CHINA: AMERICA’S AGGRESSIVE, ESCALATING ADVERSARY

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“If war is what the U.S. wants, be it a tariff war, a trade war, or any other type of war, we’re ready to fight till the end,” declared the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), in a statement reposted Tuesday by the Chinese Embassy.

President Donald Trump has engaged the CCP in a punishing spiral of escalating tariffs, which have now exceeded 100% in both directions. But the conflict is not limited to trade, as tensions grow between the U.S. and China on numerous diplomatic and military fault lines.

Taiwan produces over 60% of the world’s semiconductors and over 90% of the most advanced ones used for AI. While it makes the chips, most are designed and owned by U.S. companies. The U.S. government’s ban on the sale of these chips to China increases China’s likelihood of attacking Taiwan.

What part does China play in the Biblical end times before Jesus’ return to earth to rescue Israel and destroy the Antichrist armies that demonic spirits gather from all over the world?

“The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east. And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs. For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty.” Revelation 16:12-14

This scripture tells us that armies come from the east and the rest of the world. This would definitely include the Muslim nations in the east, but it could also include China, but we are not told. China and most of the Western countries of the world are not mentioned specifically in the scripture of Biblical end-times.

Jerusalem is often referred to as the city chosen by God for His dwelling. In 1 Kings 11:36, God declares, “I will give one tribe to his son, so that My servant David may always have a lamp before Me in Jerusalem, the city where I have chosen to put My Name.” This divine selection underscores Jerusalem’s unique status as a spiritual centre for Israel and a symbol of God’s presence among His people, and it is central to Biblical end-times prophecies.

“Behold, I am about to make Jerusalem a cup of staggering to all the surrounding peoples. The siege of Jerusalem will also be against Judah. On that day, I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples. All who lift it will surely hurt themselves. And all the nations of the earth will gather against it.” Zechariah 12:2-3

Biblical end times prophecies are playing out in our day. If you want to know what is coming next, watch this space and keep watch on what is happening to Israel and Jerusalem.

An artist’s impression of Jerusalem on the highest mountain in the Millennial reign of Jesus Christ on this earth.

BIBLICAL END TIMES PROPHECIES: WARS AND RUMOURS OF WARS

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“And when you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains.” Mark 13:7 and Matthew 23:6

Pakistan said it shot down an Indian spy drone in its airspace yesterday. The incident, which India has not confirmed, marks the latest escalation following a deadly attack last week in the Indian-controlled region of Kashmir.

On April 22, at least four gunmen killed 26 people, most of them Indian tourists, in the resort town of Pahalgam. India says at least two of the assailants were Pakistani citizens and blames Islamabad for supporting separatist violence. Pakistan denies association with the gunmen.

Since the attack, the countries have downgraded diplomatic relations. India suspended a key water treaty enabling Pakistan to access 80% of the water it uses for irrigation and launched a test missile over the weekend. Pakistan closed its airspace to India and has threatened a nuclear response if India attacks.

India and Pakistan have fought three wars over the mountainous region of Kashmir since the two countries were partitioned from former British India in 1947

A CIVIL WAR IS BREWING IN THE USA

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America is deeply divided, yet there is no single conflict at the core of the discord. Instead, an ideological divide is widening at an alarming pace. We have seen “cancel culture,” which initially aimed to suppress opposing voices, evolve into an “assassination culture,” where some openly call for the violent elimination of adversaries.

Evidence of this disturbing trend was highlighted by a recent Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI) report. Among those surveyed who self-identified as left-of-center, 55% felt that assassinating President Trump could be justified to some extent, while 48% said the same about Elon Musk. Alarmingly, 38% of all respondents believed it would be at least somewhat justifiable to murder Donald Trump. Researchers noted that these findings reflect a growing acceptance of political violence among ideological extremists.

Such a dangerous shift is taking root as assassination ideation becomes more normalized. We’ve seen Tesla dealerships vandalized and the murder of executives like Brian Thompson of United Healthcare met with approval in certain circles. Clearly, extremism begets extremism, and the future of America stands on precarious ground.

History and Scripture are unequivocal: a house — or a nation — divided against itself cannot stand for long. If America wishes to remain under a shared roof, it must find a path toward unity.

This is spiritual warfare, and because we are approaching the time of Jesus’s return, it will only intensify, so civil war between the States is a real possibility. If it does, expect China, possibly in collusion with Russia, to take advantage of it. We are in the end times, and wars and rumours of wars are prophesied.

“And you will hear of wars and rumours of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.” Matthew 24:6-8

CHINA’S INCREASING AGGRESSION TOWARDS TAIWAN

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China significantly heightened its aggressive posture toward the democratic state of Taiwan earlier this week, encircling the island nation during military drills and publicly emphasizing the possibility of an armed invasion. Experts say the hostile actions are an indication that an armed conflict in the region is growing more likely, which could spell disaster for human rights and religious freedom in Taiwan.

In 2022 Vox News reported that Biden’s action to stop exports of semiconductors to China could set off a geopolitical quake. Also, the big problem with Biden’s move was that whilst semiconductors were developed in the USA, 70% are still being made in Taiwan. Hence Biden’s decision only increased the likelihood of China invading Taiwan to ensure they control the semiconductor market that is so essential for all the emerging technologies, particularly AI.

On Monday, Xi Jinping’s communist regime staged “large-scale drills” that completely surrounded Taiwan in a record-sized military exercise. As reported by The New York Times, “Chinese warplanes, deployed in record numbers, crossed an informal boundary between China and Taiwan. Chinese Coast Guard boats joined naval ships in encircling Taiwan. Fighter jets took off from an aircraft carrier parked off the island’s east coast.”

The Times went on to note that the drill was “the second time in less than five months that China has conducted similar exercises,” marking a stark increase from just two such drills staged in the previous eight years.

The war games were conducted as a response to a speech given by Taiwan President Lai Ching-te during the island’s National Day, in which he stated that China “has no right to represent Taiwan” and that he would “uphold the commitment to resist annexation or encroachment upon our sovereignty.” Lai also marked a conciliatory note, adding that he is willing to work with China on climate change, infectious diseases, and “regional security.”

Following Monday’s extensive drills, Chen Binhua, spokesperson for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office stated, “We are willing to strive for the prospect of peaceful reunification with the utmost sincerity and endeavor. But we will never commit ourselves to renouncing the use of force.”

Chen added, “No matter how many troops Taiwan has and how many weapons it acquires, and no matter whether external forces intervene or not, if it [Taiwan] dares to take risks, it will lead to its own destruction. Our actions to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity will not cease for a moment.” China has claimed that Taiwan is part of its territory ever since the island broke away in 1949, vowing “to eventually ‘unify’ Taiwan with the mainland.”

Experts say China’s drills are a worrisome indication of the continued military buildup and aggression of the communist regime.

“[W]hen I think back to the combinations and capabilities that [China’s People’s Liberation Army] had in 2014, I see a very, very dangerous trajectory,” Army Gen. Charles A. Flynn remarked Tuesday at the Center for New American Security. “[T]hey’re taking pages right out of our book and putting them in place to build a force, [anti-access, area denial] arsenal that they have created.”

The Washington Times noted that Xi has indeed “ordered PLA forces to be prepared for military action against Taiwan in the next 10 years or less.”

Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that China is simultaneously conducting a highly aggressive hacking campaign against Taiwan with the goal of “weaken[ing] the island’s resolve.” While Monday’s drills were commencing, Taiwan was “hit … with at least twice the average number of daily attempted breaches, the military’s cyber command reported.” In addition, the communist regime “is employing an expanding army of hackers, diplomats, prosecutors and celebrities in its effort to persuade Taiwan to submit to Beijing,” including using social media to present the military drills as “an act of love” — part of a “multifaceted campaign to intimidate, isolate and influence the people and leaders of the island democracy to give up their commitment to self-rule.”

What we see unfolding in our world today particularly rejecting God and His commandments but also wars and rumours of wars, particularly in the Middle East. The Hamas invasion should have brought support for Israel but no it has brought worldwide antisemitism. This is spiritual warfare it makes no sense otherwise. Jesus warned us about these times and the coming tribulation for Jews and Christians.

“And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.” Matthew 24:6-8

WARS AND RUMOURS OF WARS

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Is the Middle East inching toward all-out war? The Biblical answer is yes, and the time is near.

Nothing is certain. Iran’s leadership has promised, publicly, loudly, and repeatedly, that it will strike Israel militarily. It says this is to avenge the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on July 31 in Tehran. This killing was carried out by Israel, although Jerusalem has not claimed responsibility for the event.

Haniyeh has been replaced as overall Hamas leader by Yahya Sinwar, the architect of the October 7 atrocity. A ceasefire may still be on the cards, but whenever Sinwar shows his face the Israelis will surely kill him.

A day before Haniyeh’s death, an Israeli strike killed Hezbollah’s military commander, Fuad Shukr, in Beirut. The Israelis were responding to a Hezbollah 50kg rocket that hit an Israeli Druze village and killed 12 young people. As a result of the death of its military commander, Hezbollah too has vowed, repeatedly and explicitly, a major strike on Israel.

So Iran and Hezbollah have now committed to military actions against Israel in the coming days.

The world has taken these threats seriously. The Albanese government advised Australians in Lebanon to leave now, while they can. Numbers of international airlines have stopped flights to Beirut and some to Israel. Others have decided to avoid Iranian air space.

Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, says Israel is already at war with Iran.

Netanyahu sees Iran as a unique existential threat to Israel. He also sees it as having a much bigger significance in global politics. In his recent speech to the US Congress, Netanyahu said: “For Iran, Israel is first, America is next. So, when Israel fights Hamas, we’re fighting Iran. When we fight Hezbollah, we’re fighting Iran. And when we fight Iran, we’re fighting the most radical and murderous enemy of the United States.

Iran’s leadership seethes with visceral hatred of Israel. Even in Australia, the Iranian ambassador thought it good form to tweet out a statement that he hoped the “Zionist plague” would be “wiped from the map” by 2027.

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, promised “harsh punishment” for Israel. Hossein Salami, the commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, vowed a “severe response” to teach Israel a lesson.

Senior Iranian officials reportedly told Arab governments they no longer cared whether their forthcoming attack on Israel caused an all-out regional war. This may be a bluff, or at least stylised military signalling.

Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, also told his own people his group would hit Israel harder than before. In a fiery speech in Beirut he declared: “We have not sought escalations until now, we have been fighting in support of Gaza but keeping in mind the Lebanese national interest. Every time one of our commanders was killed, our response was heightened but always measured.

“But the assassination of a top (Hezbollah) leader (in Beirut) must be treated differently. Our response is coming, God willing, from us and the axis of resistance – and it must be strong.”

The “axis of resistance” Nasrallah is talking about is Iran and its regional proxies, namely Hezbollah, the Houthis in Yemen, Shi’ite militias in Iraq and Syria, and Hamas as well as Palestinian Islamic Jihad in the Palestinian territories.

All except the Palestinian groups are Shi’ite. Iran has always aspired, mostly forlornly, to lead and inspire the entire Muslim world. Its leaders had close connections to the Sunni extremist Muslim Brotherhood. Although the Arab Middle East generally is divided into Sunni versus Shia, this hasn’t stopped Iran from supporting, supplying, and effectively leading Hamas and PIJ.

Iran is the ram of Daniel 8:4. “I saw the ram charging westward, northward and southward. No beast could stand before him, and there was no one who could rescue from his power.” With its proxies: Hezbollah (Lebanon), Hamas (Gaza), Palestinian Islamic Jihad (West Bank and Gaza), Houthi (Yemen), Al-Ashtar Brigades (Bahrain), Kata’ib Hezbollah (Iraq), Badr Organization (Iraq), Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq (Iraq), Fatemiyoun Brigade (Syria), Zainabiyoun Brigade (Syria), Quawt al-Ridha (Syria), Baqir Brigade (Syria) it is pushing westward, northward and southward.

Who is the goat of Daniel 8? The Hebrew word translated “Greece” is actually YAVAN. Yavan were an ancient people that occupied eastern Greece and western Turkey. The principle city within the region is Istanbul. The Angel is not referring to Greece but rather to the land once occupied by the Yavan people who lived in western Turkey! Hence, Turkey is the goat. Daniel instructs us that a great war is about to take place between Iran and Turkey, and Turkey will ultimately prevail. It will be a war between Shia Muslims and Sunni Muslims. Turkey will re-conquer Babylon (Iraq) and conquer Persia (Iran). This will create an empire that is part Lion, part Bear, and part Leopard (referring to Rev. 13). A revived Ottoman Empire.

Why does scripture highlight this particular war? It is highlighted because it launches the career of the Antichrist! Scripture reveals that a revived Ottoman Empire exists for a short time but it is broken up into four. We are not told by whom but it could be the United Nations. They would not like to see a revived Ottoman Empire. It is out of one of the four nations the Antichrist arises.

“Out of one of them came a little horn, which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the glorious land. It grew great, even to the host of heaven. And some of the host and some of the stars it threw down to the ground and trampled on them. It became great, even as great as the Prince of the host. And the regular burnt offering was taken away from him, and the place of his sanctuary was overthrown.“ Daniel 8:9-11

For Christians, the next major end-times sign is the Goat (Turkey/Sunni) v Ram (Iran/Shia) war. When this eventuates Christians can show non-believers the truth of God’s Word. Apocalyptic evangelism should be a powerful tool.

END TIMES PROPHECIES BEING FULFILLED – FAMINES, PESTILENCES, EARTHQUAKES, WARS AND RUMOURS OF WARS

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“And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.” Matthew 24:6-8

South Sudan is facing a confluence of humanitarian crises that are pushing the country to the brink of starvation. Conflict in neighbouring Sudan has caused over 692,000 people to flee into the country, hyperinflation is crippling the economy, climate change impacts continue to wreak havoc and all the while, the Humanitarian Aid Fund is only at 16%. At the same time, forecasts indicate that there will be above-normal rainfall in July following heavy rains that affected several areas in East Africa earlier this year. Already, 46% of South Sudan’s, 5.83 million people, were facing a worsening hunger situation with reports indicating that 1.7 million children could face malnutrition in 2024. Combined these factors are placing millions of lives and livelihoods at immediate risk. “The humanitarian situation in South Sudan is getting worse every day,” said Abel Whande, CARE in South Sudan Country Director. “We are particularly concerned at the condition of women, girls, and children arriving at transit centres in Rienk and Bahr el Ghazal, as part of the dramatic increase in refugees escaping violence in Sudan.

Hyperinflation and currency depreciation have made access to basic necessities nearly impossible, with families spending most of their income on food. This economic crisis, combined with the aftermath of years of conflict, severely undermines the communities’ ability to rebuild and recover. Adding to the difficulties, South Sudan is also bearing the brunt of the extreme impacts of climate change. Extreme weather events, including floods and prolonged droughts, are destroying crops, displacing communities, and exacerbating food insecurity. These climate shocks are pushing already vulnerable people into deeper poverty and despair. CARE alongside South Sudan local organizations are working hard to support communities and the refugees and returnees however they can but the situation is overwhelming. “The influx of refugees and returnees while communities already are facing severe conditions worsen an already bad humanitarian situation, ” said Angelina Nyajima, CEO of Hope Restoration, one of CARE’s partners.

To avert a catastrophe, the international community must act swiftly. Increased funding for the humanitarian response is paramount. More specifically, support must extend to the host communities, those who generously share their limited resources with displaced families. And long-term solutions, like investments in infrastructure, agriculture, and education, are the only way to break the cycle of poverty and vulnerability that fuels conflict.

Source: Care International

HOW FAR OFF IS ROBOTAXI?

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Elon Musk recently tweeted that Tesla’s robotaxi will launch on 08/08/2024. This video is from 2022. China is so far ahead of Tesla and Musk in robotaxis and EVs. China is rapidly crushing US E.V. companies. The video below reveals China’s Baidu is already operating robotaxis in Wuhan.

China’s electric vehicle companies have grown rapidly in recent years, becoming major competitors for U.S. automakers like Tesla. 

William Li, the CEO of NIO, said competition in the EV industry is “much fiercer” in China, the world’s largest market for EVs and for automobiles overall.

The fierce competition has spurred rapid development of the industry. According to Hong Kong-based Counterpoint Research, about one-quarter of passenger cars sold in China last year were all-electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles, compared with about 7% in the U.S.

“China is way ahead of the U.S. in terms of EV adoption,” said Soumen Mandal, a senior analyst for Counterpoint, based in Kolkata, India.

Faced with pressure at home, China’s EV makers are pursuing expansion abroad, especially in emerging markets. Last year, China’s exports of EVs increased 131.8% year on year to around 680,000 units, official data showed. Thanks in part to the surge in EV sales, China overtook Japan as the world’s top auto exporter in the first quarter of this year.

China’s growing EV shipments to Europe have vastly increased its share of the European market. Chinese manufacturers’ share of the Western European new EV passenger car market stood at 9.3 percent in the fourth quarter of 2023, an astonishing rise from 2019, when China’s share in the total European EV market only reached 0.5 percent. 

Chinese industry leader BYD — a Shenzhen-based company whose name stands for “Build Your Dreams,” which is backed by U.S. investor Warren Buffett — now rivals Tesla as the world’s biggest seller of electric vehicles, including hybrids.

The Seagull, a subcompact hatchback BYD unveiled at the Shanghai auto show, is the cheapest EV in the world, at about $11,000, compared with $25,000 for a Toyota bZ4X and $40,000 for Tesla’s top-selling Model Y.

This article demonstrates how fast China is overtaking the U.S.A. in becoming the world’s leading superpower. Moreover, considering Taiwan’s dominance of the semi-conductor chip market and China’s dependence on microchips it is likely 2024 will see its takeover move on Taiwan. In October 2022, Biden dropped the hammer on China’s semiconductor industry by fully implementing a slew of tough controls on the export of American chip technology to China. This was a painful blow to Xi’s ambitions to rival the U.S. and only increased his need to take over Taiwan.

End times prophecies of wars and rumors of wars are playing out across the world and a possible China and Russia alliance is possible. Jesus said not to be alarmed when you see these things happening they are only the birth pangs.

No matter what wars and rumors of war are going on around us, our mission is the same, and it just so happens that the mission is what Jesus says is a reliable predictor of the end times.

“And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” Matthew 24:14

40,000 REVIVAL PRAYER GROUPS SPRING UP AS TAIWAN’S CHRISTIANS FACE WAR

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Source: CBN News

China’s sabre-rattling has been escalating for months. “Tensions are peaking. Beijing’s belligerence is once again making Taipei jittery,” said a report from WION News. China’s military recently released a video showing what simulated attacks on Taiwan would look like. “A war here in Taiwan would have catastrophic economic consequences not just for this island, but for the whole world,” warned SkyNews London in a report from Taipei. The tiny island off the mainland coast is now facing almost daily Chinese military harassment. “Taiwan is beefing up its military and training with new U.S. weapons,” reported CBS News, as its military prepares for possible full-scale war. “To be clear, we do not seek conflict or confrontation, but we will not flinch in the face of bullying or coercion,” said a defiant U.S. Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin. While the war drums grow louder by day, Taiwan’s Christians are taking to their knees by night.”The united prayers and fasting prayers of the churches in Taiwan are much more than ever before. It’s an unprecedented prayer movement,” Brian Lu, pastor of Shekinah House of Bread of Life in Taipei, told CBN News.

All across this island, people are meeting every day, 24 hours a day, to pray for revival, unity, repentance, and protection over their land. “I believe something so simple is starting to have such a huge impact upon people in the church and also the people around the church,” said Gordon Huang, a prominent church leader. Huang pastors one of Taiwan’s most well-known congregations. His church sits atop the iconic landmark known as Taipei 101 in the heart of the capital city. He fears war with China is coming and wants Christians to be ready. “I think one thing for sure is that people are going to be so shaken and people will want to hear the Gospel. Are you ready or are you going to be on the run yourself?” Huang told CBN News. That theme of shaking gripped Don Young two years ago. “I had heard from the Lord: ‘Time is short, the hour is urgent, it’s time to pray’,” he recalls. In May of 2021, Pastor Young says the Lord spoke to him and gave him a word that there was going to be a shaking coming to this nation. He brought that message to the church leaders of the island and that gave birth to a prayer movement that has since swept across Taiwan.

The Revival Prayer Group or RPG movement began, made up of a handful of people in groups taking turns around the clock to pray for Taiwan. “Prayer is the only way that you can get through anything shaking,” said Young who now works with the Georgia-based College of Prayer International. “Jesus said everything by prayer. He did nothing apart from prayer. Before it was just kind of a moment with God, we all have them, but now it was shaping up to become a movement for God. There’s a huge difference between a moment and a movement.” “Because RPG has two or three people in a group, so if one day a war happens and there are no physical buildings that people can meet in, we can still pray in small groups so the church will not be affected,” said Pastor Lu. Peter Yang has pastored and planted churches in Taiwan since 1978 and says he’s never seen the kind of unity now on display. Churches across denominational lines have been joining the initiative.

“What’s happening today is so rare,” said Rev. Yang who leads the Taiwan Christian Alliance. “Every day, every week, I join pastors from other churches, other denominations, and we pray for our cities, for our nation for other countries. It’s amazing, it’s clearly God’s doing. Unity will be the legacy of this movement.”

More than 40,000 Revival Prayer Groups have sprouted up, with members of China’s underground church movement also taking part. Each group has about 5 members, so that brings the current total to roughly 200,000 participants. “We want to have 300,000 RPG groups where we also unite with churches in China, coming together, all the leaders and members, on both sides, so we can pray with the goal of impacting China as well,” said Yang. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year sent a chill across this island nation of 23 million people with many drawing comparisons between Putin’s obsession with taking over Ukraine and Xi Jinping’s determination to “annex” Taiwan.

Many fear war can erupt here with little notice and it’s prompting some to search for peace amid constant threats from Beijing. “Many people came and joined RPG because they heard testimonies of how God is answering prayer, so you have a lot of unbelieving people joining RPG and as they open their mouths and pray, they experience the Lord so they are coming to the Lord as well,” said Pastor Huang. CBN News spoke with church leaders who said a potential Taiwan-China war would be like David facing down Goliath, bringing untold devastation and loss of life. They believe prayer can make the difference between war and peace.  “We ask churches around the world to pray for this most dangerous place in the world today so that God’s peace can come upon cross-strait relations,” said Pastor Lu. “Ethnic Chinese should not kill one another, but instead, we should together fulfill the end-time missions’ movement, to bring the Gospel back to Jerusalem.”

This is just another end-times sign and it is great to see that Taiwanese Christians recognize it and are responding to it.

PROPHESIED WARS AND RUMOURS OF WARS

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Close to the end of Jesus’ ministry on Earth, just before his crucifixion and resurrection, the disciples were perplexed and frightened by the events that were unfolding. They came to Jesus and asked:

“Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age? … And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.
“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake.” Matthew 24:3, 6-9

This article is taken from The Australian 03/02/2024, Xi, Putin, and the Ayatollahs put the world on the brink of chaos by Greg Sheridan.

The world stands on the brink of security collapse and perhaps widely extended war. Iran has moved its proxies directly into killing American soldiers in the Middle East. In a season of considered escalation by the mullahs in Tehran, the International Atomic Energy Agency warns that Iran now has sufficient highly enriched uranium that it could produce several nuclear devices in a short period.

Meanwhile, Russia is starting to prevail in Ukraine. The Ukrainians, long drip-fed sufficient weapons to avoid losing, but never enough to make decisive victory possible, are suffering acute battlefield losses, territorial stagnation, and the possibility of being overwhelmed at last by an increasing supply of cheap drones to Russia, not least from Iran and North Korea.

In the US, Christopher Wray, the FBI director, testified to Congress that Beijing plans through cyber attack to wreak havoc on US domestic infrastructure – water supplies, power generation, oil and gas pipelines, even facilities like hospitals – in the event of hostilities over Taiwan.

Meanwhile, CIA director William Burns sounded the warning on waning US support for Ukraine: “One of the surest ways to rekindle Chinese perceptions of American fecklessness and stoke Chinese aggressiveness would be to abandon support for Ukraine. Continued material backing for Ukraine doesn’t come at the expense of Taiwan; it sends an important message of US resolve that helps Taiwan,” he said.

North Korea has declared it no longer seeks peaceful reunification with South Korea but plans complete domination of the Korean peninsula.

British Defence Secretary Grant Shapps told a London conference the world had moved “from a post-war world to a pre-war world”. Senior NATO figure Dutch admiral Rob Bauer warned allied nations to build their industrial capacity to produce weapons to sustain a long war. He also said allied governments should level with their citizens about resilience, mobilisation, creating bigger military reserves, and possibly conscription.

The Bible is largely made up of fulfilled prophecies which should be sufficient evidence that the many end times prophecies like Jesus’ prophecy above on wars and rumours of wars, and increasing persecution ahead for Christians will be fulfilled to the letter.

CHINA NEEDS TO TAKE BACK TAIWAN AND WILL DO SO SOON

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The Biden administration stopped shipments to China of more advanced artificial intelligence (AI) chips designed by Nvidia and others, part of a raft of measures that seek to stop Beijing from receiving cutting-edge U.S. technologies to strengthen its military.

  • Taiwan dominates the foundry market, or the outsourcing of semiconductor manufacturing (50%+).
  • Much of that dominance comes down to TSMC, the world’s largest foundry that counts major technology firms such as Apple, Qualcomm, and Nvidia as its clients.

Semiconductor designers and manufacturers are on a quest to make chips smaller and better. Currently, TSMC and its South Korean rival Samsung are the only foundries capable of manufacturing the most advanced 5-nanometer chips. China does not have a company capable of manufacturing these leading-edge semiconductors. They rely on just three companies — Intel from the U.S., TSMC from Taiwan, and Samsung in South Korea.

In order for China to maintain its dominant position in manufacturing it needs to maintain a reliable supply of leading-edge semiconductor chips and the easiest way to do that would be to take control of Taiwan which it already considers part of China.

China is still significantly behind Taiwan in GDP per head of population as is the situation with Hong Kong. Taking over Taiwan can only improve the economics of China.

Jesus told us that in the end times prior to His return, there would be wars and rumours of wars.

“And you will hear of wars and rumours of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.” Matthew 24:6-8

We also know from this Scripture that kings from the East take part in the Battle of Armageddon against Jesus and the glorified Saints.

“The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east. And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs. For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty.” Revelation 16:12-14

Back to wars and rumours of wars: we are seeing this playing out in the Middle East, Russia, and Ukraine, and soon with China and Taiwan. When China moves on Taiwan what will the U.S.A and Russia do? In a recent War Game, Russia and China destroyed a “hostile submarine” in the “Sea of Japan.”

MOSCOW, Oct 15 (Reuters) – Russia and China held joint naval drills in the Sea of Japan on Friday and practised how to operate together and destroy floating enemy mines with artillery fire, the Russian defence ministry said in a statement.

The war games are part of naval cooperation drills between the two countries which run from Oct. 14-17 and involve warships and support vessels from Russia’s Pacific Fleet, including mine-sweepers and a submarine.

Time is short, what is God calling you to do at this time? For a Christian, it is an exciting time to be born. Next on God’s agenda is Jesus’ Millennial Kingdom.