The news article did not specify anything about the "ecological" treasures contained in that unique body of water, but this writer would like to suggest a combination of ecological and economic factors could be the human reasons why the "kings…of the whole world" will gather in the little land of Israel for the last great conflict of human history that the Bible calls "Armageddon." (Rev. 16:13-16)

It just might be that all other economic and energy resources having been depleted, the world’s last great untapped (a) source of monetary wealth, as well as (b) the only alternative energy reserve/supply will be discovered there as the nations of the world gather in Israel for the most devastating conflict of all of human history. Regardless of the reasons, we do know that Gentile world domination will terminate (Luke 21:24-28) in that devastating conflict described in Zech. 12:1-8, 14:1-7 and Rev. 19:11-21 as Christ makes his revelation appearance on earth (Jude 14-15).

The writer has just read two news reports which indicate that China was increasing its military budget with the "biggest single increase" in the Communist history of that country. One of these articles was entitled "China: The Emerging Superpower."

In Rev. 16:12, the Scripture declares that as the seven year tribulation nears it conclusion, the river Euphrates is going to be dried up as preparation for the coming of the "way of the kings of the east." This potential arrival is also prophetically announced in Dan. 11:44 as "tidings out of the east." Rev. 9:14-16 describes an army of 200,000, 000 soldiers who will march through that Biblical river in their deadly advance.

While this writer does not state that China’s military buildup is a fulfillment of Biblical prophecy, it is certainly a foreshadow of future predicted events.

A revealing account of Russia’s sales of military armament to anti-Israeli sources contained the following significant statement that "Russia remains the largest arms supplier to Iran." While the writer states again that such a fact is not prophetic fulfillment, it does have tremendous prophetic implications.

In Ezekiel chapters 38-39, the Scripture describes a massive future invasion of Israel by a land called "Magog" (38:2) that is directly north (38:15, 39:1-2) of Israel. When drawn on a map, this line leads directly to Russia. In this invasion, this invader from the north will have five allies that are named in Ezekiel 38:5-6, one of which is Persia, which has since been renamed Iran! Another distinct prophetic foreshadow.

In Matt. 24:5, 11, 24, Christ predicted that before his revelation appearance on earth, "many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many." Elsewhere in the N. T. the apostles make similar predictions such as II Cor. 11:13-15 and II John 7-11.

Thus it should come as no surprise that our modern world is experiencing a surge of pseudo-Messiahs, the latest being a 60 year old Puerto Rican man, "Jose de Jesus" who "calls himself both ‘the Second Coming of Jesus’ and the ‘Antichrist.’" combined. De Jesus declared that in 1973, while he was imprisoned for a heroic addiction, "two angels came to him" and the "spirit that was in Jesus of Nazareth" entered his body.

Believe it or not, de Jesus purportedly has over 1,000,000 followers in Latin America. In II Peter 2:1-3, Peter declares that "many shall follow their pernicious ways" but that such men will eventually "perish in their own corruption" and "receive the reward of unrighteousness." (II Peter 2:12-13)

The actions delineated above are keen reminders of the end times in which we live and the urgent need to proclaim the genuine saving gospel of Christ (Rom. 1:16) to unconverted souls while it is still gospel daylight time (John 9:4). It is the writer’s prayer that each reader of these words will be a faithful proclaimer and witness to the gospel truth in the days before our Lord’s return.

June-July 2007 The Fundamentalist Digest; Permission granted for reprint, so long as proper credit is given. The above item is a sample of the numerous timely articles that are contained in the bi-monthly issues of The Fundamentalist Digest