THE
TESTIMONY

Article from Special Issue Vol. 59, No. 706, October 1989

THE MORE SURE WORD OF PROPHECY

Page 383

APPENDIX 1

THE CHIEF FUTURE EVENTS ACCORDING TO PROPHECY

The major events that lie ahead are briefly:

1. The uniting of East and West Europe under Russian supremacy.

It should be remembered that the Roman Empire was governed for many centuries from Constantinople or Byzantium, and Russia is the heir to the Byzantine Eastern world.

2. This will be the main element in the standing up of Nebuchadnezzar’s Image on its iron-clay feet “in the latter days” (Dan. 2). It will also be the establishing of the final phase of Daniel’s fourth beast (Dan. 7).

3. The Roman Catholic Church and the Vatican will be involved, and the phrase ‘Christian Socialist State’ probably expresses this character of things.

4. The present East-West relation of powers will become a North-South relation. This is already coming into view.

5. The destruction of Nebuchadnezzar’s Image has two phases: the smiting on the feet that disintegrates the confederacy; the grinding to powder that follows. The Stone power’s impact on the feet takes place when the European confederacy invades the Holy Land (Armageddon) and is broken to pieces by Christ and the saints. The ‘grinding to powder’ is the long warfare that follows, centring on Europe proper with the countries rallying round the papal power.

6. There is only one grand invasion of the land by the Gentile nations. Each of the prophets deals with his immediate future, then turns to a final day of trouble, sketching it in terms of the immediate enemies of Israel. We should piece together the various accounts for the full picture, as we do with the Gospels. As with any major war, there will be several phases in the campaign against Israel, and the surrounding nations will be involved (Isa. 14,30,34; Ezek. 38; Dan. 11; Joel 3; Zech. 12,14).

7. Before the great invasion takes place Israel has to be at rest, and also has to become prosperous, that she might provide a great spoil (Ezek. 38). During this time of peace an Elijah work of building up the faith of Israel in some measure will take place (Mal. 4:4-6), though in the great time of trouble that follows only one third is saved and purified (Zech. 13).

8. In these future events concerning Israel and Europe it is the saints, not the angels, that are in charge of the work of God and Christ (Dan. 7:18; after the four great beast kingdoms “the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom”). After the judgement the immortalised brethren of Christ will take over from the angels, controlling the nations.

Graham Pearce