06 June 2009

The International Prophetic Voice for the Endtimes
JUNE 2009$4.75
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Instant Salvation Matthew 24:14 A BetterWorld

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Endtimes of Crisis: 10 Perspectives to Gain Peace and Real Riches

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The Conscience Gods Prosecutor

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C O N T E N T S
COVER STORY
8 The First and the Last

By Ernst Kraft
It is a great comfort to us to consider that Jesus is the first and the last in every situation.Through the course of world history, God has always had the last word, and it is the same with us today. In our trials and tribulations, He will never forsake us.
34 JAPAN
Human-like Robot Teaches in Classroom
35 CHINA 19
Communists Worried About Capitalist Treasury
Pretribulationism Part I
By Dr. Ron J. Bigalke Jr.
Pretribulationism is the belief that the rapture of the church occurs before the commencement of the seven-year tribulation.The rapture will result in church saints receiving glorified bodiesthe living through translation and the deceased through resurrectionand forever being with the Lord Jesus Christ.
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SWEDEN/FINLAND
The Benefit of a Single Currency
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The ConscienceGods Prosecutor

By Norbert Lieth
38 USA
The Coming Evangelical Collapse
$ 28 Money: Ends and Trends
Endtimes of Crisis: 10 Perspectives to Gain Peace and Real Riches Part I

By Wilfred Hahn
In these times of financial crisis, it seems everyone has fallen prey to the deception that the worst that could happen to us is the loss of our material possessions.We need to reorient ourselves to an eternal Biblical perspective, the only one that promises peace and contentedness.
40 EUROPE
Zombie Companies Threaten EU Recovery, Says Think-Tank
41 ICELAND
Joining the EU Is the Only Way, Says Bjork
DEPARTMENTS
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Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .By Arno Froese ZEPHANIAH 3:20 Letters to the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .By Arno Froese INSTANT SALVATION...MATTHEW 24:14...A BETTER WORLD
Midnight Call
JUNE 2009
E D I T O R S
N O T E
At that time will I bring you again,

even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the LORD (Zephaniah 3:20).
B y A r n o F r o e s e
Jerusalem is special: Its the only city in the world that God chose to have a sanctuary built where His name would dwell. In the fullness of time, in accordance with His prophetic Word, He sent His Son Jesus to the city of Jerusalem, where He would be taken and crucified. To better understand these words, take time to read Matthew 23, where Jesus thunders His eight-fold woes upon the city and the religious authority. He summarizes His definition of this city in verse 37: O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the LORD; she drew not near to her God (verse 2). This Scripture clearly details four sins of negligence: 1. not obeying the voice of God; 2. not receiving correction; 3. not trusting in the Lord; and 4. not coming near to God. Who are these people? Verses 3 and 4 identify them: Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow. Her prophets are light and treacherous persons:
n the conclusion of our study of the book of Zephaniah, I have used the last verse as our introductory one. Why? Because by reading this verse, we will understand Gods purpose for His people. We also learn why God used such extremely strong language against the city of Jerusalem and its people. Incidentally, God has a purpose for your life. It matters not how many mistakes you have made, how horribly you have sinned against Him, and how you have behaved toward your fellow man. When you recognize and accept His grace, then you will have attained the purpose of your salvation, which is so wonderfully described in Ephesians 1:6: To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. Keep this in mind throughout the day when you experience deep disappointments, when nothing makes any sense, when all misunderstand youthen look at the end, the goal of your salvation. Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city! (verse 1). These are brutal words, filthypolluted oppressing. However, these words clearly define Jerusalem in her spiritual state. Of course, this could also be said about other cities, but
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MIDNIGHT CALL
her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law. Here we have the princes, the political authority; the judges, the executors of the law; the prophets, who are supposed to make Gods will known to the people; and the priests, who stand for the people before God. Ezekiel exposes the sins of the priests: Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them (Ezekiel 22:26). They continued to proclaim the Word of God, but not in truth. They obviously thought they were doing the right thing. Everything was going smoothly. There was prosperity and peace, but there was deceit. Verse 5 makes it clear that the law was present: The just LORD is in the midst thereof; he will not do iniquity: every morning doth he bring his judgment to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame. When the priests and prophets read the law, the very truth was present in their midst; but religious practice without true faith in the Living God can only bring judgment in the end: I have cut off the nations: their towers are desolate; I made their streets waste, that none passeth by: their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, that there is none inhabitant (verse 6). God gives testimony through His prophet Zephaniah about what He had done to other nations, with the hope that they would repent: I said, Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive instruction; so their dwelling should not be cut off, howsoever I punished them: but they rose early, and corrupted all their doings (verse 7). These seven verses speak of those who outright and consciously rejected Gods sovereign rulership, His holiness and His law. For such people, no hope is given and no future is promised. Utter destruction is the end. Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy (verse 8). This speaks of the final judgment, the end of the Great Tribulation, when God will gather all the nations of the world to judgment. In Revelation 16:16 we read: And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. That is the time when the Lord Himself shall return to execute judgment upon the nations of the world and, in particular, their leader, the Antichrist: And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming (2 Thessalonians 2:8). What will happen thereafter? For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent (verse 9). When the Great Tribulation has ended, when Armageddon is past, the nations of the world will, for the first time, speak truth. This does not mean a new kind of language, or as some scholars say, Hebrew. There is no evidence of such. Actually, the opposite is true, because the people who are saved during the Great Tribulation are described in Revelation 7:9: After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kin-
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The Prophetic Voice for the Endtimes PRINTED IN 12 LANGUAGES
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JUNE 2009
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dreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands. These are believers from all the nations and languages (tongues). However, they do not belong to the Church, i.e. the Bride of Christ. The Church will be raptured just before the Great Tribulation begins. This is absolutely necessary; otherwise, the Great Tribulation cannot take place. Darkness cannot overwhelm the light, and light, as we all know, is stronger than darkness. From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering (verse 10). Here Ethiopia is mentioned again. We already noticed that this country has a special relationship with Israel. The queen of Ethiopia actually came to witness the glory of the Old Testament under Solomon. Later in history, we read of the Ethiopian eunuch who went to the Temple in Jerusalem to seek the God of Israel. But he found more on his way back: He found Jesus Christ, was baptized, and returned to Ethiopia testifying that Jesus is Lord and Savior. Now the prophet turns again to Israel: In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: for then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty because of my holy mountain (verse 11). This is utter grace, undeserved favorsin will be forgiven. Who are these people? Verse 12 identifies them: I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the LORD. In verse 2, we emphasized that Jerusalem did not trust in the Lord, but these people shall trust in the name of the Lord. Truth has taken hold of the people of Israel. They have been converted, their sins have been forgiven, and now they exemplify the new life: The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid (verse 13). In light of this fact, Jerusalem is now viewed from the opposite direction: no longer filthy and polluted, Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem (verse 14). From Gods view, they are encouraged to rejoice, but from the worlds view, Zion, Israel and Jerusalem have become the great stumbling stone for all people. Zionism is not a popular word among the nations, and Israel is a difficult issue for the world. Jerusalem is the most divisive city for all the political leaders on planet Earth. But when these prophecies are fulfilled, Zionism, Israel and Jerusalem will rejoice. The LORD hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more (verse 15). The just Lord is in the midst thereof, we read in verse 5, but this time He comes as the Savior, Redeemer and King: In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack. The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing (verses 16-17).
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Here we see the fulfillment of the prophecies of Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; The oath which he sware to our father Abraham, That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear (Luke 1:68-74). When Zechariah spoke this prophecy, Israel had not yet experienced this promise to be saved from their enemies and from the hand of all that hate them. But that is to come. It is prophesied. We also note that this time, the Lord thy God is in the midst of thee. Not only as the political authority, the king of Israel, but as the Almighty, the everlasting. Isaiah 9:6 gives us the proper definition: For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden (verse 18). The reproached, the rejected and the sorrowful will be elevated in the presence of the Lord. Judgment will be executed against those who oppressed Israel: Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame (verse 19). That is global judgment. No nation will be exempt. Finally, Israel will have attained the glory to which they were called. Moses spoke of it: For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth (Deuteronomy 14:2). Israel will attain this position due to the grace of God alone. He will take away their sins, He will cause their conversion, and He will place them above all the nations on planet Earth. At this point of time, Israel knows nothing about the things that will yet take place. They have no idea about the already fulfilled prophecies of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. Their greatest worries are security, prosperity and peace. We know from the prophetic books that Israel will attain a degree of peace, under the rulership of Antichrist, but we also know it will be temporary. The finality of Israel is utter glory. May these few words be an encouragement to each of us, knowing that no matter whats happening on earthno matter how many trials and difficulties, sickness, sadness, disappointments and tragedies we experience herethe best for each one who believes in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, is yet to come. We read in 1 Corinthians 2:9 this glorious statement: But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. Thus the question, do you really love God? MC
JUNE 2009 7
119 Most Frequently Asked Questions About Bible Prophecy

When will the temple be built in Jerusalem? Where is the Ark of the Covenant? Will peace come to Israel? Who is the Antichrist?
Plus, the answers to 115 more questions about Bible prophecy.

119 MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT BIBLE PROPHECY
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BY Ernst Kraft
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last (Revelation 22:13).
MIDNIGHT CALL
C O V E R
S T O R Y
We are often the first to speak, but do not carry out what we have said. God has not spoken a word that He will not fulfill. For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us (2 Corinthians 1:20).
ne of the most tremendous and profound statements in the Bible is the truth that God is the first and the last, the beginning and the end. If we were to grasp what this means, we would be quiet and serene. Jesus gave us an example of this when He slept in the boat, while the disciples were full of fear and desperation. He knew for certain that the storm and the waves would not have the last word, but He Himself, Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm (Matthew 8:26). Peter grasped this truth later on when he was in prison, And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains (Acts 12:6). This was no light matter, for Herod had killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also (verses 2-3). How could Peter sleep? He knew that neither Herod nor his soldiers would have the last word, but the Lord Jesus had prophesied to him in John 21:18, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. When thou shalt be old was the prophecy. If Herod had killed Peter, this prophecy would not have been true. But it was fulfilledin spite of the most impossible circumstances. If we trust Jesus, we can sleep in peace.
The first and the last in His Word

God does what He says. Thou which hast kept with thy servant David my father that which thou hast promised him; and spakest with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thine hand, as it is this day (2 Chronicles 6:15). Here we have a picture of what it means when it says that He is the first and
the last. He does not simply say something without fulfilling it, as is the case with us often. God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? (Numbers 23:19). We are often the first to speak, but do not carry out what we have said. God has not spoken a word that He will not fulfill. For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us (2 Corinthians 1:20). In Him is the yeathe first, and in Him the Amenthe last. Not one word will fail, as Joshua experienced. And ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof (Joshua 23:14). God is the first and the last, the One who promises and the One who fulfills. But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilledwhom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began (Acts 3:18 & 21). God, who was the first to speak, takes His Word so seriously that He gave Himself for it, and thus made Himself the last. Jesus was able to say in Gethsemane, Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled that thus it must be? (Matthew 26:53-54). The enemy sought to diminish the power of Jesus by preventing Him from going to the Cross. But God is the first and the last. He is everything.
The first and the last REGARDING our faith

It is the greatest comfort in our faith lives to consider Jesus, who is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. This means that He is the Author
J SU EN PT EE2 M 0B 0E 9R 2 0 0 8 9
THE FIRST AND THE LAST
Remember that Jesus knows full well who you are. He called you and will not let go of you, just as He did not give up on Jacob. God wrestled with Jacob, but He prevailed. What a comfort it is to lay ourselves in the arms of the One who is the first and also the last!
priestsstood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan. The Ark of the Covenant symbolizes the presence of God. He is the first to enter and He is the last to come out. This is what God does in our faith lives. He waits patiently until we have learned our lesson. He does not leave us until He has finished. He is the Author and Finisher of our faith.
The first and the last and Jacob

In the Old Testament, the tremendous statement that God is the first and the last is made three times (cf. Isaiah 44:6). In Isaiah 41:4 it says, Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the Lord, the first, and with the last; I am he. In Isaiah 48:12 it says, Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last. He calls man as the first. We read here of the calling of Jacob. Did God not prove Himself to be the first and the last in the life of Jacob? He knew full well whom He had called, for He knew him from his mothers womb. Thus saith the Lord that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant (Isaiah 44:2). God did not begin with Jacob, and then when He saw how Jacob really was, choose Himself an easier man. Have you a difficult character like Jacob, or do you suffer from an inferiority complex? Remember that Jesus knows full well who you are. He called you and will not let go of you, just as He did not give up on Jacob. God wrestled with Jacob, but He prevailed. What a comfort it is to lay ourselves in the arms of the One who is the first and also the last! The Lord changed Jacobthe man who was weak in his faith, and who did not trust God com-
and Finisher of our faith, as it says in Hebrews 12:2, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. Or we could also put in the words of Paul, who said, Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6). We have a wonderful picture of this encouraging truth in Joshua 3:14-17, And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people; and as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the waterthat the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heapand the
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A silversmith once looked into the crucible and raised the temperature of the furnace. When he was asked why he looked so intently into the crucible, he replied, When I can see my face in it, then the silver is pure and I can let the fire die down. This is what Jesus does with us.
pletely for a long while, but relied rather on his cunninginto a man with a firm faith. In Genesis 48 we see the old Jacob who was confident about what he was doing, when he was rebuked by his son, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head. And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations (verses 18-19). Jacob represented what God had planned. In faith he was at one with the thoughts of God. And we see God also as the last, who finished what He had begun with Jacob. Those who look to Jesus in this way, as the Author and Finisher of their faith, are happy and confident. God not only begins, but He also continues and will finish what He has begun. Paul was not confident because he looked at the Christians in Philippi (Philippians 1:6). He had this confidence because he knew the One who is the first and the last.
The first and the last in suffering, trials and tribulations

The fact that Jesus is the first and the last applies without exception in all spheres of our lives, including where suffering, trials and tribulations are concerned. When John was banished to the isle of Patmos like a criminal on account of his faith, he referred to himself when writing to the seven churches in Asia as your companion in tribulation (Revelation 1:9). Yet in this tribulation he was comforted by Jesus Himself, Fear not; I am the first and the last (verse 17). It is a great comfort to know that Jesus determines the situation. He allowed John to be taken to the isle of Patmos, but the Lord set the borders. The severity of our tribulation is determined
by Him and not the enemy. He sees to it that the fire of the tribulation and suffering is in the right measure, so that they serve to purify us. In Revelation 2:8 the Church at Smyrna is greeted with these comforting words, And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive. The Church in Smyrna suffered terrible persecution. She was comforted with the promise that Jesus had the last word in all her suffering. He also determined the time limit, for He says in verse 10, Ye shall have tribulation ten days. As the first and the last, He determines not only how long the suffering, tribulation and trials will last, but also the intensity of the tribulation. In Isaiah 48:12 God testifies that He is the first and the last, and before this He says, Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction (verse 10).
In the furnace of affliction

A silversmith once looked into the crucible and raised the temperature of the furnace. When he was asked why he looked so intently into the crucible, he replied, When I can see my face in it, then the silver is pure and I can let the fire die down. This is what Jesus does with us. He determines the intenJUNE 2009 11
...Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful...It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.
things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. As the last, God will do this, Behold, I make all things new. God has wonderful things prepared for you and me. Persevere in the furnace of affliction, therefore. The Lord wants to purify you and make all things new. Trust in Him who has the last word in all suffering and will lead everything to a wonderful end!
The first and the last in the course of world history

We are experiencing a bitter battle in world history of the enemy against God. Satan uses men, whole nations even, with the aim of thwarting Gods plans. This battle began after the fall of man, when God promised a Redeemer who would come from the seed of the woman, and it is still taking place today. Abel was killed by Cain. Pharaoh had all the children killed in order to thwart the coming of the Redeemer for Israel. But God never ceased to carry out His plan. The people of Israel, even if they often failed, were His instrument to execute His plan. God brought about the birth of Jesus, the Savior of the whole world, alone. The enemy acted through Herod and had all the little boys of two years and under killed, to prevent the King of the Jews from fulfilling the promises of God. Yet God had and has the last word. He will always fulfill His promises, in spite of all resistance. The gates of hell cannot prevail against the Church (Mathew 16:18). We are approaching the last act in world history. The enemy is trying everything to achieve Gods position. He is feverishly seeking the worship of man. He wants to take over the position of the first and the last. We are standing before the Rapture of the Church of Jesus Christ. After this, the world will experience seven years of tribulation, such as never before. The enemy will attempt to set up his kingdom. He will ma-
sity of the heat. Was it not so in the life of Job? He came into the furnace. God allowed this to happen (He is the first), but He also proved Himself to be the last. He brought Job out of this school of suffering and poured out His blessing upon him. Job was able to say in his plight, For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth (Job 19:25). Are you experiencing tribulation or suffering at this moment? Then I would like to remind you of the most comforting of all words: Jesus is the first and the last. No one can pluck you out of His hand. He not only allows us to be tried, He also cares for us and makes it all work together for good. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory (2 Corinthians 4:17). Do you know how our sufferings and tribulation that we experience here on earth will end? We find the answer in Revelation 21:4-6: And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former
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C O V E R
S T O R Y
Although God is the only One who can say that He is the first and the last, we often treat Him as though He should be at our service. We have made Him our servant. He has to fulfill all our wishes and dreams. If He does not do it, we are disappointed and complain.
nipulate man and at the end lead all nations against Israel. Despite these things, we know that God, as the last, will make an end of all this. With the breath of His mouth, He will destroy the enemy (2 Thessalonians 2:8, NIV). God will fulfill the promises He made in the Old Testament even, as it says in Acts 3:21, whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. God will have the last word in world history. And so the words of Job 42:2 will be fulfilled, I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. The Lord Jesus will reign as King. This is tremendous when we regard world history today, in which God is being cast aside. Before Him every knee shall bow, and all tongues confess that He is the Lord (Philippians 2:10-11). fore appointed, and the bounds of their habitation (Acts 17:24-26). Although we may call this Lord, who is so high and exalted, Father, it is absolutely unacceptable for us, who are but dust, to treat Him as though He is our servant, who has to obey us. Only He can do what He wants. He does not have to give account to us as to why He does this or that. When He leads us into sickness, we cannot demand that He heal us, as though it were His duty. We can ask Him, but we should do this more in the sense of 1 Kings 8:28, Yet have thou respect unto the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O Lord my God, to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer, which thy servant prayeth before thee to day. The words thy servant occur twice in this verse. When we adopt such an attitude, our prayers will have the proper tone. We may be His coworkers, as 1 Corinthians 3:9 describes, but He is the One who determines the outcome of things. He, the first and the last. It is a great privilege to be His coworker. Humble yourself beneath His great hand and become His servant again. Jesus said, The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord (Matthew 10:24).
Is He a servant or are we?

Although God is the only One who can say that He is the first and the last, we often treat Him as though He should be at our service. We have made Him our servant. He has to fulfill all our wishes and dreams. If He does not do it, we are disappointed and complain. And what does He do? He showers His love and compassion upon us. God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; neither is worshipped with mens hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; and hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times be-
May He be the first and the last in your life?

One question remains: May he be the first and the last in your life, too? Cain, for instance, spoke the final words concerning himself, My punishment is greater than I can bear (Genesis 4:13). If we do not believe completely in the wonderful work of redemption in Jesus Christ, we may well say, My sins are too many or too great for them to
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be forgiven. There is no chance or hope for me! If He is not the first in our lives, we will want to have the last word in many spheres, and we will be shipwrecked in our faith lives. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God (1 Corinthians 4:5). Those who judge remove God from the first place and make themselves the one who has the last word. Avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord (Romans 12:19). By giving Him room, He becomes the first and therefore the last. If we give Him no room, we put ourselves, of a necessity, in His place. The consequence will be that He has no more influence in our lives. Romans 14:9 says, For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. If He is the first and the last in our lives, He is the lord of our lives. In this position we ask, Lord, what do you want me to do? If we entrust everything to Him, we are able to act in accordance with Psalm 17:2, Let my sentence come forth from thy presence, or as the New International Version puts it, May my vindication come from you. In other words, we let Him speak for us, which will never be the case if we give ourselves first place. Are we prepared to take up the position assigned to us, so that He can have first place? It is often the case that we have the steering wheel in our hands and say, Lord Jesus, please bless me now when I take a right-hand turn, and then I will stop and do this or that. We plan and act and do what we want, and He is supposed to give us His blessing on it. But it should be the case that He has the steering wheel in His hands, and I seat myself in the back seat and let Him drive me wherever He wants. If He is the first and therefore also has the last word, we will be confident, happy and content, for then we are in the right place. Intimate fellowship with God satisfies us completely. Give Jesus the first place in your life now. He, the first and the last, says, I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly (John 10:10). MC
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4-6 October 2009

Landmark Resort Hotel Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Here are some of the topics you won't want to miss!

The Emerging Religion of Antichrist The Accelerating Growth of Evil False Gospels in the Church Globalism Driven by Crisis Endtime Deceptions And much more!
RESERVE 4-6 OCTOBER 2009 FOR OUR ANNUAL PROPHECY CONFERENCE!

Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them (Isaiah 42:9).
The above Scripture expresses the absolute reliability of the prophetic Word. Prophecy has been fulfilled, is being fulfilled and will be fulfilled in the future. In view of the present global commotion, particularly where the economy and finances are concerned, some may ask, Are these signs relating to fulfillment of Bible prophecy? We are convinced they are. Thus our general theme for the Atlantic Coast Prophecy Conference is The Accelerating Fulfillment of Bible Prophecy. One thing is undeniable. The world, no matter how diverse, is coming closer together. Therefore, the cardinal question to ask is, Are we approaching the fulfillment of Revelation 17:13, These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast? In case you have not yet registered, may I urge you to do so now to participate in the two and one-half days of intensive study of the prophetic Word.
S 4 11 18 25
M 5 12 19 26
October 2009 T W T 1 6 7 8 13 14 15 20 21 22 27 28 29
F 2 9 16 23 30
S 3 10 17 24 31
The hotel is located directly on the oceanfront. There are a number of restaurants close by on Ocean Boulevard. Only two blocks away is the famous Kings Highway. Here you will find several restaurants and shops for your convenience.
REGISTRATION/RESERVATION
We encourage you to take advantage of our preregistration offer at only $49 per person. This rate will only be valid until 31 July 2009, after which the regular registration fee of $59 will take effect. Of course, as always, the registration fee is 100% refundable should you be hindered from attending the conference. Although the hotel offers over 400 rooms for your selection, they are available only on a first-come-first-serve basis. Therefore, we recommend that you make your reservations early.
LANDMARK RESORT HOTEL

This fine facility, in the heart of Myrtle Beach, offers extremely favorable rates for conference participants. There are various categories of rooms and suites available. Some have full kitchen facilities, but all rooms are equipped with a kitchen sink, refrigerator and microwave oven.
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MIDNIGHT CALL
4-6 October 2009

Landmark Resort Hotel Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
MEET THE SPEAKERS

WILFRED HAHN is known for his writings and ARNO FROESE is the executive director of
Midnight Call Ministries and editor-in-chief of the critically-acclaimed prophetic magazines Midnight Call and News From Israel. He has authored a number of well-received books, and has sponsored many prophecy conferences in the U.S., Canada, and Israel. His extensive travels have contributed to his keen insight into Bible prophecy, as he sees it from an international perspective. insights on present-day world economic and money trends, viewed from a Biblical perspective. He has global investment industry experience spanning three decades, having held various executive positions from Director of Research for a major Wall Street firm, to Chairman of Canadas largest global investment group. At one time also a top-ranked global analyst and strategist, he continues to write and work as a Chief Investment Officer. The Mulberry Ministry, founded in 1995 with his wife, Joyce, publishes and distributes Eternal Value Review and over 40 books and booklets. For the past eight years he has been a contributor to Midnight Call magazine.
MIKE GENDRON is the director of Proclaiming

the Gospel Ministry. Mike works through local churches equipping the saints to effectively and faithfully communicate the Gospel of grace. He has taught the students and faculty at The Masters Seminary, Dallas Theological Seminary, Moody Bible and Tyndale Theological Seminary. Mike is the author of Preparing Catholics for Eternity and Roman Catholicism: Scripture vs. Tradition, along with other resources that make the Gospel clear to those who are trapped in religious deception. Since graduating from Dallas Theological Seminary in 1991, Mike has conducted short-term missions trips and taught in hundreds of churches throughout the world.
REMSEN BEITEL is the founder of RADIO

New Hope, a Christian satellite and Internet radio network broadcasting the Word of God throughout Europe and the Middle East. Remsen and his wife Ellen (a Messianic Jew) went to Germany as missionaries in 1994, and ministered there for 14 years. In 2006 RADIO New Hope merged with Midnight Call and its broadcast studio was moved to Zurich, Switzerland. At the end of 2007 Remsen and Ellen returned to the US, where he serves as the Director of US Operations for RADIO New Hope. They live in Tulsa, OK.
DAVE HUNT is an internationally known author

and lecturer who has written several dozen books with a combined sale of over 4 million copies. Some of his bestsellers include: A Woman Rides the Beast; The Seduction of Christianity; A Cup of Trembling ; In Defense of the Faith and Judgment Day!
NORBERT LIETH is a graduate of Midnight Call Bible School in Montevideo/Uruguay. He has served as Midnight Calls missionary in several South American countries. Norbert Lieth is the lead speaker for Midnight Call Ministries throughout Europe. He has authored 18 books, and many have been translated into several languages. He and his wife Elke, and their four daughters reside in Switzerland.
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2009 Atlantic Coast Prophecy Conference
4-6 October 2009

Time 8:45 9:30 10:00
CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
Sunday, 4 October
Monday, 5 October
Dave Hunt The Accelerating Growth of Evil Break Wilfred Hahn Approaching Terminus: The 10 Kings and Global Babylon Arno Froese Why Rome Must Rule Lunch
Tuesday, 6 October
Norbert Lieth One Hundred Years Tel Aviv Break Dave Hunt False Gospels in the Church Wilfred Hahn Globalism Driven by Crisis: How to Keep Your Heart Lunch To Be Announced
10:45
14:00 14:45 19:00 19:30 20:15 Introduction/Welcome Arno Froese The Exclusive Church Mike Gendron The Emerging Religion of Antichrist
Mike Gendron The Pending Death of Discernment Remsen Beitel How Globalism,Terrorism, Mammonism, and Socialism Are Changing the Face of Missions in These End Times Norbert Lieth Ten Doors Toward the Fulfillment of Prophecy Dave Hunt Trashing God's Word from Within the Church
MC 06/09
Questions & Answers
Evening Banquet
Norbert Lieth Undeniable Signs of Prophecy Arno Froese Endtime Deceptions
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CONFERENCE REGISTRATION
Mail to: 2009 ACPC P.O. Box 280008,Columbia, SC 29228
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PRETRIBULATIONISM
PART I
by Dr. Ron J. Bigalke Jr.
Pretribulationism is the belief that the rapture of the church occurs before the commencement of the seven-year tribulation. The rapture will result in church saints receiving glorified bodiesthe living through translation and the deceased through resurrectionand forever being with the Lord Jesus Christ. Since amillennialists and postmillennialists regard the coming of Christ as a single event that will culminate in a general resurrection and judgment, the issue of the timing of the rapture in relation to the tribulation is a premillennial concern.
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A mystery is a truth that had not been previously revealed by God. It is not something that God intended to withhold as a secret; rather, in due course of time God revealed something previously unknown (e.g. the rapture).
ithin the Gospels, the only mention of revealed something previously unknown (e.g. the the rapture is John 14:1-3. By contrast, rapture). There are various mysteries revealed in there are several references to the sec- Scripture, so the idea itself is frequent. Scripture ond coming in the Gospels.1 The rapture is a proph- refers to the mystery of the kingdom of heaven or esied event for the church only. Logically, then, the kingdom of God (Matt 13). Paul used the Greek Old Testament does not reveal the rapture, because word musthrion (mystery) twenty times. Accordthis is an event for the church. Christ first gave the ing to 1 Corinthians 15:51, there is a mystery repromise of the rapture in the New Testament. How- garding the resurrection and translation of church ever, the Old Testament promised the coming of saints (cf. 1 Thess 4:14-17). The church as being Messiah to earth as the sovereign King. The epistles composed of both Jew and Gentile in equality was a primarily emphasize the rapture. The Gospels em- mystery (Eph 3:1-11). The incarnation was a mysphasize the second coming. Christs disciples ex- tery (1 Cor 2:7; Col 2:2, 9). Second Thessalonians pected fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies 2:7 refers to the mystery of lawlessness. Israels preof Messiah, who will reign on Davids throne in Jerusalem. The Gospels would logically and contextually emphasize Christs coming to Old Testament Gospels Epistles Revelation national Israel to fulfill the covenantal promises and establish His Millennial Reign Second Coming Rapture Tribulation earthly kingdom. The church was a mystery hidden from the past ages and generations (Col 1:26), and therefore, the rapture of the church was also a mys- sent blindness is a mystery (Rom 11:25). The Book tery (1 Cor 15:51-54). of Revelation refers to the mystery of the seven stars The mystery concerning the resurrection of (1:20) and of the harlot (17:5, 7). Scripture even church saints is that some would not die (1 Cor refers to the mystery of Christ in you, the hope of 15:51). All church saints will receive glorified bod- glory (Col 1:27). Regarding the use of musthrion ies either by translation of the living or resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15, amillennial commentator Alof the deceased at the coming of Christ. A mystery bert Barnes noted: The word here does not mean anything which was in is a truth that had not been previously revealed by its nature unintelligible, but that which to them had God. It is not something that God intended to withbeen hitherto unknown. This commences the third subhold as a secret; rather, in due course of time God
Distinct Prophetic Emphases
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PRETRIBULATIONISM
The Christian has a great hope in Jesus Christ. All of humanity is condemned before God as sinners, but victory over the wages of sin is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone as ones Savior. Christ alone can provide the victory through either resurrection or translation.
ject of inquiry in this chapterthe question, what will become of those who are alive when the Lord Jesus shall return to raise the dead? This was an obvious inquiry, and the answer was, perhaps, supposed to be difficult, and says that they will undergo an instantaneous change, which will make them like the dead that shall be raised.2
The mystery that Paul communicated in 1 Corinthians 15 is we will not all sleep (i.e. die). The Greek there is the future passive indicative, koimhqhsomeqa, which means that believers will not all sleep in the future. In other words, some believers shall not die physically before the eschatological resurrection of the saints. When Paul wrote, we will not all sleep, he was certainly referring to physical death.3 The musthrion is that when the resurrection occurs, there will be believers who are still living. The use of the first person plural for sleep would mean that Paul included himself with those facing the possibility of being translated while living.4 The Apostle anticipated this resurrection as an imminent event that could occur in his own lifetime.5 Paul certainly expected that the conclusion of his ministry would not be by death but by the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming (1 Thess 2:19). It is the fact that there were no events preceding this coming that Paul included himself as one who may experience the blessed event (cf. Tit 2:13). Radmacher commented, There may be delay, but there would be no necessary prophesied event before the coming of Christ for His church.6 Morris would reply that this is an illegitimate conclusion: The plain fact is that Paul did not know when these events would take place, and nowhere does he claim to know. When he says we he means we believers, Christians alive at that day.7 In response, if the
passage could mean Christians alive at that day, then this would include the Apostle Paul, which is the point. Without a doubt, Paul regarded the imminent translation of living church saints as an incentive for holy living (1 Cor 15:51; Phil 3:20; 1 Thess 4:17; Tit 2:13) and something that could occur in his lifetime. The other truth that Paul was communicating to the Corinthians is we will all be changed. Either a believers body will be dead or living at the time of the resurrection (1 Thess 4:13-18), but irrespective of the present state, all will be translated (changed).8 The translation of church saints at the rapture answers Pauls preceding statement in verse 50: What will happen to believers who do not die prior to the resurrection? How shall they take part in the resurrection of the body? Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, so there must be a transformation (1 Cor 15:50; Phil 3:21). The transformation for some will be while they are still living. It must be stated that the doctrine of the resurrection of the body is not a mystery, since it was taught in the Old Testament (Job 14:14). The mystery truth is that not all church saints will experience physiJUNE 2009 21
cal death. The resurrection and translation occurring for some still living is a mystery previously unknown. There will be a group of believers that will not experience the intermediate state, which follows physical death and precedes the resurrection of the body (2 Cor 5:10). The Christian has a great hope in Jesus Christ. All of humanity is condemned before God as sinners, but victory over the wages of sin is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone as ones Savior. Christ alone can provide the victory through either resurrection or translation. The rapture of the church is to have a purifying effect on the body of Christ, since at any moment the church saints could be in His presence. The rapture of the church should also cause Christians to be active in obeying all the Lords commands and responsible with the privileges of the Gospel, since Christ could come at any moment. Certainly, the church should be active in the work of the Lord and Savior so that when He returns to gather His church, there will not be shame, but rather confidence in His coming, because one has lived a life of obedience in service of Jesus Christ. * Following this brief introduction to pretribulationism, subsequent articles will follow to provide biblical defense of rapture passages in John 14:1-3; Philippians 3:20-21; 1 Corinthians 15:23-58; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 5:1-11; and, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 (and an extended exegesis of the Olivet Discourse and Revelation 3:10). MC ENDNOTES
1 The author presented a paper entitled Consistent Pretribulationism and Jewish Questions of the End at the annual meeting of the PreTrib Study Group, Dallas, Texas, 11 December 2002, which argued that the rapture of the church is not within the context of the Olivet Discourse (Matt 2425 // Mark 13 // Luke 21). A rough draft of the paper is available at http://www.pre-trib.org/articleview.php?id=121. The final draft of the paper was published as The Olivet Discourse: A Resolution of Time, Chafer Theological Seminary Journal 9 (Spring 2003): 106-40. 2 3 Albert Barnes, Notes on the First Epistle to the Corinthians (London: Gall & Inglis, 1847), 383. William F. Bauer, William F. Arndt, and F. Wilbur Gingrich, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 2nd ed., rev. F. Wilbur Gingrich and Frederick W. Danker (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1979), 437. 4 For some who disagree regarding the possibility that Paul included himself as being alive at the resurrection, see Charles Hodge, Commen-
tary on the First Epistle to the Corinthians (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1980), 354-55; and, A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament, 6 vols. (Nashville: Broadman, 1931; reprint, Grand Rapids: Baker, n.d.), 4:198. 5 How did Pauls expectation of the rapture as imminent affect the statement that Peter would grow old (John 21:18) and that Paul must witness at Rome (Acts 23:11)? Gods promise to Peter may be regarded as a general description of his future (i.e. Peter could have died some time following the Lords ascension and could be regarded as one grown old). Given the date for the composition of the Gospel of John (AD 8595), the prophecy would not have been circulated largely among the early church to dissuade belief in the imminency of the rapture. Secondly, by the time of the composition of the Book of James, which may have been the first writing of the New Testament (it is possible that the Gospel was written as early as AD 45, and therefore, the Book of James was either the first or second book in the New Testament canon, since the Gospel of Matthew was written approximately AD 45-55), Peter would have grown old in age and his death could be regarded as imminent. Moreover, understanding the progress of revelation, the doctrine of imminency was not revealed completely until the writing of the Pauline epistles (AD 48-64). The fulfillment of the prophecy concerning Pauls witness in Rome should be understood as probable if the Lord Jesus did not return sooner, as Christians today often say for something to be accomplished if the Lord wills. However, even if the prophecy is regarded as necessary (which the Greek particle would indicate), the essential requirement for the rapture of the church to be pretribulational is that it simply precede the seven-year tribulation. If there was a genuine delay in the Lord's coming for His church, as in the prophecies to Peter and Paul, this would not argue against pretribulationism, since mere objections to imminence are not sufficient to deny the biblical doctrine. 6 Earl Radmacher, The Imminent Return of the Lord, in Issues in Dispensationalism, gen. ed. Wesley R. Willis and John R. Master (Chicago: Moody Press, 1994), 258. 7 8 Leon Morris, 1 Corinthians (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries) (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1993), 227. Since Paul stated, we will all be changed (1 Cor 15:51) and God will bring with Him, those who have fallen asleep in Jesus (1 Thess 4:14), such statements would negate partial rapturism (the belief that only spiritual Christians who are watching for the rapture will experience the event). Moreover, 1 Thessalonians 5:10 teaches that whether watching (awake) or not watching (asleep), the rapture will be experienced by all church saints. (The Greek word translated asleep in 1 Thess 5:6, 10 is different than the word for asleep in 1 Thess 4:13-15. The former context is that of watchfulness, whereas the latter context is physical death.)
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MIDNIGHT CALL
Thats not so terrible. You dont have to take it that seriously. Dont the others do the same?
Nobody saw it.

I would have done the same thing. One time doesnt count.
THE CONSCIENCE
GODS PROSECUTOR
BY NORBERT LIETH
tax-dodger wanted to ease his burdened conscience and wrote in an anonymous letter to the revenue office, Enclosed please find a part of my tax debt. If I cannot sleep in the coming night, you will receive more. The conscience is not a physical organ: it cannot be seen, have surgery performed on it or be transplanted, and yet it exists. Where does it come from? What is the purpose of it? Who put it in us? Where does this inner voice of our conscience come from? There are various attempts to define the conscience. We will look at just a few of them:
The conscience is a court of justice, a power, which is planted in us and morally judges our thoughts, plans and views (New Geneva Study Bible). The conscience is the inner voice that urges a person to do what he feels to be right (Charles Ryrie). The conscience, according to its divine purpose, should be the central nerve of our being which reacts to the moral contents of our actions (Oswald Sanders). An Indian from northern Canada described the conscience as a triangle inside us. If I do wrong, it turns around, and that is very painful. I want to describe the conscience as Gods prosecutor, because it accuses us when we do wrong. According
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to the Bible, the devil is our accuser before God, but Satan is not omnipresent or omniscient. Our conscience, on the other hand, the accuser in us, is always present: And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest (John 8:9). Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another (Romans 2:l5). The law of God is written in our hearts through our conscience.
It wants to reveal our guilt before God and lead us to forgiveness. My dear readers, I want to ask you some direct questions. Have you looked at or read anything in the past few days that you should not have? Have you been anywhere you should not have? Have you had contact with people you should not have? Have you deceived anyone? Have you failed to do anything that you should have done long ago? Have you consciously lied recently, out of fear of the consequences? Is there a debt that you have not yet paid back? Have you said anything about your It is only a game of neighbor which you chess, he wrote, but should not have said or even thought? my conscience gives Have you neglected me no peace. your Bible study, church service, or prayer meeting, giving preference to something else? Was your conscience troubled? If that is so, then continue to read this article. Our conscience accuses us, And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst (John 8:9). They all recognized their guilt in their conscience. Either your guilty conscience will drive you to Jesus or away from Him. Either you will avoid His presence or you will seek it. A guilty conscience was for many people the thing that made them stop reading the Bible, avoid fellowship with believers, justify themselves and accuse others. Those who surrender
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MIDNIGHT CALL
What does our conscience want?
before their guilty conscience, however, and flee to Jesus will find forgiveness. Our conscience troubles us and accuses us. Someone once had to paint a conscience. He painted a horse in full gallop, which was followed by wasps and bees. Underneath he wrote, Frustra curris, which means, You run in vain. In a German newspaper called the Ruhr News there was an article about an American soldier who sent a letter and a game of chess to the mayor of a city in the Ruhr district. The American wrote that he had found a game of chess in a house at the conquest of Germany at the end of World War II. He and his comrades had played with it, and when they left they took it with them. When he returned to his homeland, he took the game of chess with him all the way to America. But in spite of the l5 years that had passed, he still felt very uneasy because he had stolen the game and should return it. It is only a game of chess, he wrote, but my conscience gives me no peace. A doctor reported that a bank cashier had come to him with the typical signs of a certain kind of epilepsy. He felt unsure on his feet, stumbled and was afraid of falling over in the street. Examinations showed that the man was physically healthy, but there were certain signs of inner stress. I suggested that he had taken money from the bank. He was greatly shocked, but he admitted to having done it. He had returned it all, but he was living in fear of it coming to light one day. Counseling, confession of his guilt and acceptance of the possible consequences of his actions soon restored his health. When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me; my moisture is turned into the drought of summer (Psalm 32:3-4). In one Bible translation there is a note in the margin saying, The Psalmist speaks with moving openness of the inner conflict he has been through. Manifold sins had taken place, of which he was well aware. He also knew that only an honest confession before God could help him, but he did not or could not do this. He may have sighed in his heart, but he could not sleep. He became ill, but he resisted confessing his sins. He also gives the reason for
THE CONSCIENCE
GODS PROSECUTOR
When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me; my moisture is turned into the drought of summer (Psalm 32:3-4).
this inner unrest and physical distress. Gods hand, the sense of divine anger, left him no peace. He had to suffer the torment of an evil conscience. (Thousands of people have experienced this.) The answer is simple, I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin (verse 5).
God put a conscience in us. He lets it act as prosecutor against us and wants to use it as His mouthpiece. The conscience can also be misled, however, and even be used by the devil. It is extremely important, therefore, to whom we subject our conscience. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German theologian, said once, Our conscience may only be ruled by one single person: Jesus Christ. It is possible, however, for the conscience to become hardened with time, Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness (Ephesians 4:l9). Those who persevere in sin, against the voice of a guilty conscience, will become hardened. The Canadian Indian described the conscience as a triangle inside us, which turns painfully when we do wrong. He adds, however, If I continue to do wrong, though, it turns so long that the edges become blunt. Then I dont feel it any longer. Pol Pot, the terrible ruler of Cambodia, was responsible for the death of two million people over a period of threeand-a-half years. This was a fifth of the population of that time. The possession of a pair of spectacles or belonging to an academic profession was sufficient reason to be murdered. The people were terrorized through compulsory resettlement, work camps, brainwashing and withholding of food. In l997 Pol Pot declared in an interview that he had a good conscience. But one day he will stand before the living God and be judged by Him. The inner tape recorder of our soul, which registers
What can we do about our conscience?
everything with unbridled precision, will then be played back. All our deeds and negligence, all our words and motives, and all our thoughts and ulterior motives, will then be brought to the light. It is also possible that the conscience becomes confused. Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations (Romans l4:1). Thus a Hindu, for instance, can have a guilty conscience if he slaughters a cow, but it does not trouble him when his children are sacrificed or widows have to be thrown on the funeral pyres of their dead husbands. The conscience adapts itself to the local norms and customs of our environment. A further example of this is the following: The farmers of a socialist country came to their mayor and asked him, Dear comrade, please tell us what dialectics is. The mayor said, Dear comrades, I cannot explain that so easily. Please imagine that two comrades come to me. One is clean and the other is dirty. I offer them a bath. Which of them will accept my offer and take a bath? The dirty one, said the farmers. No, the clean one, answered the mayor, because the clean one is used to bathing, but the dirty one doesnt care for baths. Which of them will take a bath then? The clean one, answered the farmers. No, the dirty
JUNE 2009 25
one, said the mayor, because he needs a bath. Which of them will take a bath, then? The dirty one, the farmers called. No, both of them, replied the mayor, because the clean one is used to bathing and the dirty one needs a bath. So who will take a bath? Both of them, said the farmers, confused. No, neither of them, said the mayor, for the dirty one is not used to bathing and the clean one does not need a bath. Yes, but comrade mayor, the farmers protested, how can we understand this? Every time you say something different, and each time only that which suits you. Now you see, laughed the mayor, that is dialectics! This would be funny if it were not so serious. Are we not also such dialectics sometimes? We know that we have done something wrong. A voice inside us tells us this very clearly. But immediately there is another voice, the dialectic voice, the one that says, Thats not so terrible. You dont have to take it that seriously. Dont the others do the same? Nobody saw it. I would have done the same thing. One time doesnt count. It attempts to put the wrong we have done in a different light, to embellish it. This Satanic voice wants to contradict our awakening conscience. Someone once described the conscience as an alarm device with a faulty contact. It must be trained, therefore, and practiced. It needs instruction. It must be adjusted to conform to the Bible. It needs the leading of the Holy Spirit. Our conscience must be orientated according to the standard of Jesus. A conscience which does not live according to the standard of Jesus will be influenced by evil and will always question everything according to the phrases, It isnt that bad. Who takes things that seriously? On the other hand, a conscience that lives according to the rule of Jesus will behave like the woman at the steering wheel, whose husband told her to go a little faster, and who answered, I refuse to go faster than is allowed by the law. Or like the new worker whose colleagues told him it was customary to take tools occasionally, who replied, I refuse to steal. So we should practice not letting our conscience be deceived, Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ (l Peter 3:16). The apostles endeavored to
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Have we the testimony of a pure conscience?
walk with a good conscience, For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to youward (2 Corinthians l:l2). Paul trained his conscience so that it would be clear before God and man, And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men (Acts 24:l6). Just like a clock has to be adjusted and regulated, so our consciences have to be adjusted to comply with the Bible, for as Paul says, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost (Romans 9:l).
We can put away our conscience, Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck (1 Timothy 1:19). Do you know the story of the farmer whose dog barked at night because burglars were around? Because he did not want to be disturbed, he took his rifle and shot his dog in rage. The next morning the farmer saw that everything had been stolen. Many people shoot their conscience, put it away, because it is always warning them. One day, however, they are confronted with the result, when they have been shipwrecked in their faith lives and lost everything. The conscience can also be seared. This is above all a sign of the end times and apostasy, Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron(l Timothy 4:1-2). The soul-pop legend Xavier Naidoo said in an interview with the German magazine Focus (Edition 47/2000), Focus: You have been together with your girlfriend, Steffi, for eight years now. Why is there no question of marriage? Naidoo: Because I could never promise before God that I will always be faithful. If I do not make this promise, I cannot break it. This relationship is so important to me, even without a certificate, that I will not let it fail. Focus: What is your God like?
THE CONSCIENCE
GODS PROSECUTOR
Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water (Hebrews l0:22).
Naidoo: Incredibly kindI see by many signs that our generation is living in a world that God has created for the good eternity is slumbering in us. I want to experience immortality in this body, and sit together with my friends and celebrate with them in a thousand years time. How old I become depends entirely on my spiritual condition. The contrast to what Paul wrote in the same letter to Timothy could not be greater, Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience (1 Timothy 3:9).
Perhaps many a person amongst my readers has an uneasy conscience as he or she reads these words. Perhaps many things have come to mind which were covered over. Perhaps many a conscience that was blunt has become sharp again and is hurting us inside. Does your conscience accuse you? Are you asking, How can I find peace? First, we may know that the blood of Jesus Christ has the power to forgive our sins and liberate us from our guilty conscience, How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:14). We can be liberated from our guilty conscience to serve Him. If you doubt this, you may know that God also gives us an answer to this, for His mercy is greater than the guiltiest conscience. He, from whom nothing is hid, not only sees our failures, but also the sacrifice of His Son, which brings us forgiveness. Jesus is the great Advocate who confronts the Prosecutor and speaks for us, And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward
How can I have a pure conscience?
God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight (l John 3:1922). Finally I would like to give you an example out of the diary of a young person: Monday, 8.00 a.m. I arrive at school and they are standing there, those guys. Still on your religious trip? My head is swimming, my conscience is uneasy in me. I clench my teeth and say, Yes! Tuesday, 8.00 a.m. I arrive at school and they are standing there again. Holy club again today? My head swims again and my conscience is uneasy in me. I stare at the ground and say, Maybe. Wednesday, 7.00 p.m. I come home. The family is going to church. Arent you coming with us? My head is swimming again, my conscience is uneasy. I bite my lip and say, No! Sunday morning, l0.00 a.m. I am sitting in my room alone with my conscience. I pray and cry to God, Will you take me back again? And He answers, Yes! Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure MR101/266 water (Hebrews l0:22). MC
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MONEY: ENDS & TR ENDS
For more perspectives and resources on world economic and financial trends of interest to Christians, visit Wilfreds website http://www.eternalvalue.com for additional resources and subscribe to the free newsletter Eternal Value Review: Money Monitor & Global Trends Report.

B y W i l f r e d H a h n
It seems everyone has become an armchair economistfrom politician, to taxi driver and priest. Lately, of course, they are all prophesying the same morose vision: blackness and doom as far as the eye can see. We all understand why this is so. Most everyone gets their information from the same sources (supplied by the same four or five news feeds) and reads the same front-page headlines. And, these all are full of gloom and doom.
his would be all the more troublesome, except for one fact: While other cultures would consider plagues, pestilences and famine the worst that could be feared, our highincome society considers one thing worse: the destruction of wealth. Our ultimate definition of disaster is a materialistic one, referring narrowly to the ups and downs of cyberbits, financial assets, home values, cyclical patterns in employment and commerce, and other such things. We need to stop right there and reorient ourselves to an eternal, Biblical perspective. Why? For one, these are times
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of great deception and idolatry. Who is not disoriented by these prevailing secular values? Secondly, a Biblical view of our times, grounded upon truth, is the only one that promises peace and contentedness. Thirdly, such a long-term perspective can lead to bulging heavenly riches that will be eternally secure from Wall Street charlatans and the present earthly domain, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal (Matthew 6:19). These are the objectives of this 3-part series: In these troubled times to find peace, contentedness and to store up for yourselves treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:20).

Lets briefly go back to the frenetic times we now see around us. Viewed from the popular vantage point, indeed, calamity has fallen upon the world and most terrifyingly upon America. Woe! Cant everyone see that things look dire and grim? Trillions of dollars have been lost; the value of our mutual fund holdings has collapsed; pension funds have been eviscerated of future income support; millions are losing their jobs; and countless thousands are being evicted from their homes. Some even maintain that the apocalypse has begun. Doom is upon us. We must rise and do our duty and tell someone. Whoa! Already, we must again break from the hysteria that so quickly threatens to overwhelm our souls at this time. Lets remain at rest from all the gloom and populist pontificating for the balance of this article series. We do not dispute that commercial challenges have fallen upon the world. However, we do need to get a grip upon a more realistic perspective on what is really unfolding. But, before doing so, lets first ensure an appropriate state of mind by acknowledging the point behind Christs statement: Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? (Luke 12:25). Lets realize that spiritual and eternal viewsin other words, perspectives on the real issues that matter for the longtermare being overlooked. Also, recent world developments should be viewed in the context of the rapid, endtime processes enveloping the world. All in all, the anxious popular view at present is dangerously out of focus, particularly so in North America. Please consider these next 10 perspectives and then join me for some concluding comments. Hopefully, we will succeed in reaffirming essential eternal values and secure a realistic vantage point upon our times. People indeed are having trouble with a very basic question: How now should we live? We want to restore hope and thankfulness. After all, we are reminded that no matter what challenges and troubles may roil the sphere of this world, For in him we live and move and have our being [] We are his offspring (Acts 17:28). Surely the Lord has not abandoned us. 1. Traveling With the Crowd. To begin, if you are relying upon newspapers and mass media to inform your worldviewlet alone your economic opinionsyou are vulnerable to being carried away by the crowd and becoming confused by the noise. You will become prey. Crowds are usually wrong and misdirected. To avoid that critical error, here are some general rules. First, you must always look past the sensationalist headlines well past them. Why? Remember that all reported news concerns the past. By definition, news only refers to trends and events that have already happened. While that may seem a redundant statement, it highlights an important point: People are more influenced by what has happened in the recent past, than by what is a reasonable expectation for the future. Therefore, most people (including professional economists, for that matter) extrapolate past trends into the long-term future. This rarely yields a correct perspective. Secondly, as Malcolm Muggeridge once famously coined, the media is the message. We are reminded that the media is the worlds collective mouthpiece of humanistic perspectives. It likes to perpetuate the idea that only what is in
To avoid being carried away by the crowd, here are some general rules. First, you must always look past the sensationalist headlines well past them.
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MONEY: ENDS & TRENDS
$
need to think for ourselves as to the significance, dangers and opportunities of the financial and economic bedlam of recent times. Rather than looking backward, we should be looking forward. It is not unbiblical to do so. To Isaiah, the Lord said: Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland (Isaiah 43:19). Said Apostle Paul, Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13-14). Lets not allow the past to dictate our future, whether in perspective or deed. Moreover, do not fall prey to the manias and irrationalities of crowds. Just where should we find our information about the future, at least to the extent that this is available? The popular media? If so, youll need to wait until the future is reported after the fact. Discerning, Bible-reading people can do much better than that, as we will learn in the next nine points. 2. Rising Above Lies and Selective Statistics. While the popular focus of crowds can be dangerous to our perspective, so could our interpretation of information and statistics. Most everyone is familiar with the quote from Benjamin Disraeli (the first and only Prime Minister of England of Jewish heritage): "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics." He said this
Most everyone is familiar with the quote from Benjamin Disraeli (the first and only Prime Minister of England of Jewish heritage): "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics." He said this back in the mid-1800s.
the focal eye of the populist media is the essence of the current moment of human existence. Not so. No matter how the world may choose to view the significance of the times, our perspectives are to be to be framed by a Biblical worldview, recognizing that the ecclesia are those who are called out from the world. Jesus said we are not of the world (John 17:16). Again, I have chosen you out of the world (John 15:19). The worlds opinions are usually not relevant to the Christian life. You, therefore, need to screen the message of the media. Lastly, we want to be alerted to the pull of mass psychology and the idiocies produced by the crowd. The distribution systems of modern media have become so pervasive and broad; they wield near total clout over the opinions and mood of societies (also now even over all of mankind). As such, when the majority shares the same fears, beliefs or greed, it is difficult to maintain an independent course. Moreover, it is the nature of cliques and sundry crowds (therefore, also the world) to hold irrational beliefs and to be wrong and misguided. Even those that are widely thought to be wise, are proven to be fools. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight. As it is written: He catches the wise in their craftiness (1 Corinthians 3:19). What all these points implore is that we remain critical and independent of the populist philosophies of the media and our clique, as well as statistics. We
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back in the mid-1800s. Today, statistics are many times more treacherous than at that earlier time. We sadly cannot give this important topic its due in this short space. Suffice it to say that statistics have become a very sophisticated and deliberate form of deception in the public sphere. Under the guise of seeming precision, statistics can deliberately lead to misinformation. Particularly in respect of economic data, very few people are able to reliably interpret statistics. During my time as a research director of a major Wall Street firm, one of my biggest concerns was always the misuse and ignorant interpretation of statistics. All analysts know how to produce reams of statistics, but very few can validly interpret them to draw out their underlying causal meaning. You may be surprised to learn that statistics do not have a claim upon truth. Far from it. Nor can statistics be used to reliably predict the future. With respect to economic data (almost all of it portrayed in the form of statistics) there is also the practical matter of first understanding the definition of the data. To briefly illustrate this aspect, consider the significance of the following statement: March 6, 2009 (Bloomberg)The U.S. unemployment rate jumped in February to 8.1 percent, the highest level in more than a quarter century, a surge likely to send more Americans into bankruptcy and force further cutbacks in consumer spending. Employers eliminated 651,000 jobs, the third straight month that losses surpassed 600,000 the first time thats happened since the data began in 1939, Labor Department figures showed today in Washington. Reading this, you may be led to conclude that employment conditions today are the worst since 1939. Actually, the reader has not been given enough information to draw a firm conclusion of any kind. You would first need to know the definition of unemployment (a definition that has changed many times over the years) and to be able to place this statistic in historical context. In reality, US unemployment conditions in the past have been much worse than was quoted above (for example in 1982, when unemployment under the definition of that time hit 9.7%). Of course, the population of the US and the size of its workforce (another concept that is subject to somewhat arbitrary measurement and definition) are some three times larger today than in 1939. In any case, the news services that choose to portray this information in such a sensationalist form obviously have an agenda. They sell news, and pessimistic headlines surely sell newspapers. We discover here that statistics were interpreted and presented in a very biased fashion. This can contribute to the emotional swings of crowds. Our simple illustration, of course, was not intended to deny that recent economic downtrends are significant and to say that joblessness is not rising. The point here was simply to raise awareness that statistics can be a powerful tool of misinformation, both intentional and accidental. You need not be so deceived. Strive to tease out the truth from statisticsthe closest semblance to reality possiblerather than uncritically accepting a biased portrayal. Secondly, consider how economic data, which is always backward looking and often subject to spin, may influence the popular mood and psychology of crowds. 3. What Goes Around Comes Around. If you were a discerning person, you likely would not be surprised by the news now being reported by media scribes. For several reasons, you would have already known that mankinds economic systems have cycli-
They sell news, and pessimistic headlines surely sell newspapers. We discover here that statistics were interpreted and presented in a very biased fashion. This can contribute to the emotional swings of crowds.
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Every now and thenand much, much more frequently than the merchants of perpetual prosperity would like you to believebig economic and financial busts do occur.
cal patterns. You realized that financial economies are driven by fallible, fleshly humans, who are not always rational and logical. Secondly, you knew that since time immemorial, the ebb and flow of commerce has coursed through ups and downs: steps forward and backward. Sometimes, such trend changes were caused by external shocks such as droughts or various natural calamities. At other times, such as of late, cyclical monetary and economic systems have been the cause. That economies should experience recessions followed by expansionary periods is little different than the regular cycles found in ecosystems. That said, every now and thenand much, much more frequently than the merchants of perpetual prosperity would like you to believebig economic and financial busts do occur. Therefore, these types of busts are also quite normal. Yet, most people are always shocked and surprised when these downturns come. They may have become swept up in the popular idolatries of the times; chased after false gods of prosperity and improper affections; believed the populist misinformation of demagogues, politicians and economists alike; forgotten that the god of this age is a great deceiver; or simply listened to an ill-informed stockbroker. There have been countless domestic economic recessions over the last century around the world in the many thousands. There also have been many crises that included banking and currency collapses, not to mention deep recessions. A research paper issued by the International Monetary Fund (IMF)1 counts over 42 instances around the world where all three occurred between 1970 and 2007 alone. Over this period, over 124 currency crises have happened.
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Much less frequent but normal are the big downturnsthe really big collapses involving economic depression, banking system implosions and sometimes global financial contagions. A recent report series studies 21 such mega occurrences over a little more than a century.2, 3 The more recent examples include Japan (1991), South Korea during the Asian crisis a decade ago, as well as Sweden (1991). What must we conclude from such studies? For one, big crises do happen fairly regularly and the one impacting the US and other nations around the world at present is not much different in character (at least, to date). The follies of mankind that crest from time to time have occurred for millennia. Says the writer in Ecclesiastes, What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9). That said, while there may be similar patterns, there are significant differences in the details. Also, we must consider the cosmological timeline and destiny of mankind. The state of humanity and its systems today is much later in the eschatological timeline, of course. Yet, we could safely conclude that the current financial crisis period being experienced in North America and the world today, would

still qualify as occurring during the days where [] People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage [] buying and selling, planting and building(Luke 17:27-28). That means that the Rapture could happen at any time and that Christs return may be very soon. The current financial crisis (as apocalyptic as it may seem to North Americans) still qualifies as a regular part of human existence. As George Friedman (the intrepid geopolitical expert of Stratfor) puts it There will be wars, there will be poverty, there will be triumphs and defeats. There will be tragedy and good luck. People will go to work, make money, have children, fall in love and to hate. That is one thing that is not cyclical. It is the permanent human condition.4 Though it may feel as such to some people, the Great Tribulation has not yet begun. You can be sure that the economic and financial collapses will be much greater at that time, as it will then be a result of the wrath of God himself. Before we move on to the next of the 10 points, would you be open to some further historical perspectives on the severity of the present crisis? Compared to the average historical experience of the 21 major financial crises (referred to earlier, and also including the 1930s Great Depression in the US), the recent downturn in America to date is already far advanced. For example, consider that the average stock market decline during those 21 periods was a drop of 55% in real terms (meaning adjusted for inflation). By comparison, US equity markets have already fallen over 60% in real terms during the current experience (based on the S&P 500 stock market index, peak to trough). Whereas real prices of housing declined an average of 36% over the 21 sample periods, this is already near being exceeded in the US (perhaps cumulating to a total real decline of 45% or so by the end of 2009.) It may very well be true that the worst is already behind for this stage of the unfolding troubles. Time will tell. But we must also recognize that our brief comparisons have only referred to the average crisis experience in our sample set, and not the worst. Therefore, further deterioration is possible. That said, it remains a reasonable guess that the worst is already behind. Yet, at the same time we forget at our peril that mankinds monetary systems are fiat contraptions that are expressly designed for purposes of manipulation. In times past, when all else has failed, policymakers have always resorted to policies leading to massive inflation. Given the recent actions of major central banks, this outcome is surely underway at present. We will ponder its implications and challengesthe next phase of troubles. MC
Whereas real prices of housing declined an average of 36% over the 21 historical sample periods, this is already near being exceeded in the US (perhaps cumulating to a total real decline of 45% or so by the end of 2009.)
ENDNOTES
1. IMF Working Paper: Systemic Banking Crises: A New Database, prepared by Luc Laeven and Fabian Valencia, September 2008. 2. Carmen M. Reinhart & Kenneth S. Rogoff, This Time is Different: A Panoramic View of Eight Centuries of Financial Crises, April 16, 2008. 3. 4. Ibid, The Aftermath of Financial Crises, December 19, 2008. George Friedman, Overture: An Introduction to the American Age (John Mauldin, Outside the Box Special Edition).
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JAPAN
USA
The End of American Individualism?

The United States is becoming more like Europe! The rugged individualism that makes up part of the countrys self-image may be doomed. Paternalism threatens to throttle enterprise and initiative.
We were challenged with the choice of the American system of rugged individualism or the choice of a European system of diametrically opposed doctrinesdoctrines of paternalism and state socialism, Herbert Hoover said in his closing campaign speech for the 1928 presidential elections he won comfortably. The European ideas, he said, undermined the initiative and enterprise that propelled Americans to unparalleled greatness. Fast forward to February 2009 and listen to an updated version of conservative philosophy, expressed by Mitch McConnell, the Senates minority leader. This (stimulus package) paints a picture of the Europeanization of America and if we take all these measures, we will have made a dramatic move in the direction of turning America into Western Europe. Why is this such a dreadful prospect? After all, the United States does not fare particularly well on international comparisons of quality of life. It ranks 15th on the United Nations annual Human Development Index which measures such things as life expectancy and standard of living. A similar index compiled a few years ago by the Economist Intelligence Unit and using different factors put the United ...continued page 35 States in 13th place.
Human-like Robot Teaches in Classroom

Japans robot teacher calls roll, smiles and scolds, drawing laughter from students with her eerily lifelike face. But the developer says its not about to replace human instructors.
Unlike more mechanical-looking robots like Honda Motor Co.s Asimo, the robot teacher, called Saya, can express six basic emotionssurprise, fear, disgust, anger, happiness, sadnessbecause its rubber skin is being pulled from the back with motors and wiring around the eyes and the mouth. In a demonstration, the robot's mouth popped open, its eyes widened and eyebrows arched to appear surprised. Saya pulled back on its lips to make a smile, and said simple preprogrammed phrases such as Thank you, while its lips moved, to express pleasure. Robots that look human tend to be a big hit with young children and the elderly, Hiroshi Kobayashi, Tokyo University of Science professor and Sayas developer, told The Associated Press. Children even start crying when they are scolded. First developed as a receptionist robot in 2004, Saya was tested in a real Tokyo classroom earlier this year with a handful of fifth and sixth graders, although it still cant do much more than call out names and shout orders like Be quiet. The children had great fun, Kobayashi recalled, tickled when it called out their names. Still, its just remote-controlled by a human watching the interaction through cameras, he said. Japan and other nations are hopeful robotics will provide a solution for their growing labor shortage problem as populations age. But scientists express concern about using a machine to take care of children and the elderly. Kobayashi says Saya is just meant to help people and warns against getting hopes up too high for its possibilities.
Japan's teacher robot "Saya" is shown by Hiroshi Kobayashi, Tokyo University of Science professor and Saya's developer, at his office in Tokyo. (Itsuo Inouye / AP)
The robot has no intelligence. It has no ability to learn. It has no identity, he said. It is just a tool. But would he create a robot in human form, say, a fantasy friend with movie-star looks? Sure, he says, If you're willing to pay.
-tech.yahoo.com, 11 March 2009
Our dependency on technology is much stronger than we may like to admit. What would the world be without technology? We would literally be back in the dark ages. The center of the worlds activity would be concentrated strictly on survival. Japan is the world leader in using and producing robot technology. How far will it go? We know the answer from Revelation 13:15: And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. While the final robot (image of the beast) may not have intelligence, it will have life and the ability to recognize if one worships the image of the beast or not. 3475
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Individualism?
CHINA
...continued from page 34
Communists Worried About Capitalist Treasury

Chinas premier didnt say it in so many words, but the implied warning to Washington was blunt: Dont devalue the dollar through reckless spending.
Premier Wen Jiabaos message is unlikely to be misunderstood at the White House. It is counting on Beijing to help pay for its stimulus package by buying U.S. bonds. China already is Washingtons biggest foreign creditor, with an estimated $1 trillion in U.S. government debt. A weaker dollar would erode the value of those assets. Of course we are concerned about the safety of our assets. To be honest, Im a little bit worried, Wen said at a news conference after the closing of Chinas annual legislative session. I would like to call on the United States to honor its words, stay a credible nation and ensure the safety of Chinese assets. Wen gave no indication whether Beijing wants changes in U.S. policy. But economists said his comments reflect fears that higher U.S. budget deficits from Washingtons $787 billion stimulus package could drive down the dollar and the value of Chinas Treasury notes. Analysts estimate China keeps nearly half of its $2 trillion in foreign currency reserves in U.S. Treasuries and notes issued by other government-affiliated agencies. Inside China there has been a lot of debate about whether they should continue to buy Treasuries, said Frank Gong, chief China economist for JP Morgan. Wen expressed confidence the worlds third-largest economy can meet its official growth target of 8 percent this year and emerge from the crisis at an early date. But he said Beijing is ready to expand its 4 trillion yuan ($586 billion) stimulus if needed.
Chinas premier didnt say it in so many words, but the implied warning to Washington was blunt: Dont devalue the dollar through reckless spending.
(ABC NEWS PHOTO ILLUSTRATION)
We already have our plans ready to tackle even more difficult times, and to do that we have reserved adequate ammunition, he said. That means that at any time we can introduce new stimulus policies. I really believe we will be able to walk out of the shadow of the financial crisis at an early date. Wen said. After this trial, I believe the Chinese economy will show greater vitality.
-news.yahoo.com, 13 March 2009
In both surveys, some of the European countries routinely derided as nanny states by conservative ideologues scored comfortably ahead of the United States. This year alone, 2.4 million people are expected to lose their homes, according to the Center for Responsible Lending, a consumer advocacy group which tracks foreclosures. In the next four years, that figure is estimated to climb to 8 million. More than 44 million Americans lack health insurance, the highest number in any industrialized country, and another 38 million are under-insured. In these bleak surroundings, European-style social safety nets look attractive even to rugged individualists, particularly those affected by the downturn. Even before the present crisis, polls showed growing support for government programs to help those in need. A 2007 Pew survey, for example, showed 69 percent supporting the notion that government should take care of people who cant care for themselves. By Bernd Debusmann
-http://blogs.reuters.com, 18 February 2009
This development is nothing short of a miracle. Who would have thought a few decades ago that capitalist America would be at the mercy of communist Chinas goodwill toward the U.S.A.? Even more shocking is the level of ignorance displayed by the news media, the politicians and the so-called experts. The hard cash China gives to the U.S.A. is not a present, but has to be paid back, and with interest. What does this all mean? That the loudly proclaimed and overemphasized slogans deregulationfree marketopen economyfinancial freedomthe market will self-correct, etc. have been found wanting. A new understanding is on the horizon. Mr. Wen correctly said that Chinas economy will show even greater vitality after all has been said and done. Welcome to the new 3472 global world!
Individualism is on its way out and united in diversity is in. Americas workforce is considered to be the most effective in the world, but a price had to be paid. No one else in any progressive nation must work so many hours, with so little benefits, and with just a fraction of deserved vacation granted. Will there be an American labor uprising? That is unlikely, at least in the foreseeable future. But, in the end, the United States will have to comply with the progress of those who have more freedom, more security, are well rested, and enjoy a higher level of quality of life. This tendency is confirmed by the arising of communist China, on the one hand, and the decreasing of the U.S., on the other, thereby creating a more equal world. Nevertheless, this seemingly progressive global society will experience the greatest catastrophe ever: And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb (Revelation 6:15-16). 3455
JUNE 2009 35
IRELAND
Tough Budget to Get Nations Finances Back Under Control

The Irish government unveiled a tough new budget including a series of tax hikes and spending cuts in a bid to get the countrys public finances, the worst in Europe, back under control by 2013.
The country's low corporate tax (12.5%) one of the main reasons for Irelands phenomenal economic growth in recent yearswill remain the same but capital gains and capital acquisitions tax have been raised to 25 percent. Finance minister Brian Lenihan said the measures mean a new budget deficit target of 10.75 percent of GDP for this year, with previous forecasts predicting that the deficit would clock in at almost 13 percent, over four times the limit allowed under the eurozone rules. The European Commission has given Ireland until 2013 to get its finances in order, which means bringing the budget deficit down to 3 percent or less. We are now facing the challenge of this nations life, Mr. Lenihan told parliament, with the budget described in Irish newspapers as being the harshest in living memory. The problem is our expenditure base is too high and our revenue base is too low. If we fail, refuse or neglect to address this structural problem we will condemn our generation and the next to the folly of excessive borrowing, Mr Lenihan said. Having ridden high for so many years, Irelands small open economy has been strongly hit by the global financial crisis which punctured the property bubble and left the country facing double digit unemployment figures and a sharp contraction in economic growth and consumer spending. Its problems and how it deals with them are being closely followed in the rest of Europe, particularly Brussels.
-euobserver.com, 4 April 2009
Dublinfacing economically tough times (Photo: EUobserver)
Ireland has been considered one of the poorest European nations. But with their admittance to the European Union in 1973, Ireland has experienced phenomenal growth. Unfortunately, much of it was patterned after the UK and USs semi-regu-
lated business practices; thus, Ireland has been worse affected by the recent global recession than most other EU members. What becomes crystal clear to the Irish nation is that someone must pay the bill, and as always, it is socialism, the taxpayers. The extremely low corporate taxes12.5 percentmade Ireland a very attractive nation for investment, but that seems likely to come to an end. Now Ireland will be forced to reconsider its vote against the Lisbon Treaty, which aims at welding Europe closer together. 3488
SWEDEN/FINLAND
The Benefit of a Single Currency

More than 1,000km north of Stockholm, close to the Arctic Circle and on the border with Finland, the remote Swedish town of Haparanda lies a stones throw from the Finnish town of Tornio, to which it is connected by a bridge across the Torne river.
Haparandas declining industrial fortunes were reversed in 1996 when Ikea, the Swedish company, set up its most northerly flatpack furniture store to attract Finns, Norwegians and even Russians. The town of 4,800 people receives 2m visitors a year and its economy has undergone an Ikea-led revival. We are completely dependent on each other, said Ritva Nousiainen, a member of the local government. She says Haparandas decision to become a eurocity, meaning shoppers can use either euros or Swedish crowns, was a crucial element of the transformation. Finland is a eurozone member, while Sweden rejected it in a referendum in 2003. Haparanda has become a model for Swedish advocates of eurozone membership. They point to the investment, reduced unemployment, a doubling of house prices and the towns renewed sense of pride. They argue this might be repeatable on a national level if Sweden were to join. Sweden, like Finland, is an EU member and both economies have moved in virtual lockstep in the past few years as intra-EU trade has increased. Now the global economic crisis is exposing the difference between Sweden and Finland stemming from their positions on the euro.
(continued next page)
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CHINA
Chinese Plan to Expand Navy Points to Bigger Role

China has unveiled plans for a big overhaul and expansion of its navy, in an unusually bold confirmation that its naval ambitions have started to reach far beyond its shores.
China has unveiled plans for a big overhaul and expansion of its navy, in an unusually bold confirmation that its naval ambitions have started to reach far beyond its shores. Admiral Wu Shengli, the commander-in-chief of the People's Liberation Army navy, said it would accelerate efforts to develop a new generation of warships, submarines, fighter aircraft and high-precision longrange missiles to counter the rise in non-conventional threats. The remarks were published by state media a week ahead of the navy's 60th anniversary, which some military observers believe will increase clarity over whether Beijing is building an aircraft carrier. In November, a Chinese military spokesman told the Financial Times that the world should not be surprised if China built one. The PLA navy has been participating in anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden since late last year, its first out-of-area mission, which has been welcomed by US naval commanders as an opportunity to work more closely with China.
(continued from page 36)
However, the Chinese navy's more assertive stance was recently underscored when its vessels harassed a US surveillance ship in the South China Sea, an area which it views as part of its territory, in claims conflicting with those of several neighboring countries. A foreign defense expert in Beijing said Admiral Wus remarks were setting the scenes for the anniversary. It is now even clearer to us that that event is meant as a milestone. Adm Wu referred to Chinas expanded national interests. Peng Guangqian, a military expert in Beijing, said one reason China needed a blue-water navy was to protect sea lanes for exports and energy imports.
-Financial Times, 17 April 2009, pg. 6
This development shows Americas military might in jeopardy. Communist China has become the rich country, while the U.S. is sinking deeper into debt and recession. Chinas cash in hand allows it to execute plans virtually impossible for any other nation in the world. The U.S. government must be extremely cautious in dealing with China. Their immense support of the United States through exorbitant amounts of cash flows buying U.S. Treasury bonds makes communist China an indispensable friend. One wonders what the United States would do if Chinese surveillance ships would come close to U.S. shores. This fact reveals that both nations, although diametrically opposed in philosophy and separated by the Pacific Ocean, are inseparably linked together due to economic concerns. 3487
Johnny Munkhammar, research director at the European Enterprise Institute, a Brussels-based nonprofit group, says: The euro provides more stability in times of crises. The krona fluctuates in an exaggerated way, simply because it is too small. The fluctuations make foreign trade risky and difficult, especially for smaller businesses. Recent currency movements add weight to this argument. Swedens krona weakened to more than SKr11 ($1.45, 0.95) against the euro. The uncertainty of staying outside has been displayed with the falling krona, says Mr. Munkhammar. On the Finnish side, currency stability remains the main benefit of membership, protecting the economy against unforeseen economic shocks from elsewhere in the world. Erkki Liikanen, governor of the bank of Finland, shudders when he remembers the endless damag-
ing devaluations of the Finnish markka. One reason for joining was the depression of the early 1990s and the cost of protecting the currency. That is a key difference between then and now. Then, Finnish companies were highly indebted and their borrowings were in foreign currency, so when the markka devalued, many companies went under. Now there is no exchange rate risk. There is also a political element. Mr. Liikanen makes it perfectly clear that Finland, as a small country, saw the eurozone in geo-strategic as well as economic terms. Finland wants to be around all the tables where decisions are being made, so it was both economics and politics, he said. Mr. Munkhammar agrees, saying recent moves in Brussels to address the crisis had highlighted Swedish diplomatic weakness.
These twin factors of currency stability and political influence are having an impact on Swedish public opinion. A poll released said 38 per cent now wanted the euro, up from 35 per cent in May 2008.
-Finanacial Times, 19 December 2008, pg. 2
The euro celebrated its 10th anniversary at the beginning of 2009. This new currency has risen significantly against the U.S. dollar and is considered by many financial experts to be the future dominating world currency. Thus the next question is, will there be a one-world currency? Not necessarily, because the European Union allows for the possibility of diversity; thus various national currencies can continue to exist, but it seems logical that all will be pegged after the euro sooner or later. 3485
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EUROPE
EU Leaders to Debate New Model for World Finance

France has tabled a three-page document consisting of five key priorities that should be agreed on when global economic players meet to discuss the same topic in Washington. The priority list, seen by EUobserver, suggests that no market segment, territory and financial institution, including hedge funds, should escape regulation or supervision. It urges obligatory registration of the rating agencies; the convergence of accounting rules; and a review of the way in which the fair-value rule in financial institutions is applied. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) should also be given primary responsibility to recommend the necessary measures to restore confidence and stability as well as the necessary funds and the appropriate instruments to support countries in difficulty. French finance minister Christiane Lagarde said the French initiative enjoyed massive support among member states, except for a suggestion to encourage an internationally coordinated response to the macroeconomic challenges to come. This point was objected to by countries such as Germany, one EU diplomat told Euobserver, as it could imply a possibility to shape economic policies above the national level. According to another diplomat, some ministers expressed concerns about potential over-regulation, with Sweden reportedly objecting tight regulation of hedge funds. We should not turn financial markets into steady waters, the diplomat said.
-euobserver.com, 7 November 2008
USA
The Coming Evangelical Collapse

We are on the verge within 10 years of a major collapse of evangelical Christianity. This breakdown will follow the deterioration of the mainline Protestant world and it will fundamentally alter the religious and cultural environment in the West.
Within two generations, evangelicalism will be a house deserted of half its occupants. (Between 25 and 35 percent of Americans today are Evangelicals). In the Protestant 20th century, Evangelicals flourished. But they will soon be living in a very secular and religiously antagonistic 21st century. This collapse will herald the arrival of an anti-Christian chapter of the postChristian West. Intolerance of Christianity will rise to levels many of us have not believed possible in our lifetimes, and public policy will become hostile toward evangelical Christianity, seeing it as the opponent of the common good. Millions of Evangelicals will quit. Thousands of ministries will end. Christian media will be reduced, if not eliminated. Many Christian schools will go into rapid decline. Im convinced the grace and mission of God will reach to the ends of the earth. But the end of evangelicalism as we know it is close.
By Michael Spencer -csmonitor.com, 10 March 2009
Deregulation, popular in the 1980s, has been identified as a contributor toward the present global financial chaos. Quite naturally, the world will now have to go in the opposite direction: more regulation. While the EU does not have the final word, theirs is definitely the most powerful. The EU represents the worlds largest economy and is the biggest importer and exporter. The tendency toward increased and stricter regulation is to be expected and will lead to a more solidly integrated global society. 3468
This prognosis is quite interesting from sociopolitical perspectives. What are we to make of such predictions? First of all, the definition evangelical Christianity is obscure. Who are these people? They are generally accepted as those who do not belong to the Roman Catholic Church, the Mormons, the Jehovahs Witnesses, and several other groups. That fact, however, does not identify evangelical Christianity as the Church of Jesus Christ. While the infrastructure of the so-called evangelical church may collapse, we insist that it has
no relationship to the Church of Jesus Christ. The Church, consisting exclusively of born-again believers, is the one Jesus spoke of when He said, I will build my church. That Church is being prepared to meet the Bridegroom as the Bride, Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints (Revelation 19:7-8). Politically motivated evangelical Christianity may experience increased pressure, but that should not decrease their collective religious political activity. As a matter of fact, based on Revelation 13, religion will be totally merged with politics and experience an unprecedented global revival: And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? (Revelation 13:3-4). 3476
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CHINA
Schneider Agrees to Pay $23m in Chinese Patent Lawsuit

Frances Schneider Electric has agreed to pay a Chinese company $23m to settle a patent lawsuit the largest recorded settlement in an intellectual property case in China.
Chinese IP lawyers said the settlement was a wake-up call to foreign companies about the growing risk of lawsuits from China groups asserting IP rights. Traditionally, damage awards in Chinese IP lawsuits have been small, and the plaintiffs have usually been foreigners suing Chinese companies claiming infringement of IP rights. But the Schneider case caught the attention of foreign companies in China because it
turned that paradigm on its head: the plaintiff was Chinese and the damages substantial. In 2007, a court in Wenzhou in Chinas eastern Zhejiang province awarded damages of Rmb330m ($48m) in a patent lawsuit against Schneider, brought by low-voltage equipment maker Chint Group of Wenzhou. Guy Dufraisse, president of Schneider in China, told the Financial Times it was happy to stop fighting. Elliot Papageorgiou of Rouse & Co, an IP consultancy in Shanghai, said: A settlement of this magnitude will encourage Chinese patent owners to bring suits against foreign rivals. He said patent filings by China groups had shot up, especially for utility model, or mini, patents that are relatively easy to obtain but difficult to defeat in court. Last year Chinese companies were granted 175,000 utility model patents while foreign companies obtained 1,500. Catherine Sun, patent law expert at Foley & Lardner in Shanghai, said: Normally we advise Egyptian authorities imposed a curfew on Damas homes for approximately 25,000 people, in order to calm matters down. More than 1,000 soldiers have been deployed to maintain security. Sectarian tensions are a recurring theme in Egypt. Human rights organizations accuse Mubaraks government of discriminating against Copts. Copts make up approximately 10 percent of the countrys 80 million inhabitants and constitutes the largest Christian community in the Middle East. Christian authorities in Egypt accused the government of double standards in handling the recent clashes, and of laxness while defending the 3,000 Copts living in the town. Rights groups say the Copts in Egypt face discrimination and harassment from the Egyptian authorities. They complain of fewer rights than Muslims and say they are refused positions of authority in some sectors of the government, the military and academia.
-Jerusalem Post, 9 March 2009, pg. 6
Chinese companies when they go to the US or Europe that they might be sued. We never advise foreign companies that come to China they might be sued we tell them their product might be copied. Now we should tell them: Chinese companies are filing more patents locally. Foreign companies can face significant damages in China too.
-Financial Times, 16 April 2009, pg. 13
Indeed, foreign companies face significant damages in China too hits the nail on the head. Chinese technology is coming of age, challenging not only the United States, but Europe as well. We must continue to emphasize that Chinas success is being accomplished under the political infrastructure of communism. While Soviet dominated communism failed, China apparently is making a success of it. Because of its success, there is virtually no chance for China to change politically to democracy. 3491 The Coptic Church dates back to 1054, when the split between the East and the West occurred. The western part came under the authority of the Pope, and the Eastern part under four Eastern patriarchs: Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem. Both branches do not accept fully that man can be saved by grace alone. Infant baptism is the initiating sacrament to the church; to them, that is the rebirth. We point this out to emphasize that when the definition Christian is used, it does not necessarily identify the Church of Jesus Christ, consisting exclusively of born again believers. But as this article emphasizes, religion is still a major issue, and in this case, caused bloodshed. In the long run, however, the conflict will be solved, for Scripture clearly states that the entire world, regardless of religious affiliation, will worship the image of the beast. 3474
JUNE 2009 39
EGYPT
Curfew After Muslim-Christian Clashes

An Egyptian town has been placed under curfew after a man was killed, and several peole wounded in interreligious clashes.
The clashes in the northern Egyptian town Damas began after rumors spread that a local Muslim girl was romantically involved with a Copt boy. According to a report in the London-based AlQuds al-Arabi, the boys father was killed in the clashes, several others were wounded and the police arrested a number of the people involved in the brawl.
EU
Transatlantic Airlines Anti-Trust Probe

The European Commission launched a probe into seven members of two air alliances on suspicion the airlines might become involved in restrictive business practices on transatlantic routes.
The first probe concerns existing and planned cooperation between four current or prospective members of the Star Alliance Air Canada, Continental, Lufthansa and United, the commission said in a statement. The second involves proposed cooperation between three members of the Oneworld alliance American Airlines, British Airways and Iberia. The commission will assess the compatibility of each of these airlines cooperation with European rules on restrictive business practices, the European Union's executive arm and top competition regulator said. Brussels said it was investigating whether agreements reached between the companies meant that they would cooperate more closely than generally accepted, mainly on routes between the EU and North America. In particular, the parties to each agreement intend to jointly manage schedules, capacity, pricing and revenue management on transatlantic routes, as well as share revenues and sell tickets on these routes without preference between these carriers, the statement said. The commission is assessing whether these joint activities may lead to restrictions of competition on certain transatlantic routes.
-news.yahoo.com, 20 April 2009
rules and regulations will be written in order to ensure that the international airline
industry remains functioning, secure and 3489 profitable.
EUROPE
Zombie Companies Threaten EU Recovery, Says Think-Tank

An influential Brussels-based think-tank says zombie companies enterprises badly in need of structural reform but kept alive by state subsidiesrisk hampering EU growth levels once the economic crisis comes to an end.
They stifle economic growth, while preventing reallocation of resources to sectors with higher growth potential, say authors Jean Pisani-Ferry and Bruno van Pottelsberghe of Bruegel in a publication released recently. There will always be a political temptation to rescue particularly large industrial companies using government funds. The danger risks being compounded by zombie lending say the authors, a situation where EU banks prioritize lending to big failing companies as opposed to smaller ones with frequently much higher growth potential. As banks increasingly rely on bailouts from EU governments, so their lending criteria become more politically motivated while frequently ignoring good economic logic, warn the authors. The correct labor market policies will also have a huge impact on future growth potential says the paper, with the key being to keep people at work in order to enable a return to high productivity once the economy picks up. Early retirement schemes and excessive unemployment benefits that reduce incentives to find work are therefore to be avoided, while government-subsidized short-term work such as the so-called kurzarbeit scheme in Germany is advantageous. The reports authors are critical of the limited size of the EU stimulus to date, which they claim will be approximately 1.1 percent of EU GDP in 2009 when unemployment benefits are taken into account.
-euobserver.com, 20 April 2009
National airlines are no longer independent but are subject to various international rules and regulations. The days of deregulation have long since come to an end. The failure became evident as dozens of airlines went bankrupt and threatened the collapse of a once relatively stable international airline industry. Today, the issue is restrictions of competition. This requires more stringent regulations and enforcement of international air traffic. Quite naturally, new
While the so-called free market economy caved in, the government bailout plan creates additional and unforeseen conflicts. Therefore, more regulations are to be expected. The direction becomes clearer as time goes by: government control is unavoidable, which in turn will lead to the muchfeared total control. 3490
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ICELAND
Joining the EU Is the Only Way, Says Bjork

Enigmatic Icelandic pop-star Bjork has said that joining the European Union seems like the only way to escape the severe economic crisis her country is undergoing.
Having spoken to a number of small businesses in Iceland, the singer is now convinced that the euro must be adopted in her home country. Icelandic small businesses say that at the top of the list, they need the euro to stabilize the currency, so I would go for that, she said.
-euobserver.com, 7 November 2008
While pop star Bjork is not the expert on this matter, she clearly expresses the previously unthinkable for Iceland: join or perish. Here we see once again the motto of the European Union, United in diversity in action. It makes no difference what your opinions may be; in the end, you must join to survive. This world has become relatively small in terms of communication and transportation. 3466
SOUTH KOREA
The singer made the remark in Brussels, while supporting the United Nations Information Center for Western Europes launch of CoolPlanet2009, a campaign to raise awareness on environmental issues and to mobilize citizens in support of a new climate agreement. Asked by reporters after the launch of the campaign whether the crisis required the north Atlantic nation joining the EU, the singer replied: Right now I would say it looks like its the only way. The campaign launch was also backed by Margot Wallstrom, vice-president of the European Commission; Gro Harlem Brundtland, United nations Special envoy on climate change and Mary Robinson, former president of Ireland and current vice-chair of the Club of Madrid. The aim is to build a groundswell of support amongst the public ahead of the Copenhagen COP15 United nations Climate Change Conference. The December 2009 conference is expected to establish a new global climate agreement for the period from 2012 when the first commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol expires.
Investment Aims to Secure South Korea Food

Daewoo Logistics of South Korea said it expected to pay nothing to farm maize and palm oil in an area of Madagascar half the size of Belgium, increasing concerns about the largest farmland investment of this kind.
They emphasized that the aim of the investment was to boost Seouls food security. We want to plant corn there to ensure our food security. Food can be a weapon in this world, said Hong Jong-wan, a manager at Daewoo. We can either export the harvests to other countries or ship them back to Korea in case of a food crisis. Daewoo said it had agreed with Madagascars government that it could cultivate 1.3m hectares of farmland for free. It is totally undeveloped land which has been left untouched. And we will provide jobs for them by farming it, which is good for Madagascar, said Mr. Hong. The 1.3m hectares of leased land is more than half the African countrys current arable land of 2.5m hectares. But Madagascar could also benefit from Daewoos investment in roads, irrigation and grain storage facilities. Asian nations have been looking more often in the past five years or so to Africa to meet their resource needs. China has been particularly aggressive in building up stakes in oilfields and mines on the continent, sometimes facing accusations of neocolonialism. Africa has most of the underutilized fertile land in the world, said investment manager Rudolf Horne, though he cautioned that land is always an emotive thing. Apart from Daewoo, an increasing number of South Korean companies are venturing into Madagascar, investing in projects from nickel mines to power plants.
-Financial Times, 20 November 2008, pg. 3
The Indian Ocean island will simply gain employment opportunities from Daewoos 99-year lease of 1.3m hectares, officials at the company said.
This type of agreement develops a closer relationship between East Asia and the southern African island nation of Madagascar. While several voices of objection were heard, particularly from Europe, they should be quickly silenced by the simple fact that European nations colonialized the world, and often without benefit for the host countries. Thus, Korea and other Asian nations find a more open door to the resources of Africa. 3464
JUNE 2009 41
LET TER S TO TH E EDI TOR

Address letters for publication to: Letters to the Editor, Midnight Call, P.O. Box 280008, Columbia, SC 29228. Include full name, address, and daytime phone number. Without name and address, letters will be discarded unread. All material is subject to editing. Midnight Call assumes all publishing rights on letters sent to the Editor.
Instant Salvation... Matthew 24:14... A Better World

Instant Salvation Dear Mr. Froese, Your belief that aborted babies and infant children who die end up in hell came as a real shock. First John 2:2 tells us that Christs atoning sacrifice was for everyone. These infants havent had a chance to not believe in Christ (John 3:18b, Psalm 139:16). Their names were written in Gods book when they were conceived. This is the book of the living, the Book of Life, which contains the names of all for whom Christ died. Im sending notes by Dr. Bryce Augsburger that cover this issue.
-Wesley Lindstrom, MN
Answer: Yours is not the only letter that shocked me as well. Why? Because of apparent misreading. Again, I will mention Noahs
flood and Sodom and Gomorrah. All, including infants, perished. That fact, however, did not determine their eternal destination. Those who died before Jesus accomplished the atonement were waiting in prison. Read 1 Peter 3:19 and 4:6: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prisonFor for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. I also mentioned the fact that God has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, according to Ephesians 1:4. It stands to reason, therefore, that God knows precisely which of those little ones, even unborn, will accept or reject his offer of free salvation through His Son Jesus Christ. What I outright reject is the teaching of universalism, which says all will be saved.
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The question that has weighed heavily on me all my life is: Why after 2,000 years of intense missionary work of spreading the Gospel, is the world becoming ever more sinful all the time? It confirms my belief in Matthew 7:1314: Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
-RICHARD WALBRUN, WI
That clearly contradicts the collective teaching of Holy Scripture. Thanks for the note about the Book of Life. I also deal with that subject in my new book, Revelation 13: Satans Last Victory. Again, the Bible makes it clear that whosoever will, and definitely does not support automatic and collective salvation of all people in this case, infants.
Matthew 24:14 Dear Editor: Why is it that when end-time events and prophecy are mentioned, there is never any mention of Jesus words in Matthew 24:14? After all, in this verse, He tells us when the end will come and when He will return. That is, of course, when the Gospel has been taken to the whole world. Unfortunately, that event is still a long way off, despite anything else that is being fulfilled in prophecy.
I heard a televangelist respond to this same question from one of his listeners. He misquoted the verse, This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations and then shall the end [of grace] come. He had added two words that are not in the text. We are admonished not to do this in Revelation 22:18. But also, Jesus was responding to His disciples question in Matthew 24:3. They had not asked Him when the end (of grace) was coming. They had asked what would be the sign of His coming and of the end of the world, not the end of grace. There are those who say that this will be accomplished during the seven years of tribulation by 144,000 Jews. The Scriptures do not say this. There are others who say this will be done during the 1,000-year millennial reign. Again, this is not what the Scriptures say. The truth is that Christ
gave the job to the Church right here, right now in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19, 20). There are about 7,000 languages, dialects and ethnic groups on earth, and only about one third have heard the Gospel. So again I ask, Why is this saying of Jesus not mentioned in relation to end-time events? It is obviously the most important factor in those events, most importantly because it was spoken by the Son of God Himself.
-Paul Pate, NC
Answer: Matthew 24:14 was fulfilled during the times of the apostles (see Acts 17:6; 24:5; Romans 1:8; 10:18; Colossians 1:6) but continues to be fulfilled until this very day. We must not confuse our Christian infrastructure with the Church of Jesus Christ, which is His Body. The Lord has His servants in every country of the world. They are light, and light exposes the
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darkness. The true Church continues to be built. Lets assume all Christian work, churches and ministries, including Midnight Call, would cease to exist today. Do you think it would destroy the Church of Jesus Christ or invalidate the Lords statement, I will build my church? Of course not. The printed Bibles we have today are relatively new; they did not exist for the first 1,500 years, but Jesus during that time built His Church. Of course, we are responsible and duty-bound to proclaim the message of salvation to people everywhere, particularly in view of the soon expected Rapture. We are admonished by the Apostle Paul: Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:58).
tures: Matt. 10:39; 11:5; 11:2830; 16:18; 16:28; 18:14; 18:1819; 21:21-22; Mark 3:14-15; 3:35; 4:20; 10:27; 9:1; 9:23; 11:22-23; 16:17-18; and I found 20 more arguments in the New Testament.
-Robert Schiller, WI
sus is to change each of us individually into His image, being made conformable unto his death.
A Better World Dear Mr. Froese, The question that has weighed heavily on me all my life is: Why after 2,000 years of intense missionary work of spreading the Gospel, is the world becoming ever more sinful all the time? It confirms my belief in Matthew 7:13-14: Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. As far as better conditions when the Gospel is preached, I find useful the following Scrip44
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Answer: The assumption that the preaching of the Gospel will influence the world and therefore make it a better place for all is a doctrine accepted by virtually all religions, particularly Churchianity. That type of gospel is more popular than most of us are willing to admit. Of course, there are many wonderful promises recorded in the New Testament, but they were not exclusively for the Church. They were for Israels preparation for the coming Kingdom in the land of Israel. You cant deny that Jesus also said, Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword (Matthew 10:34; see also the following five verses). How about Matthew 24:21? For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. Look at the Apostle Paul: he was a well-respected, highly educated and powerful man, but when he became a Christian, he was despised, rejected, even imprisoned, and finally executed. Read also 1 Peter 1:6-7. The Apostle Paul prays in Philippians 3:10: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death. And John writes: And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness (1 John 5:19). We are not to change the world, but Je-
Demonic Stars? Dear Sir: I hear different preachers saying one third of the angels followed Satan. Some say this happened at the beginning of Genesis. I never found where one third of the angels followed Satan. (I know in Revelation one third were cast out of heaven.) Heaven was right here on earth when John came preaching the kingdom of heaven is at hand. In order to be in this kingdom, you must believe. The stars Satan cast out of heaven were actually children of believers that were born at the time when Herod had all babies two years and under murdered. The 12 disciples must have been protected, as was Moses, if this woman with 12 stars refers to the 12 disciples born at that time. The Bible does not say, of course. We know Mary and Joseph went to Egypt. Revelation 6:13 mentions the stars that fell unto the earth. Thats us: we are Gods stars, and we die and immediately depart spiritually (like Christ) to heaven as a scroll rolled together, in the twinkling of an eye. Revelation 1:20: The mystery of the starsStars = angels of (7 churches); 7 candlesticks = 7 churches. So we read, and if we do not as these seven churches, we can reap rewards:

1. Tree of life. 2. Not hurt in second death. 3. Eat hidden manna, a white stone. 4. Power over nations to rule with rod of iron. 5. Not blotted out. 6. Pillar in the temple of God. 7. I will eat with Him and sit on throne.
-Veronica Steigerwald, PA
Answer: Revelation 12 speaks of the conflict between the woman, who represents Israel and who brought forth the Savior, and the powers of darkness, which have access to heaven at this time. Verse 4 of Revelation 12 speaks of the stars of heaven, who obviously are demonic entities or fallen angels. The devil does not have the power to cast out anyone, but he himself will be cast out, as evident from verse 9: And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. I do not think this has occurred yet, as the Church of Jesus Christ is still present on earth. Read carefully verse 10 and note, the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. This identifies the born again believers, and it is the great dragon, also called the Devil and Satan, who accuses them before God. Thats why we have an advocate in heaven, the Great High Priest, Jesus Christ. Note also the distinction between those who are in heaven and those who are on earth in verse 12. When the Church is gone, the devil will have his heyday. At that point, the greatest danger will come for Israel, because Satan hates Israel with a passion. But God will supernaturally intervene, and Is-
rael will escape to a place prepared of God (verse 6). Personally, I do not believe that it is Petra, which is a perfect death trap. When God prepares, sustains and protects, it will be miraculously. The original nation of Israel walked through the desert for 40 years and never lacked anything; innumerable miracles happened, including that their shoes did not wear out. Jude also speaks of these fallen angels in verse 6: And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Satan, with his angelic host of nations, will rise up for the last time against God but will be destroyed, according to Revelation 20:9.
The Beast Dear Mr. Froese, I noticed in your answer to a letter on Antichrist (MC November 2005) that you speak of (Rome) which was, which is, and which is to come. Im wondering if this is a direct quotation. It doesnt sound the same as what the author quotes from the 17th chapter of Revelation. You confess to believe that Satan will heal the deadly wound of the beast referred to in Revelation 13:3, but is this the one that comes out of the bottomless pit of chapter 17, that the author refers to as the return of Antiochus? Is this beast a representation of a kingdom or a person? Do you make a distinction between the 13th chapter report and that in the 17th chapter? If a person, is he actually killed, or just
wounded severely enough to be revived, as some people who recover from their deathbed with the aid of doctors? Are you giving Satan credit for resurrecting him, as his wound was deadly? Ive heard many prophecy speakers and writers make that claim. You should know better than that, as only Jesus has that gift. So I am not sure of your idea about this issue. The author, Raymond A. Schultz, who believes it refers to Antiochus, naturally has a literal death in mind. I am not sure about your understanding when your point of argument is, We are living in the time of the Roman Empire, which was, which is and which is to come. Thinking about this list of appearances, I fail to comprehend what is to come when it already is, and would continue to exist. Conversely stated, if it already is, what is supposed to come? It seems like the word not should be in the middle, according to the 17th chapter of Revelation. That would make more sense, as it suggests a time of absence between the first and the last. What do you think? In retrospect, the reference to death and resurrecting the beast is already a done deal. It was already fulfilled within our lifetime, as it pertained to the revival of the world government soon after the war ended. Nothing more, nothing less. My reply to R.A. Schulz would be that he makes the mistake of associating the 8th chapter reference to the Grecian Empire (as they all do) soon after the first king died. Those four horns acJUNE 2009 45
LE T TE RS TO TH E E DITOR
tually refer to the four beasts of chapter 7, and do not go into fulfillment until the event of WWI ended. The little horn of the 8th chapter is the same one in chapter 7, which rises from among the 10 members of that kingdom, and is neither Roman nor Grecian. Consequently, Antiochus is not a part of that prophecy, but thats the way traditional views have applied it. Its a key point of difference and concern. I am doing the same as you professed to do, as one duty bound to warn against false gospels and teachings. By the grace of God, may this be of some help and may God bless. By the way, your faithful acknowledgment of past letters has been appreciated, but you dont always respond to the contents. After all, you must be a very busy person, but wish you would this time. Thank you.
-Hardy Kochrian, WA
world. Rome is identical with the beast that comes out of the sea and the beast that comes out of the earth. It represents the entire world. It seems that most of us underestimate the power of Rome, which represents Europe, which in turn represents the entire world. Rome was, and it was not, and yet it is again. Of course, the Antichrist and the false prophet are people, for the Bible says: these both were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. Antiochus, according to my understanding, is not part of the fulfillment of this prophecy. His role is the same as any other nation or leader of the pagan world. Thanks for your additional input on this matter.
Answer: You are correct: I dont always respond to the entire content, not because of time alone, but because in most cases, there is no spiritual gain I can pass on. When it comes to prophecy, we only know in part. Sometimes the parts we recognize seem to contradict one to another. The conclusions I reach are definitely not final. Now to the seven kingdoms: I consider them to be spiritual demonic entities, because no names are given, but they belong to the final Roman power structure. Rome is global, Rome has dominated the world for 2,000 years, and it will continue to be decisive until Jesus comes to make an end of Rome and the rest of the
Deadly Wound? Dear Midnight Call, Please do not think I am arrogant, as I am a simple farmer that is completely convinced that the Bible is Gods living Word. I also believe Jesus Christ is as stated in John 1:1-3, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was GodAll things were made by him. Jesus stated, I am the truth, and that Satan is a liar, and there is no truth in him. I cannot believe God will deceive those who trust in His Word. Im writing about the Editors Note, February 2009. As only God creates, I cannot accept the fact that Antichrist will be raised from the dead, as most prophecy scholars state (You didnt in this article). Im addressing the image of the beast. If the Bible is Gods Word,
only God gives life and creates. Then the beast that has power to give life (breath) to the image of the beast must mean other that life as stated. And this beast is apparently Satan, who had the wound by the sword and did live. Two places in Revelation tell us Jesus has a sword that proceeds from his mouth. And Jesus is the Word of God (Hebrews 4:12). Perhaps when Jesus stated It is finished (paid in full) on the cross, it was then that Satan received the deadly wound. That is finalized in the second death (Revelation 20:14-15). In Matthew 12:38-40, Jesus states that the only sign He would give as to his authenticity is his resurrection. And God constantly reminds Israel not to make idols, as they have no life in them. No, Satan cannot give life, nor can man. A computer, or anything man can assemble will not come to life. This is not an arrogant, stubborn view, but a simple belief that God will not lie nor deceive. And the true meaning is quite simple: it reveals the wealth and beauty of Gods Word, and unlocks a simplicity and purity that I believe can only be revealed when anyone makes a stand that Gods Word is truth. When anyone accepts even one false statement or lie, it contradicts Gods Word. A lie is built, and it grows on that original lie. But if any contradiction or lie is rejected, the Lord can and will reveal more of his truth. Many wise men will read Gods Word and reject or pervert
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part of it. Then they say, Lord reveal more of your truth to me. Do you really think God would? Would you be interested in a very simple clarity that does not contradict, but rather simplifies? The Scriptures that show only God creates are endless, and the Scriptures that affirm Satan can give or create life are lies and lying wonders. There is only one God.
-Glenn Morrick, WI
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Answer: The Bible says, I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death. This is not a dead head; neither does it signify the death of the beast that comes out of the sea (Antichrist). It is nevertheless a seemingly miraculously healing, because all the world wondered after the beast. As for the image, I can only go as far as the Bible. It says of the false prophet, He had power to give life unto the image of the beast. I noticed Luthers translation, He gave to the image of the beast the spirit. This obviously is part of the miracles of lying signs and wonders. To what extent this is real to our perception, we do not know, but we do know that the world will believe the deceptive words of Antichrist and his false prophet. They will finally have world leaders who can be respected, who are courageous, benevolent for all people, and have absolute power. This is documented in Revelation 13:4: And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? MC
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Chapter 13 of the book of Revelation reveals a world unity unlike any other, a
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