Church of God News

Mount Apo in Mindanao, Philippines

COGwriter

While the USA is considered to possibly be on the verge of a “double-dip” recession, many in Asia see growth over there.

The Philippines is sounding upbeat:

The Philippines may narrow its budget deficit next year to the smallest since 2008 as economic growth accelerates, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima said.

The 2011 shortfall may shrink to as little as 226 billion pesos ($5 billion), or 2.5 percent of gross domestic product if the economy expands 7 percent, Purisima told reporters in Manila today. Growth this year may reach or exceed the top-end of the government’s 5 percent-to-6 percent goal, Economic Planning Secretary Cayetano Paderanga said.

The Southeast Asian nation is targeting annual growth of as much as 8 percent starting next year, betting that investments in railways, roads and ports will create jobs and boost trade.  (By Max Estayo and Cecilia Yap – Sep 1, 2010. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-09-01/philippines-says-budget-deficit-may-narrow-next-year-as-growth-accelerates.html)

And while some of the above may be just hopeful thinking, nothing coming out of financial leaders in the USA government sound anywhere near that optimistic for the USA’s economy.

Meanwhile, there is more growth in China:

Manufacturing in China grew at a faster pace in August after the weakest performance since early 2009 in July, signalling that the economy’s slowdown is stabilising.  (Bloomberg / Hong Kong September 02, 2010.  http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/china-manufacturing-growth-rebounds/406607/)

The world is changing.  There is a shift away from the USA and its allies like Canada leading the way in the world (though currently Canada is doing better than the USA).

Russia and India also seem to be improving:

Indian factories expanded apace in August, although slightly slower than in July, after Asia’s third-largest economy grew at its fastest rate in nearly three years in the last quarter.

And the manufacturing sector of Russia — part of the BRIC quartet of new economic powers alongside China, India and Brazil — expanded at its fastest rate in 28 months largely thanks to the strong domestic demand.  (2 Sep, 2010, 12.39AM IST,REUTERS. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/indicators/Manufacturing-picks-up-in-India-and-China-slips-in-Europe/articleshow/6477223.cms)

It is not that there is no growth in any parts of the USA’s economy (it had some manufacturing growth), but its debt and other policies seem to provide pressure for the growth to be limited.

Europe is having its ups and downs as well, but ultimately it will end up on top for a while, according to Bible prophecy.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Islands and Bible Prophecy What’s ahead for islands? What’s ahead for the Philippines?  What does the Bible prophesy about islands?
India, Its Biblical Past and Future: Any Witness? The Bible discusses the origins of those of Indian heritage and discusses some of the witness to them (including those in Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka).
China, Its Biblical Past and Future, Part 1: Genesis and Chinese Characters Where did the Chinese people come from? This article provides information showing that the Chinese peoples must have known about various accounts in the Book of Genesis up until their dispersion after the Tower of Babel.
China, Its Biblical Past and Future, Part 2: The Sabbath and Some of God’s Witness in China When did Christianity first come to China? And is there early evidence that they observed the seventh day sabbath?
Asia in Prophecy What is Ahead for Asia? Who are the “Kings of the East”? What will happen to nearly all the Chinese, Russians, Indians, and others of Asia? China in prophecy, where? Who has the 200,000,000 man army related to Armageddon?
Russia: Its Origins and Prophesied Future Russia in prophecy. Where do the Russians come from? What about those in the Ukraine? What is prophesied for Russia and its allies? What will they do to the Europeans that supported the Beast in the end?
Is Russia the King of the North? Some claim it is. But what does the Bible teach?
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, British, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first?
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe?

COGwriter

US President Obama declared an end to the USA’s combat mission in Iraq at a news conference yesterday.

But all is not well in Iraq.  Actually, it still does not have a fully-formed government after its last election.  This lack of unity is a signal that it will have more unity problems in the future.

Iraq is likely to experience civil war.

Over five years ago (January 7, 2005), the late John Ogwyn (of LCG) stated in a commentary titled What Lies Ahead for Iraq?:

You see, Iraq has three roughly defined regions developing on their own paths. The south is under the sway of Shiite Muslim clerics, many of whom want to form an Islamic state. The Sunni Muslims in the center are increasingly influenced by members of the former regime—many of them Arab nationalists. And in the north there is the desire for Kurdish autonomy at the very least—and, most likely, Kurdish independence. In fact, the longer an effective central government is delayed, the longer the country’s three regions will continue on their diverging trajectories. Some have called this “the calm before the storm.”

Now, my friends, did you realize this is actually mentioned in Bible prophecy? It’s interesting when you look in the book of Revelation, chapter 9, as well as Revelation chapter 16, and you find that the Euphrates River plays a major part in future prophecies. Anciently, the Euphrates River was the boundary between the Parthian Empire to the east and the Roman Empire to the west. That was the state of things in the first century when John was writing. Today, if you look at a map, the Euphrates River isn’t a boundary between anything. It just sort of goes down through the middle of Iraq. Yet in Revelation 9:14, we are told that when the sixth trumpet blows, the angels that have been bound in the great River Euphrates are loosed. And in Revelation 16, we find that when the sixth vial is poured out, the River Euphrates is dried up and the kings of the east move across—indicating that the Euphrates is a boundary between east and west.

My friends, if you look at a map and you look these three ethnic groups, you realize that as Iraq moves toward disintegration into three major components, you will find that the Euphrates River is going to emerge as a boundary. That is the natural boundary there, and very likely we are going to see, in the time ahead, the disintegration of Iraq—and ultimately the emergence of the Euphrates River as a prominent boundary just as indicated in the book of Revelation.

What’s going on in today’s world news is setting the stage for the final fulfillment of Bible prophecy.

The US and its allies attempted to do the best that they humanly can, but overall, things will change in the Middle East and will NOT be as the US, etc. hopes.

Civil unrest is likely for Iraq, and it may break out with civil war.  Ultimately, I expect much of Iraq to align with the soon coming Islamic King of the South, and that may somewhat minimize Iraq’s disintegration–but such disintegration may happen prior to this leader being accepted.

Some articles of possibly-related interest may include:

Is There A Future King of the South? Some no longer believe there needs to be. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? What does the Bible say?
The Bible and the Arab World In History and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam?
Is There an Islamic Antichrist? Is Joel Richardson correct that the final Antichrist will be Islamic and not European? Find out.
Prophecies of Barack Obama? This article has eight reasons why Barack Obama is apocalyptic and eight reasons why Barack Obama is not the Antichrist. It includes many biblical and non-biblical prophecies, from around the world, that seem to discuss Barack Obama. Did Nostradamus predict Barack Obama dealing with the Antichrist? Might Barack Obama set the stage for the kings of the North and South as at least one Shiite prophecy suggests? This is the longest and most complete article at the COGwriter website on Barack Obama prophecies. Read it and decide for yourself if President Obama seems to be fulfilling various prophecies.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States Some claim that Barack Obama is the prophesied “son of Kenya”. Might Bible prophecy be fulfilled since he is to be the USA president?