean hydrologist recently identified water shortages as a national security risk: “It’s the biggest problem facing the country economically, socially and environmentally. If we don’t solve this, then water will be the cause of the next uprising.”

Chile is not alone. Researchers have determined that Spain and Portugal are suffering the driest weather the region has seen in 1,200 years. In the United States, a winter of light precipitation and 23 years of drought have resulted in the lowest water levels in Lake Mead since it was first filled in 1935 (NBC News, June 22, 2022). Lake Mead provides water to people in Arizona, California, Nevada, and part of Mexico. The lake is also vital to powering Hoover Dam, providing electricity to California, Nevada, and Arizona. So, as water levels in Lake Mead drop, not only is there a risk of running out of water, but the reduction in water released reduces the amount of electricity that can be generated. Experts warn that hydro-produced electricity in California could be cut in half if the drought continues, resulting in increased electricity costs and a need to produce more power from fossil fuels. All this comes at a time when most of California’s nuclear power plants have been shut down. Some researchers suggest that this period of drought is the driest for this region in over 1,000 years!

What about other countries and cities impacted by drought? The Bible warns that at the end of the age, God Himself will withhold rain from certain cities, especially in the sinful Israelite-descended nations (Amos 4:7–8). In fact, it will get so bad that whole cities will wander to nearby cities looking for water. The future will be bleak for a while before Jesus Christ returns to establish the Kingdom of God when rain will regularly fall on the righteous (Leviticus 26:3–4).

Child Sacrifice Today

God clearly condemned the ancient pagan practice of sacrificing children (Leviticus 18:21). Yet, in our increasingly godless society, many see no connection between these ancient rituals and what we are doing to our own children by promoting modern, radical ideologies.

Recently, Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson penned a pointed commentary for the London Daily Telegraph on the current gender-fluidity fad, titled “We are sacrificing our children on the altar of a brutal, far-Left ideology” (June 16, 2022). In his article, Dr. Peterson discussed the rash and unethical treatment of young people with gender identity issues as a mad rush to assist in changing their gender without giving them time to consider the motivation and consequences of this life-altering, one-way treatment. Peterson noted, “We have crossed the line from ideological possession to active malevolence—and we are multiplying our sin… by attributing our appalling actions to ‘compassion.’ Heaven help us. Truly.”

Long ago, God warned that nations that reject His laws will reap serious consequences. The prophet Isaiah wrote, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil… those who are wise in their own eyes” (Isaiah 5:20–21). This up-side-down way of thinking is the natural result of discarding a common moral compass—the Bible. Yet sadly, it is our children who suffer as a result of misguided ideologies and body-altering drugs and surgeries at the hands of morally depraved practitioners. The prophet Jeremiah noted the perversions in his day had “filled this place with the blood of the innocents” (Jeremiah 19:4), yet we fail to see the connection today. Thankfully, when Christ returns to establish His Kingdom, the blood of innocents will no longer be shed, and they will finally live in peace, protected by those who love them (Isaiah 54:13).

Sydney Under Water

Officials in Australia issued evacuation orders for 50,000 residents of Sydney this week in response to severe flooding (BBC, July 5, 2022). Parts of Australia’s largest city received eight months’ worth of rain—nearly a meter—in four days! People in 50 other areas around the city have been warned to prepare for evacuation. Australia’s east coast has suffered four major floods over the last 18 months, and even though the rain has stopped, flood waters are forecast to continue rising as rivers drain (Washington Post, July 4, 2022).

As residents reel from another flood and more destruction of homes and businesses, experts think this current climate cycle will continue throughout 2022. Meteorologists and climatologists blame current weather systems on global warming. Yet, the Bible reveals that at the end of the age weather patterns will develop that will punish Israelite-descended nations that reject God. “The Lord will strike you with consumption, with fever, with inflammation… with scorching, and with mildew [often the result of flooding]; they shall pursue you until you perish” (Deuteronomy 28:22). The Bible indicates that God will punish disobedient nations with the contrasting scourges of severe rain and flooding and severe heat and drought (Amos 4:7–9). This region of Australia was in a multi-year drought and is now being hit with repeated floods. If our nations would repent and obey God, He would bring blessings, and rain in due season (Leviticus 26:4).