STRATEGIC TRENDS: YEAR IN REVIEW

Our ministry goal is to create, develop, and distribute materials to stimulate, encourage, and facilitate serious study of the Bible as the inerrant Word of God. Each week the eNews staff examines current events from a Biblical point-of-view. We sincerely hope our efforts have helped you gain a better understanding of the times in which we live.

Our staff regularly monitors ten specific global, social, political, and economic trends that we feel are significant to the Body of Christ. We follow these Strategic Trends throughout the year on our website and in our various publications. Today we would like to review each of these trends and take a look back over some of this year's major milestones.

Weapons Proliferation

The acquisition of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons by both terrorists and rogue nations is perhaps one of the greatest threats to our national security. This year much attention has been drawn to the problem of Pakistan. Where in recent months political unrest in the Islamic nation has spiraled out of control. Newsweek Magazine even described Pakistan as "the most dangerous country on earth." Pakistan is the only Islamic nation with a declared nuclear weapons program. It is also home to many Islamist extremists with links to al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups. In fact, many Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters fleeing from Afghanistan have taken refuge in Pakistan. The current state of political uncertainty in Pakistan has raised concerns that Pakistan's nukes could fall into the hands of terrorists.

The Islamic Republic of Iran has continued to push forward with its controversial nuclear program. Iran claims it now has 3,000 centrifuges for enriching uranium. Despite the findings of a recent NIE report, many experts still believe that it is only a matter of time before Iran possesses nuclear weapons. Iran is heading steadily toward a confrontation with Israel. There has long been speculation that Israel is preparing for a possible attack on Iran's nuclear facilities – and there has even been evidence to suggest that Israel may be planning a tactical nuclear strike. Iran has warned that it will launch 11,000 rockets at Israel and US military bases in the Middle East if it is attacked.

This year compelling evidence was uncovered that North Korea may be helping Syria develop nuclear weapons. The news was made public after Israel conducted a mysterious nighttime raid deep into Syria to destroy what some say was a clandestine nuclear facility. Syria's nuclear ambitions and its cooperation with North Korea will undoubtedly complicate the six-party talks over North Korea's nuclear weapons program. While North Korea has shown some willingness to cooperate, intelligence officials warn that the secretive and often unpredictable regime has not yet ceased all of its proliferation activities.

The Struggle for Jerusalem

This past year the Palestinian territories have spiraled deeper and deeper into chaos. Hamas has driven Fatah from Gaza and the Palestinian territories are now effectively divided - with Hamas in control of Gaza and Fatah in control of the West Bank. The short-lived Palestinian unity government has crumbled and the two groups are now battling for power. While the press has resisted using the term "civil war" to describe the situation, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called it a "coup". The US has since significantly increased aid to bolster the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority.

In November the US hosted the much-anticipated Annapolis Peace Conference at the US Naval Academy in Maryland. It is the first such conference to take place in seven years, since the Bush administration took office. Both sides have pledged to continue peace negotiations in accordance with the Road Map Peace Plan with the goal of reaching an agreement by the end of 2008. However experts are skeptical that a compromise can be reached.

The Magog Invasion

Many experts believe that a large-scale confrontation between Israel and its neighbors could be on the near horizon. Many experts have predicted that Israel could go to war with either Syria or Iran in the near future. Tensions between Israel and its enemies have increased significantly in recent months, making Syria and Iran's growing alliance with nuclear-capable nations like Russia and North Korea all the more concerning. These developments could be a sign that the famed battle prophesied in Ezekiel 38 and 39 is on our near horizon. It is during this battle, that God will directly intercede to protect Israel from Magog and its allies.

Russia has repeatedly expressed a desire to play a larger role in the Middle East, at the same time its diplomatic relationship with the EU and US has soured. In July Russia announced that it is withdrawing from a key treaty regulating conventional armed forces in Europe. It has also threatened to pull out of its 1987 treaty with the United States banning intermediate range nuclear forces. Over the summer Russia resumed bomber drills near North America, prompting the US military to scramble its fighter jets on at least seven different occasions. The political friction building between Russian and the Western World has raised speculation that we could once again be plunged into a Cold War scenario. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin is prohibited by law from running for a third consecutive term. However Putin has no plans for retirement. He has hand-picked his successor and is likely to be given the post of Prime Minister after stepping down as President.

The Rise of Islam

The Muslim faith is becoming an increasingly volatile catalyst in today's international scene. Islam is one of the world's fastest growing religions, and it is second in size only to Christianity. The Population Research Institute conducted a study earlier this year on birth rates around the world. It concluded that the Western world is facing a crisis. Virtually every country in the Western World has birth rates well below the replacement rate of 2.1 children per woman. The study also revealed that, for the most part, only Muslims have high birth rates. A spokesman for the organization said that if this trend continues "Muslims are going to inherit the Earth."

There are between 9 and 15 million Muslims living throughout Europe today, and Islam has become the largest religious minority. If current trends continue, the Muslim population of Europe will nearly double by 2015, while the non-Muslim population will shrink by 3.5 percent. Bernard Lewis, a former history professor at Princeton and the respected author of more than a dozen books on the Middle East, is quoted as saying that "Europe will be Islamic by the end of the century." In Great Britain it is projected that in 35 years there will be twice as many Muslims in mosques on Friday as there are Christians in churches on Sunday. This trend can be seen throughout Europe. In France there are now more than 4,000 mosques, and new mosques and Muslim prayer centers have been popping up at an alarming rate. In Germany it has been projected that Muslims will be the majority population by 2046.

Russia has also experienced difficulty integrating its growing Muslim population. Ethnic tensions in the former Soviet Union have begun to mirror those of its European neighbors. The Muslim population in Russia is growing by leaps and bounds. Rising immigration and low birthrates among ethnic Russians have contributed to this trend. Russia's Muslim population has increased by 40 percent since 1989, to about 25 million. By 2015, Muslims will make up a majority of Russia's conscript army, and by 2020 they will constitute one-fifth of the population. Fifteen years ago, Russia had about 300 mosques, today there are approximately 8,000. Experts say that if current trends continue, nearly one third of Russia's population will be Muslim by the mid-century.

The Rise of a European Superstate

This year was a year of milestones for the European Union. It began with the admittance of two new member states: Romania and Bulgaria. In March the EU celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome: The historic agreement that established the European Economic Community, the foundation of what would eventually become the European Union. Then on December 13th Europe's leaders signed the historic EU reform treaty, also called the Treaty of Lisbon. If all goes as planned the treaty will be ratified by member states next year and will enter into force on January 1, 2009. The Treaty of Lisbon is essentially the same as the failed EU constitution, except this time around its fate won't not rest in the hands of the people. Also in December the EU expanded the border free zone and announced plans to merge its overseas embassies.

The strategic geopolitical horizon of past half-century has been dominated by two superpowers: the United States and the USSR. But it is becoming clear that the two dominant powers of the next half-century apparently will be China in the east and the "new Europe" in the west. Over the last fifty years the European Union has emerged as a growing world power. The EU now encompasses more than 460 million people, stretching from the Arctic to the Mediterranean and east all the way to the Black Sea. Europe's economy has grown steadily in recent years and can boast of a GDP larger than the United States'. Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan made headlines in September when he said that the Euro could eventually take the place of the dollar as the world's primary reserve currency. Earlier this year Europe eclipsed the US in stock market value for the first time since the first World War.

The Rise of the Far East

Just as Henry Luce dubbed the 20th century as "the American Century," many are recognizing that the 21st century will be "the Asian Century." In just one generation, China has tripled their per capita income and lifted over 300 million people out of poverty. China has an average annual GDP growth rate above 10 percent and its growth always seems to exceed analysts expectations. China has already surpassed the United States as the world's second-largest exporter and is set to eclipse Germany as the world's largest exporter in the coming months.

China's foreign currency reserves have surged to an astounding 1.4 trillion dollars - setting a new record for the world's largest currency reserves and sparking a debate over China's economic policies. China's currency reserves have been growing at a rate of nearly 30 million dollars per hour. Experts estimate that over 70 percent of China's reserves are US dollars, and China has threatened to liquidate those reserves if the US attempts to force a re-evaluation of the Yuan.

Global Government

As we examine the events of this past year we must acknowledge the growing influence of the United Nations. The UN is often seen as the future embodiment of global government, and in recent months the world body has continued on a path toward broad reform. Government reinvention is frequently an effort to avoid the consequences of failed policies in the past, or to justify a government's continued expansion by posing solutions to the problems it has created. Historically, government never downsizes voluntarily; it always increases its power and minimizes accountability to its citizens. Over the last decade, the United Nations has unabashedly pushed for what it calls "global governance." The UN is positioning itself for global power, no doubt it will use the scandal and the ensuing "reforms" to advance closer to that goal.

Global Religion

It may seem difficult to imagine the world united under one ruler and one religion, especially with the bloody ethnic battles taking place in the world today. However, the violence caused by religious and cultural conflicts could in fact be the catalyst that brings about drastic change. The desire for world peace, the increased secularization of the Western world, and the restriction of religious freedom in the name of political correctness and human rights, could all pave the way for the emergence of a global religion.

The Decline of the US

The sub-prime mortgage crisis in the United States has opened many American's eyes to the economic challenges facing our nation. The national debt is growing at a rate of a million dollars a minute, the dollar continues its decline, consumer debt has skyrocketed, and we are experiencing a nationwide housing crisis in which about one out of every 100 mortgages are expected to end in foreclosure.

If the US government conducts business as usual over the next few decades, a national debt that is already $8.5 trillion could reach $46 trillion or more, adjusted for inflation. A hole that big could paralyze the US economy; according to some projections, just the interest payments on a debt that big would be as much as all the taxes the government collects today. And every year that nothing is done about it, the problem grows by 2 to 3 trillion dollars (yes, that's with a "t"). It doesn't take a genius to recognize that an economic upheaval is in the making.

Our current economic predicament is consistent with the Bible's description of the end times. The black horseman of Revelation 6 calls our attention to, not just famine at the onset of the Tribulation, but also to an economic condition where a man's daily wages are so small, he can barely support himself much less his family. What kind of condition would produce that? The answer is one which has emerged today and which, for the first time in the history of mankind, is for all intents and purposes universal: monetary inflation.

Biotech & Global Pestilence

Several new discoveries in the field of biotechnology this year could forever change the debate over stem cells. Using cells from just under the skin's surface, scientists were able to create stem cells that are virtually indistinguishable from embryonic stem cells. The cells are just as versatile as embryonic cells, but easier to obtain, more compatible, and non-controversial. Using this new technique, a person's own skin cells could be converted directly into stem cells and used to treat disease without having to destroy human embryos.

Following this discovery, Edinburgh University's Ian Wilmut - the world-renowned cloning expert - announced that he is abandoning his plans to clone human embryos for stem cell research. Instead, the man who brought us Dolly the sheep has decided research treatments using less-controversial adult stem cells.

Meanwhile, a new strain of drug-resistant Tuberculosis has emerged that health officials say is "virtually untreatable." An increase in cases of extreme drug-resistant TB have been recorded this year. The disease has been seen worldwide in more than 28 countries, including in the US. Also this year, health officials warn that the staph infection MRSA has become more common outside of the hospital setting. In fact, health experts warn that this drug-resistant "superbug" has the potential to kill more Americans than AIDS. Each year more than 90,000 Americans are infected with MRSA, which is believed to be responsible for the death of a 17-year-old high school student in Virginia which prompted officials to shut down 21 schools.

The Big Picture

With the wealth of information at our fingertips, it is sometimes hard to see the forest for the trees. The events of this past year are both exciting and frightening. When examined as a whole, they indicate that we are being plunged into a period of time about which the Bible says more than it does about any other period in human history - including the time when Jesus walked the shores of the Sea of Galilee or climbed the mountains of Judea. Examine the scriptures for yourself and you will discover that the Bible is as relevant and accurate today as it was two thousand years ago.

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By Chuck Missler Click here for bio and archived articles