Expansionism is the name of the game
Once again it has been reported in the news that China is seeking to expand its power in the South China Sea. There is no doubt that expansionism is the name of the game for China as they seek to be the No 1 world power. Some may be asking how does red China fit into Biblical prophecy? which is a fair question. China is not specifically mentioned in Biblical prophecy by name yet it is proving to be a mighty fortress of a nation in the world of military power. In these end times China may prove to be “a sleeping giant” whose rest has been disturbed?
The King of the North vs the King of the South
In the Book of Daniel we are told that the Islamic Antichrist and his force, which will be formidable being 200 million strong will attack the mightiest of fortresses with the help of a foreign god.” (Daniel 11:39) (Revelation 9:16):This foreign ‘god’ would have to be Allah. There is no doubt that there will be a final war between the King of the North (Turkey and the Muslim nations) with the King of the South (America and its western allies possibly including Eastern European nations). While President Trump and Erdogan are seemingly talking ‘buddies’ with each other, at least over the phone, there is no doubt that there are undercurrents of suspicion on both sides. Already it has been reported that President Trump has warned President Erdogan to leave the Kurds alone, a request that will not be honoured by the man from Turkey in his addictive ambition to see the Turkish Ottoman Caliphate resurrected and established globally. Already in history we have seen several wars between the king of the North and the King of the South but there will be one more war to come. (Daniel 11:40)
Alarming reports!
It is interesting that during his campaign against the mightiest fortresses the King of the North, most likely being President Erdogan of Turkey, that he will be alarmed by reports from the east (China) and the north (Russia) that will unsettle him. (Daniel 11:44) Historically Russia has had several major wars with Turkey. Putin has his roots in Russian orthodox Christianity as we see him in the press photographs hobnobbing with the Russian Orthodox Clergy. President Erdogan on the other hand has his roots in Islam. Even though Russia is allowing Turkish expansionism into Syria it is still seeking to be a military power in its own right to be reckoned with. While the former Turkic speaking Islamic southern states are no longer part of the Soviet Union, Putin will not allow Islam to have a strong foothold in Mainland Russia.
China
How does China fit into this end-time scenario? At present Red China currently has over a million or more Islamic men incarcerated there. While there are Islamic communities inside of China just over its border with the neighbouring Turkic speaking southern states of the former Soviet Union the Chinese government still keeps a tight rein and watch on these Muslim communities. Islam will never get a foothold in Mainland China. The Chinese are ruthless with Muslims when they deem it necessary to carry out extreme measures against them. These “reports” from the east (China) and the north (Russia) the Antichrist receives that alarm him, will cause him to ‘up the ante’ in his militant military expansionist campaign as he marches his forces towards Jerusalem perpetrating murder and mayhem along the way. (Daniel 11:41, 45)
The War to end all wars
So then east of Turkey you have Red China which will also be causing alarm bells to ring for the Man from Turkey. North of Turkey you have Russia which will be threatening the forces and expansionism of Turkey,the King of the North. Added to this will be the King of the South, America and its allies, attacking Turkey and its allies. According to the prophets Ezekiel and Micah the forces of Antichrist will be opposed by the military firepower of the fiercest of nations that God will bring against him especially after the Antichrist’s forces have conquered Jerusalem. (Ezekiel 28:6-10) (Micah 5:5-6) At the end of the last three and a half years of this present age, when the armies of the nations are surrounding Jerusalem, the Lord Jesus will come back and the war He will fight and win on that day will indeed be “the war to end all wars!” (Zechariah 12:2-9) If China continues to persecute Christians it will find its armies also there in the Valley of Decision where God will bring them into judgement.
The re-gathering of the remnant
After the destruction of all of the armies surrounding Jerusalem, the Lord Jesus will co-reign from Jerusalem with His saints and the surviving faithful Israeli remnant. In that day the Jewish exiles will return from the countries to which they had been scattered during the time of the Antichrist. As the prophet Isaiah writes; “In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious. In that day the LORD will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the surviving remnant of his people from Assyria, from Lower Egypt, from Upper Egypt, from Cush (Ethiopia), from Elam, (Iran) from Babylonia, (Iraq) from Hamath (Syria) and from the islands of the Mediterranean. He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; He will assemble the scattered people of Judah from the four quarters of the earth.” (Isaiah 11:10-12) 1948 was the harbinger of this final return to come in the future. Tragically there will be another exile. (Zechariah 14:1-2) After three and a half years the LORD will fight against those nations and save Israel as a nation. (Zechariah 14:3-5) After this the Millennial Mesianic Kingdom on earth will commence. (Zechariah 14:8-21)
“And the obedience of the nations will be His!”
At the end of this age when all has been settled there will be only one banner flying in the wind and that will be the banner of the Lord Jesus the Anointed Messiah that will fly over the City of Jerusalem. Indeed as it is written in prophecy; “The sceptre will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between His feet, until He to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be His.” (Genesis 49:10)
