A Catastrophic Storm Is Coming!

My lead article in the July-August 2020 Tomorrow’s World magazine was titled “A Perfect Storm.” If you weren’t a subscriber back then, you can read it online at TomorrowsWorld.org. I described the convergence of events in Australia, Africa, Europe, and North America that brought disasters to those regions. I pointed out how, in Australia, northern Queensland’s seven-year drought ended abruptly with flooding rains that drowned an estimated 600,000 cattle, followed by the hottest and driest year on record, leading to the worst bush fire season in memory—destroying property and killing an estimated billion wild animals. Then, when it seemed things couldn’t get any worse, the “black swan” of COVID-19 hit.

This was only one of the “perfect storms” mentioned in the article. Many more have come together in the two years that have followed. David Beasly, former governor of South Carolina and Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme, describes the current food crisis in Afghanistan, which is putting millions at risk in a “perfect storm” of conflict, climate, and COVID-associated problems.

We see the convergence of inflation, worker shortages, and empty shelves, while illegal immigrants flood across an open United States border from around the world, and into Britain from Africa, the Middle East, and East Asia. Additionally, there are three mega-wars brewing in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. One war has already started and, at the time of this printing, we do not know the outcome—who knows what will happen between now and when you are holding this issue in your hands? Will one or more wars break out? As this issue goes to press, Russia has just begun an invasion of Ukraine. How will this draw Europeans together? And how will other nations’ relationships be reshaped by the conflict? Will the COVID plague finally wind down, or will a new virulent variant emerge? How high will inflation rise and how low may our grocery supplies go? One thing is for sure—2022 is shaping up to be just as traumatic as ’20 and ’21.

But why is all this happening? Where will it end? Is there anyone who can bring peace to our troubled world? We are facing a perfect storm of worldwide proportions, not confined to a specific region or sector. Many see this and are alarmed by what they see. These are not normal times. Yes, there have always been weather upsets, wars, inflation, pandemics, and regional convergences creating perfect storms, but what we see today is a convergence of catastrophic events on a worldwide scale. Mankind’s problems are spinning out of control—but there is good news at the end of it all.

Where to Place the Blame?

While politicians blame our problems on COVID, the party in power, or the party out of power, it is too often their own misguided policies that are setting the stage for destruction on a global scale. But we must not put all the blame on our leaders. What we see is the result of mankind’s foolish rejection of our Creator—which is bringing us to an end-time climactic cataclysm. And behind it all is a being most of mankind fails to recognize, the one the Bible calls “the prince of the power of the air.” This “spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience” directs “the course of this world” (Ephesians 2:2). That being is real, and few comprehend the magnitude of his influence. He has masterfully portrayed himself as a pitchfork-carrying, red cartoon character with horns and a long tail—certainly not to be taken seriously by intelligent people. Yet he is the one who broadcasts attitudes of anger, division, hatred, and fear into the minds of unsuspecting humanity. He is a master “chess player” who knows how to manipulate leaders and the masses.

We at Tomorrow’s World walk a fine line, avoiding politics while boldly proclaiming the truth. That spirit prince has cleverly mingled morality and truth with politics. Anyone speaking the truth is seen as merely advocating one side of the political aisle or the other—thus, in badly divided countries, half or more of the population immediately tunes out. That is why we receive letters accusing us, sometimes in not such nice terms, of supporting one political party or the other. Yes, we get it from all sides!

Yet we must speak the truth that an open border, with hundreds of thousands of unvetted migrants from all over the world flooding into the U.S., Britain, and various other European countries, will destroy these nations unless halted. It does not matter who the president or national leader may be—a country without a border will cease to be a country if unchecked immigration is allowed to continue. Of course, a compassionate person can hardly find fault with someone fleeing a bad situation to find a better life for himself and his family—but an unprotected border invites drug smugglers, human traffickers, sexual predators, violent gang members, and terrorists. They also bring new religions and cultures not always in harmony with the countries they are entering.

From Moral Authority to Moral Collapse

But why is this convergence of troubles happening now? Why do we see strident divisions in country after country over illegal immigration, COVID protocols and mandates, school curricula, and even what it means to be male or female? Why do we see the U.S. in serious decline? Why do we see a big-picture geopolitical realignment of nations? Why is our purchasing power in freefall? Why is there violence in our streets, while district attorneys—whose job it is to prosecute criminals—act more like defense attorneys for thugs and conscienceless delinquents? Why is all of this happening at the same time? In short, why are we seeing the collapse of national and world order?

The British and American peoples have held at bay the worst of nations and men—Napoleon, Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Tojo—for more than 200 years, and have helped feed and rebuild nations when disasters struck. But, today, American and British order in the world is coming to an end, and we need to know why.

Few today realize that the Bible reveals the biblical identity of the British-descended, American, Dutch, Swiss, and French peoples. And it is impossible to understand biblical prophecy—and what it predicts for our world—without understanding this vital key that opens the door to our modern nations’ place in that prophecy. That is why our resource The United States and Great Britain in Prophecy is so important. You can order a copy from your nearest Regional Office, found on page 4 of this magazine, or read it online at TomorrowsWorld.org.

While the modern Israelite countries have overall been a blessing to the world, they have also bullied weaker nations and led the world astray with their cultural sins. Today, they are at the forefront of exporting an immoral culture to other nations. While long claiming to be Christian nations, they have not always acted Christ-like, and today thrive on being anything but. Abortion is now the law of the land. God created us male and female, but educational institutions, businesses large and small, and our media—even “conservative” media—almost entirely avoid speaking that obvious truth, not courageous enough to ruffle the feathers of an angry cancel-culture minority. Men claiming to be women compete in women’s swimming competitions, even stealing scholarships from those to whom they rightly belong. Meanwhile, the Russians, Chinese, and some African nations understand the difference between male and female and promote masculinity and femininity, truly valuing both men and women. Is it any wonder that Western nations are descending into chaos, toward eventual destruction?

God’s Warning

In Leviticus 26, God warns the Israelite nations that if they despise His commandments, “I will even appoint terror over you” (v. 16). Consider how our world has changed since 9/11. With hundreds of thousands flooding across America’s southern border, various European borders, or the English Channel every month, how many of these are violent gang members, sex offenders, drug dealers, or committed terrorists? Even if only 1 percent—20,000—of the two million known to have entered America illegally last year are troublemakers, this opens a troublesome door!

The next curse listed is “wasting disease and fever which shall consume the eyes and cause sorrow of heart” (v. 16). Not only are we in a coronavirus pandemic, we also have HIV/AIDS, cancer, and so much more. The fourth of the four horsemen in Revelation pictures pestilence or disease (Revelation 6:8). What we see right now is only a warm-up to what is coming. God will ratchet up the curses and give us time to change—and, if we fail to change, they will come with greater intensity.

Next, God tells us that “you shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it” (v. 16). Indeed, American and Canadian family farms are being gobbled up by corporations—and, increasingly, those corporations are headquartered outside North America.

In another variant of land investing that’s become increasingly significant over the past few years, ownership—and control over the land and the food it produces—goes overseas…. Investment in farmland is a key strategy for governments anxious to stabilize their food supply and their food prices. By buying land in other countries and farming it, foreign buyers are able to support their domestic food supply and other markets that depend on agriculture without having to compete for essential products on the global market. Foreign investors will buy several hundred thousand acres, say in Africa, to produce palm oil, rubber, or a biofuel. The deals are typically accompanied by promises of jobs, infrastructure, resource development, or just a jolt for the national economy, but all too often, those promises come to nothing. The local population reaps no benefit, they lose their farming rights, access to water, even their homes (“Who Really Owns American Farmland?” TheCounter.org, July 31, 2017).

Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and China are buying land, minerals, and water rights across North America and Africa. The actual percentages for America are still small; foreigners currently own about 2 percent of American farm acreage. But, in times of scarcity, even small percentages can matter—and it is the trajectory that is important. The God of the Bible warns that the American and British-descended peoples will lose control of their own land if they continue to despise His commands.

Furthermore, “I will set My face against you, and you shall be defeated by your enemies. Those who hate you shall reign over you, and you shall flee when no one pursues you” (Leviticus 26:17). The disastrous manner in which the U.S. pulled out of Afghanistan testifies to this prophecy. It can be “spun” differently, but America’s enemies see it only one way—they outlasted and defeated another superpower. America learned what the British and Russians learned previously—Afghanistan is no place to fight a war.

Both the house of Judah (the Jewish people) and the house of Israel (the British-descended and American peoples) were foretold to have great military power “in the last days” (Genesis 49:1, 9, 22–24; Deuteronomy 33:13–17). Today these nations have great pride in their power, but God warns, “I will break the pride of your power” (Leviticus 26:19). Afghanistan is only the beginning. Can we not see the storm spawned by that ill-planned pullout? North Korea is testing missiles again. China is flying jets over Taiwan. The problems between Iran and Israel won’t go away. In late February, Russia launched a violent military assault against the Ukraine—by the time you read this, will the Ukraine have fallen, or will other nations’ military forces have been drawn into an extended conflict? Will Ukrainian resistance persist? Numerous news sources reported in January that Russia will not rule out sending troops to Cuba and Venezuela. What if two or more wars break out at the same time? Would anyone want to be the American president at that moment?

God also declared, “I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like bronze. And your strength shall be spent in vain; for your land shall not yield its produce, nor shall the trees of the land yield their fruit” (Leviticus 26:19–20). We have all heard about the extensive droughts of the last few years in Australia, the western U.S., and Canada, but how many are aware of the precipitous decline in Florida orange crops over the last two decades? The drop is due to “citrus greening”—one of the most devastating citrus plant diseases in the world. It is spread by an insect, has no cure, and usually kills the tree within a few years. How devastating has it been to Florida’s orange crops?

Florida is set to produce the smallest number of oranges in more than 75 years since the 1944-1945 season. According to a forecast released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Florida’s $9 billion industry is set to produce only 44.5 million 90-pound boxes of oranges, which is a 1.5 million box reduction from December. This is in contrast to when Florida produced 244 million boxes of oranges during a single year (“Florida’s Annual Orange Crop Appears to Be Smallest Produced in Over 75 Years,” NewsWeek.com, January 19, 2022).

A Watchman’s Warning

With all the bad news, is there any good news? Why, you may wonder, does Tomorrow’s World present so much doom and gloom? The answer is found in the Bible. God commands us to tell our world the truth of where our behaviors are leading. God told the prophet Ezekiel that he was to be a watchman to the house of Israel, to warn the Israelites of an impending captivity because of their sins. Do you see the problem? The northern ten tribes of the house of Israel had gone into captivity more than a hundred years before Ezekiel’s prophecies were written! This means that the instruction was given for others to fulfill the watchman’s warning in the far-distant future—at the end of this age. Notice the grave responsibility given: “But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand” (Ezekiel 33:6).

God instructed the prophet Isaiah, “Cry aloud, spare not; lift up your voice like a trumpet; tell My people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins” (Isaiah 58:1). And those who do not know where to find the house of Israel today are not exempt; God says that any who see the direction mankind is heading must sound a warning. “Deliver those who are drawn toward death, and hold back those stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, ‘Surely we did not know this,’ does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?” (Proverbs 24:11–12).

God described what the world would be like at the time of the end, when false religious leaders would tell people what they want to hear rather than what they need to hear, which is a message of repentance. “Now go, write it before them on a tablet, and note it on a scroll, that it may be for time to come, forever and ever: that this is a rebellious people, lying children, children who will not hear the law of the Lord; who say to the seers, ‘Do not see,’ and to the prophets, ‘Do not prophesy to us right things; speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits. Get out of the way, turn aside from the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us’” (Isaiah 30:8–11).

The Hope for a Better World

Tomorrow’s World will continue to tell the truth to the house of Israel, and to mankind in general—and we will do so hoping that many will change for their good. This is what true love is! “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful” (Proverbs 27:6). We will also proclaim the good news that Jesus Christ will return soon to save mankind from its insanity. Jesus described the desperate strait we will get ourselves into—the sure destruction of all life on our planet—but He also gave us the assurance that He will intervene to stop this (Matthew 24:21–22).

We will also proclaim the good news (the Gospel message) that Jesus came to announce—the coming Kingdom of God on earth (Mark 1:14–15, Luke 4:43). The Bible tells of a thousand-year reign of Christ, when there will be peace, equity, and prosperity for all. We also learn that the true followers of Jesus during this lifetime will rule with Him to help bring this about (Luke 19:11–24; Revelation 5:9–10; 20:4). Imagine having a significant role in solving the problems that exist here on earth! That is the good news that Jesus came to proclaim!