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[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

Trump-Europe: End-Time Bible Prophecy in Motion

Greenland: An American territory?

That was the idea proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump. Of course it made headlines around the world. It even sparked a few humorous videos on social media—because the prospect of America taking Greenland just seemed preposterous.

But it also caused serious discussions among European leaders. It even led to a small contingent of military personnel being sent to Greenland, involving Germany, Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Netherlands, and the UK (“European military personnel arrive in Greenland as Trump says US needs island,” BBC, January 15, 2026).

The United States has maintained a small base in Greenland for many years. It currently stations about 150 soldiers there. But what President Trump was proposing was not just having a military installation there, but making Greenland American territory.

The diplomatic row subsided in a few weeks. But for some, the controversy was yet another signal that the relationship between the United States and Europe is fracturing. And it’s hard to deny that.

What does the future hold for the United States and their allies in Europe? Is the decades-long status quo over? And if it is changing, why?

Trump-Greenland: Antagonizing US Allies

There were real reasons why the American President desired to have Greenland. From a security standpoint, this Arctic land presents strategic advantages in any potential conflict with Russia or China. Greenland is also rich in important natural resources. And actually, American overtures to own Greenland are not without precedent.

At least five times in the last 200 years, the U.S. government has expressed interest in gaining control of Greenland (“Get the Facts: What makes Greenland so valuable—and why President Trump is interested,” ABC News, wmur.com, February 3, 2026).

But this announcement by President Trump didn’t sound like a proposal; it sounded like a demand. And predictably, the Europeans reacted with shock and alarm.

President Trump eventually reversed course on his original statements. But the whole matter exposed yet another fracture in an increasingly rocky relationship between America and Europe. Beyond the splashy headlines and the political posturing, what’s really going on in this trans-Atlantic relationship? And where is it headed?

America and Europe have been allied for decades. Most of us who live in either the United States or Europe don’t remember it any other way. Maybe some of you remember World War II, but you would be the exception. Others may be old enough to remember the post-war years, or may have heard stories about the war.

The point is, not that long ago the United States, France, Britain, and other Allied countries were engaged in Europe in an all-out war with Germany, Italy, and the other Axis Powers. It took six long, bloody years to bring it to a close. The cost was immense. It’s estimated that 60 to 80 million people died, if you count both military and civilian deaths. It was an unthinkable level of carnage and destruction of human life.

In terms of financial and material losses, it was devastating. Agriculture was disrupted. Internal transport systems were laid waste. About 30 percent of homes in Britain were damaged or destroyed. Quoting from the Encyclopedia Britannica website:

By 1945 the economies of the continental nations of western Europe were in a state of virtually complete paralysis (“Human and material cost (World War II),” Encyclopedia Britannica, February 11, 2026).

Even when the shooting stopped, though, another dynamic came into play. When Nazi Germany and the other Axis Powers were finally vanquished, a new threat emerged: Soviet Russia. And so, a strategic relationship between the United States and Europe was born. It was called the North Atlantic Treaty Organization; NATO for short.

Trump-NATO: Abandoning US Allies

The North Atlantic Treaty was signed on April 4, 1949, and included in the treaty was the vital “Article 5 for Collective Defense.” Article 5 states that an attack on one NATO country is an attack on all.

That NATO agreement has been the hallmark of the American-European security policy for decades. Led by the United States, NATO has maintained a protective umbrella of defense over Europe ever since.

But once the Soviet Union fell in 1991, many questioned the need for NATO. Was it necessary and relevant anymore? It didn’t take too many decades to find out. By 2014, Russia once again caused anxiety in Europe by invading Crimea and supporting separatist agitators in eastern Ukraine. Boosting spending for defense once again became a priority in Europe. In 2015, U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter, during a NATO visit, urged Germany to increase defense spending to take on a larger share of defending Europe (“Pentagon chief urges Germany to bolster defenses,” Deutsche Welle, June 22, 2015).

But just two years later, during his first administration, U.S. President Donald Trump rattled European nerves by questioning the value of being in NATO at all. Much of the reason was financial; it’s expensive to maintain high numbers of troops overseas when the U.S. is having economic troubles at home. And then the President caused a political firestorm when he initially chose not to recommit to Article 5—the foundational principle of NATO.

In response, then-German Chancellor Angela Merkel stated:

“I can only say that we Europeans must really take our fate into our own hands… The times in which we can fully count on others are somewhat over”(“Merkel: Europe cannot rely on its allies anymore,” EU Observer, May 29, 2017).

In 2019, two years later, a European observer noted that for generations, American Presidents usually worked hard to strengthen ties with Europe. But President Trump was different. With him, those ties were being loosened or deliberately torn apart.

Note this article from January 13, 2019.

With every visit to Europe and every White House tweet about the cost of NATO or EU tariffs, this president makes it clear that he believes Europe is more often an impediment than an ally. None of his predecessors would have dreamed of calling the EU a “foe,” as President Trump did in a recent interview about trade (“Has Trump turned his back on Europe?,” BBC.com).

That was in 2019.

Trump-Germany: Provoking a Military Beast

The antagonistic rhetoric has only grown again in recent years. The Politico website reported, on March 18, 2025, that incoming chancellor of Germany Friedrich Merz reacted to:

...an alarming new reality in which U.S. President Donald Trump’s America could no longer be relied on to protect Europe—and could even act to harm it. “In view of the threats to our freedom and peace on our continent,” the mantra “whatever it takes” must now apply to Europe’s defense, Merz told reporters earlier this month as he announced a historic borrowing plan that could unleash €1 trillion in new spending for defense and infrastructure over the next decade (“Will the threat of Trump end Germany’s austerity zeal?,” Politico, March 18, 2025).

The article reported that Chancellor Merz, in an interview on public television on March 16 had said:

“The meeting in the White House between Zelenskyy and Donald Trump really showed the whole drama in which we are living today in terms of security policy, and that is why we had to act quickly…. We now have to take a more independent path from America. Europe’s time has come.”

Fellow presenter Gerald Weston wrote a whole article for the July-August 2025 Tomorrow’s World magazine by that same title: “Europe’s Time Has Come.”

Genesis 49 Explained: America in Prophecy “in the Last Days”

The American-European relationship is changing, and has been changing for years. But why? And where will it lead?

Long-time viewers of Tomorrow’s World know that to understand Bible prophecy, you have to understand that many nations mentioned in the Bible have different names today. Consider the modern British-descended nations of the world—including the United States. You can trace them back to the patriarchs in the Bible, if you know where to look.

The patriarch Abraham lived about 4,000 years ago. His life is recorded in the book of Genesis. God promised Abraham’s descendants many wonderful blessings because of His faith and obedience. Included in those blessings was the promise of great material wealth.

Abraham had a son, Isaac. Those same blessings were passed down to Isaac’s son, Jacob. Jacob’s name was changed by God to Israel. Many assume the only descendants of Israel are the Jews. But when you look at the Bible, you find that Judah—the ancestor of the Jews—was just one among twelve sons of Israel.

As we often explain on Tomorrow’s World, all Jews are Israelites, but not all Israelites are Jews. This is vital to understand. Another way to think of it is all Germans are Europeans, but not all Europeans are Germans. Now, why is this important? Consider an inspired prophecy spoken by Jacob, or Israel, before he died. It’s recorded in Genesis 49:1-2.

And Jacob called his sons and said, “Gather together, that I may tell you what shall befall you in the last days.”

Now, this is significant because when the Bible speaks of “the last days,” it’s primarily referring to the time just before the Messiah’s return. In other words, Jacob, or Israel, was predicting what would happen to his sons’ descendants in the end-times. If we understand we are living in those end-times NOW, he was talking about our world today.

US and Britain: End-Time Blessings to Joseph’s Sons

Israel prophesied about the Jews in verses 8-12. But then he spoke of his son Joseph in verses 22-26. Notice (in Genesis 49:22):

Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough by a well; his branches run over the wall.

Whoever Joseph is, he would be a fruitful, expanding, and even colonizing people. That’s what it’s talking about when it speaks of branches “running over the wall.” What nation or group of nations has been known for being a colonizing people in the last two or three hundred years?

Notice what it says in Genesis 49:23-24.

The archers have bitterly grieved him, shot at him, and hated him. But his bow remained in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob (from there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel).

What nation or groups of nations have held superpower status in the last two or three hundred years?

After the defeat of the Spanish armada in 1588, Great Britain (of the tribe of Joseph) eventually rose to prominence and ruled the waves through its mighty navy.

After World War II, the United States, another descendant of Joseph, took over that position of pre-eminence, and has enjoyed unprecedented power ever since.

Going on, Jacob (or Israel) predicted (in Genesis 49:25–26):

By the God of your father who will help you, and by the Almighty who will bless you with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lies beneath, blessings of the breasts and of the womb. The blessings of your father have excelled the blessings of my ancestors, up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills. They shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers.

What nation or nations have been blessed economically, in population growth, and in agricultural and mineral wealth in these end-times?

God’s Promises: Control of Maritime Trade Routes (Sea Gates)

Certainly, we can recognize the British-descended nations have been blessed like no others.

In his book The Post-American World, published in 2008, writer and CNN commentator Fareed Zakaria wrote this:

For almost three centuries, the world has been under-girded by the presence of a large liberal hegemon--first Britain, then the United States. These two superpowers helped create and maintain an open world economy, protecting trade routes and sea lanes, acting as lenders of last resort, holding the reserve currency, investing abroad, and keeping their own markets open. They also tipped the military balance against the great aggressors of their ages, from Napoleon’s France, to Germany, to the Soviet Union. For all its abuses of power, the United States has been the creator and sustainer of the current order of open trade and democratic government--an order that has been benign and beneficial for the vast majority of humankind (The Post-American World, Zakaria, p. 45).

That’s quite a summation by Mr. Zakaria. By and large, the policies and structures established by the British and inherited by the Americans have been a blessing to the world. He mentions “sea lanes and trade routes.” In Bible terms, this is talking about a promise God gave to Abraham and his descendants, as recorded in Genesis 22:17.

Blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies.

Map of US and UK Chokepoints

Look at, just for a moment, the strategic sea gates that Britain controlled at its height—and the United States, to a much lesser degree.

• The Suez Canal
• The Panama Canal
• The Strait of Gibraltar
• The Malacca straits
• The Port of Dover
• The Cape of Good Hope
• The Strait of Hormuz
• Singapore
• Hong Kong

Just to name a few—God promised that the descendants of Abraham would possess the gates of their enemies. How could this be just by chance?

Germany in Bible Prophecy: The Assyrian Empire

The British-descended nations come from the ancient tribe of Joseph. Joseph was one of the sons of Jacob, or Israel. The nations descended from Joseph were prophesied to receive great material and military blessings from God. But they were also warned that they would fall if they disobeyed the God who blessed them. And that’s where Europe comes in—specifically Germany.

Can we identify Germany in ancient history? Yes—as the Assyrians. Even secular writers have noted the parallels between the Germans and the Assyrians.

Back in 1995, Klaus Fischer, a professor of history and philosophy at Allan Hancock College, wrote about Germany under the Nazi regime. He said this:

Ingenious rituals were devised to break down individuality: marching columns, mass rallies… it was a gleam of sinister beauty the world had not seen since the days of the ancient Assyrians…. Most of these grandiose plans (colonizing Russia, annexing Crimea, etc.) were postponed by the Exigencies of war, but they reflect the Assyrian nature of German policy toward conquered peoples (Klaus Fischer, Nazi Germany: A New History, 1995, pp. 342, 496).

“Not since the days of the ancient Assyrians” had anything been seen like this. In his book from 1985, historian Arther Ferrill made this chilling observation after reviewing just one account of Assyrian atrocities on a conquered people.

This gruesome document is nearly as revolting as photographs of Nazi concentration camps, and it has few parallels in history (Arther Ferril, The Origins of War: From the Stone Age to Alexander the Great, 1985, p. 69).

Roscoe Lewis Ashley, in his 1921 book Early European Civilization, wrote that the Assyrians were:

...especially fond of war, which they waged against their enemies with fierceness and cruelty (Roscoe Lewis Ashley, Early European Civilization, 1921, pp. 44–45).

He also noted that the Assyrians deported subjugated peoples by the tens of thousands.

Does that ring any bells from modern times?

It’s not hard to see a connection. Other parallels and symbols such as the iron cross, and the eagle and sun-disk link the modern Germans with ancient Assyrians. These and many other parallels are noted in another study guide we produce entitled, Germany in Prophecy. You can access that by going online at tomorrowsworld.org.

It’s not just military similarities that link modern Germany and ancient Assyria. Numerous historians have noted migration patterns that lead from the ancient lands of Assyria, through the Near East and the shores of the Black Sea, right into the heart of Europe. Lexicographer William Smith, wrote in 1904:

The Germans regarded themselves as indigenous in the country; but there can be no doubt that they were a branch of the great Indo-Germanic race, who, along with the Celts, migrated into Europe from the Caucasus and the countries around the Black and Caspian seas, at a period long anterior to historical records (William Smith, A Classical Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography, Mythology and Geography, 1904, p. 281).

End-Time Prophecies Reveal Germany’s Emerging Role

So modern Germany has links back to ancient Assyria. Why is this important? Because in ancient times, Israel and Assyria were bitter enemies. In fact, when the northern House of Israel fell in 721 BC, it was at the hands of the Assyrians. Because of their sins, Israel was given over to destruction. Assyria was the instrument of that destruction. This was foretold by Isaiah, in Isaiah 10:5–6.

Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger and the staff in whose hand is My indignation. I will send him against an ungodly nation, and against the people of My wrath I will give him charge, to seize the spoil, to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.

The ungodly nation God was talking about was the nation of Israel, which was overrun by the fierce Assyrians.

Why should this concern us today? Because prophecy is often dual—an historical fulfillment, followed by a future fulfillment. In other words, the British-descended nations are setting themselves up for being beaten by a German-led Beast power in Europe. It’s an ancient rivalry being played out one more time.

The prophet Isaiah predicts that end-time Israel will be defeated, scattered, and then regathered “from Assyria.” That’s found in Isaiah 11:16. Notice further in Isaiah 27:12–13.

It shall come to pass in that day that the Lord will thresh, from the channel of the River to the Brook of Egypt; and you will be gathered one by one, O you children of Israel. So it shall be in that day: the great trumpet will be blown; they will come, who are about to perish in the land of Assyria, and they who are outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the Lord in the holy mount at Jerusalem.

This was never fulfilled in the past. The people of Israel never came back from Assyria after being taken captive. Many Jews eventually returned to the Promised Land from their Babylonian captivity. But not the northern house of Israel. This is yet future.

So will Germany and Europe go their own way, independent of the United States? Bible prophecy says yes. And the pieces for that to happen are beginning to come together.

At the 24th Berlin Security Conference in November of 2025, the US Ambassador to NATO, Matthew Whitaker, made this interesting statement. He said:

“I look forward to the day when Germany comes to the United States and says that we’re ready to take over the Supreme Allied Commander position. I think we’re a long way away from that, but I look forward to those discussions” (“Donald Trump wants Germany to take over Nato,” The Telegraph, November 19, 2025).

It may not be as long as he thinks. Consider this quote from a December 14, 2025 CBS 60 Minutes special.

Scarred by their country’s Nazi past, Germans embraced pacifism after the Cold War. Defense spending collapsed to the point some soldiers were buying their own gear. But Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, combined with persistent pressure from President Donald Trump for Europe to shoulder more of its own defense, transformed the landscape. Today, Germany is racing to rearm (“Germany rearms, modernizes military after decades of embracing the peace dividend,” 60 Minutes, December 14, 2025).

Bible prophecy says that Europe will get strong enough to not only protect itself and rival the United States, but given the right turn of events, will subdue it and conquer it.

How ironic. The United States is pushing Germany to remilitarize its industries. The ultimate result will be the rise of a new Nazi-like regime. Only, this time the Allies won’t win.

America and Europe will become, for a time, bitter enemies. That might be shocking to you, but it comes right out of Bible prophecy.

But they won’t remain enemies. The prophet Isaiah also gave this astounding prophecy of how, under Christ’s direction, Israel and Assyria will work together to rebuild during the Millennium. Notice Isaiah 19:24–25.

In that day Israel will be one of three with Egypt and Assyria—a blessing in the midst of the land, whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, “Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance.”

Our world is about to turn upside down. And we need to be ready for those coming events that will take humanity by surprise. We can also be encouraged by the promises of a hope and a future, under the Millennial reign of Christ, for the people of Assyria, the people of Israel, and everyone from every nation on earth. It will be a time when Assyria and Israel will be real allies and work together under Christ for 1,000 years.

God speed that day.

[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

Is the Devil Real?

Does Satan the Devil really exist? Is he or she a real spirit being? Or is he no more than a product of cartoon creators, artists, and Hollywood film makers? And if that’s the case, must we conclude that evil is no more than time and chance and impulses found in the hearts of men?

There has always been a fascination with the spirit world. Belief in unseen spirits wreaking havoc on mankind goes back thousands of years. The idea of evil spirits—ghosts, goblins, and spooks in the night—were taken as serious threats by the ancients, but are often seen as mere entertainment in our modern world. Yet even now, belief in real witches, palm readers, and mystics prevails. The tools of their trade include crystal balls, tarot cards, and dreams and visions crafted by an unseen world.

Is there a real devil? Can you know? And if there is, what are the ramifications for you and me?

Don’t Be Ignorant of Satan’s Devices: Pagan Holidays and Traditions

The ancients held many fears regarding a spirit world, as seen in some of their superstitious customs that have been handed down to us today.

As a prime example, children and even adults dress up in ghoulish costumes on the night of October 31, and they decorate their homes with skeletons, sheets representing ghosts, spiders, spiderwebs, and carved faces in pumpkins. Few understand why they do this other than following the crowd in an ancient tradition. And it’s all done in fun, as people profess, “for the children,” who go about gathering as much candy as they can.

But is this mere fun? Or is there a darker side to Halloween celebrations?

While this program is not specifically about this celebration, it does show how ideas about the unseen world have been handed down to us today and how they have changed over time.

From Britannica.com, we read about the origin of Halloween in the Celtic celebration of Samhain.

It was believed that on Samhain, during this seasonal transition, [from summer to winter] spirits came to the world of the living, and their presence was regarded with trepidation. In conjunction with All Souls’ and All Saints’ Day, Samhain had an influence on the modern holiday of Halloween, and it is also celebrated as an important holiday in modern Paganism.

Notice how Samhain is an “important holiday in modern Paganism.”

Now for starters, do you really think God is pleased with us taking part in a pagan religious festival, even if the seriousness of it has been changed?

When God brought Israel out of Egypt and they were ready to enter the promised land, He gave them very explicit instructions not to borrow heathen practices in His service. Notice it in Deuteronomy 12, beginning in verse 29.

When the LORD your God cuts off from before you the nations which you go to dispossess, and you displace them and dwell in their land, take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them… and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, “How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.” You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way…. Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it(Deuteronomy 12:29-32).

Most people have some inkling that Halloween has a checkered past. And for anyone who stops to think about it, isn’t it rather weird to focus on death, and ghosts, and evil spirits returning to harass innocent people—especially if they don’t even think they exist?

But if evil spirits do exist, isn’t that even weirder? What strange customs we observe to entertain ourselves.

It’s important to note that these customs have a religious background.

It’s easy to look down upon our pagan ancestors with pity for their superstitious beliefs and customs. After all, who today believes such rubbish? But it wasn’t the so-called pagans only who believed in the need to ward off these evil spirits.

Notice how the mainstream Church blended pagan superstitions with their own.

Pope Gregory 1 (590-604) arrived in Britain from Rome to convert Pagan Anglo-Saxons to Christianity. The Gregorian mission decreed that Samhain festivities must incorporate Christian saints “to ward off the sprites [sic] and evil creatures of the night” …. All Souls Day, 2 November, was created by the Church, “so people could still call on their dead to aid them”; All Saints Day, 1 November, was also known as All Hallows, so 31 October later became All Hallows’ Eve, later known as Halloween (“Samhain to Soulmass: The Pagan origins of familiar Halloween rituals,” BBC.com, October 31, 2026).

It’s evident that our ancestors, whether ignorant heathens, or those claiming their beliefs are founded in the sacred scriptures, believed in a spirit world filled with “evil creatures of the night.”

We must therefore ask these important questions:

• Is there a real devil?
• Does he have evil spirit assistants?
• What about embracing the spirit world with palm readers and mystics? Or are we to leave such alone?
• And what about those cartoon figures with a little fellow in a red jumper suit sitting on someone’s shoulder and an angel sitting on the other?
• Is that fellow carrying a pitchfork real, or only a symbol of evil?

The Problem of Evil in (Flawed) Philosophy

The question of evil is much debated among philosophers, and it’s no small question for the common man—not whether evil exists, but its source.

• What was the cause of the holocaust in Europe during World War II?
• And what about the war itself that killed an estimated 70 to 85 million?
• Why the Cambodian and Rwandan genocides?
• Why are children exploited, raped, brutally beaten, and murdered?

In Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion (1779), the Scottish philosopher David Hume asked these probing questions but drew a flawed answer.

“Is [God] willing to prevent evil, but not able? then is he impotent. Is he able, but not willing? then is he malevolent. Is he both able and willing? whence then is evil?” Since well before Hume’s time, the problem has been the basis of a positive argument for atheism: If God exists, then he is omnipotent [all powerful] and perfectly good; a perfectly good being would eliminate evil as far as it could; there is no limit to what an omnipotent being can do; therefore, if God exists, there would be no evil in the world; there is evil in the world; therefore, God does not exist. In this argument and in the problem of evil itself, evil is understood to encompass both moral evil (caused by free human actions) and natural evil (caused by natural phenomena such as disease, earthquakes, and floods) (“Problem of evil,” Britannica.com, January 3, 2026).

That evil exists in our world is indisputable, unless you believe there is no God. And is that not the irony in atheist’s conclusions? If there is no God, evil could be no more than personal opinion—there could be no universal consensus.

Rapists and murderers would have a very different view of evil. And when whole nations commit genocide, who is to say that is evil? You and I would, but that is merely our opinion if there is no God, no higher power to determine good and evil.

However, in the minds of most of us, God does exist and He determines good and evil. Therefore, the questions:

• What is the source of evil?
• Are some people born more evil than others?
• Are they only the product of their upbringing?
• Is it a combination of genetics and upbringing?
• Can evil people be redeemed?

Satan in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation

The existence of a very real spirit being, called variously as Lucifer, Satan, or the Devil is verified in the pages of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. Our first introduction to him is in the very beginning of the Scriptures—the book of Genesis.

The Serpent in the Garden of Eden | Genesis 3:1–6

After God created mankind, He instructed our first parents to leave one tree alone in the garden. Only one was off limits, and that is where an evil being, disguised as a serpent, challenged God’s authority (Genesis 3:1).

And he [the serpent] said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”

Now, Eve knew what God had commanded and she replied:

We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, “You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die” (Genesis 3:2–3).

Then came the lie.

Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:4–5).

His sales pitch was that God had lied to them. They did not need Him telling them what was right and wrong. They could determine that for themselves. And Eve bought the lie.

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate (Genesis 3:6).

Satan Is the Father of Lies | John 8:44

Four millennia later, Jesus was challenged by carnally minded Jews about what they wrongly understood about His birth—questioning who was His Father. In response, He rebuked them(John 8:44).

You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

So we see that the Devil is the father of lies, but where did he come from? How did he come to be? Did God create an evil being? Or is there more to the story?

Satan Is the Dragon of Revelation 12:9

We read in Revelation 12:9 something that should cause us to sit up and take notice.

So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him (Revelation 12:9).

Now consider that the largest religion on earth, some 2.6 billion strong, is called Christianity. But of course, Christianity as we know it is divided, confused, and a mixture of biblical, pagan practices, and human philosophies. Is it just possible that most of what we call Christian is not Christian at all?

Did God Create Satan?

According to the Bible, we’ve seen that there is a real evil spirit being. But who is he? Where did he come from? We’re not left in the dark for the answers as the Bible reveals the plain truth of the matter. However, we must go back to the beginning, and that is not found in Genesis, but in the gospel of John. There we find two Beings who are described as God.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God (John 1:1-2).

So there was God, who later became known as the Father; and there was the Word or Spokesman, who later became known as the Son—Jesus Christ. And that’s evident from verse 14 where it tells us:

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14).

All Things Were Made Through Christ | John 1:3, Colossians 1:16

Verse 3 reveals something that many church-goers fail to understand, though it’s laid out in the simplest of terms.

All things were made through Him [that is, the Word—Christ], and without Him nothing was made that was made (John 1:3).

There are several scriptures that confirm that the God of the Old Testament was none other than the one who emptied Himself of His divine privileges to become a human being, born of a woman. Lest there be any doubt about this, Paul also explained:

Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ (1 Corinthians 10:1–4).

Now notice what Paul explains is meant by “all things.”

He [Christ] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him (Colossians 1:15–16).

Revelation 1:20 shows us that stars are sometimes used in scripture to symbolize angels and we read of a time:

When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy (Job 38:7).

What was it that these angels of God were so happy about? The context of this passage in Job is the creation of the earth. We must therefore conclude that the angels were created prior to the creation of the heavens and Earth.

So the Bible introduces us to two spirit beings known as God and the Word, and both are God. We next see that God created the angelic realm, and sometime later, the universe. However, in all the universe, our planet is of special importance to God and to the angels He created. Why was that so? Why did the angels shout for joy when Earth was created?

As we shall see elsewhere, it was to be their home.

Satan, King of Tyre | Ezekiel 28

Ezekiel 28 fills in a portion of the story. The chapter begins with a rebuke by God for the “prince of Tyre.”

The prince of Tyre is clearly the human leader of the city, but what about its king? The Bible leaves us without any doubt. This king is not human—he was not born, but created. He was also in the Garden of Eden which ceased to exist millennia ago. Notice carefully the description of this king in Ezekiel 28:11-13.

Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Son of man, take up a lamentation for the king of Tyre, and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “You were the seal of perfection, Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering… The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes [in other words, he possessed great musical talent] was prepared for you on the day you were created.’”

He is further referred to as a powerful angel, a cherub. Even a casual reading of this passage indicates that he was not any ordinary human being, but the spirit power influencing the human leader.

Did God Create Lucifer? Yes, But…

Let’s continue in Ezekiel 28, beginning in verse 14.

You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; you were on the holy mountain of God; you walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you. By the abundance of your trading you became filled with violence within, and you sinned; therefore I cast you as a profane thing out of the mountain of God; and I destroyed you, O covering cherub, from the midst of the fiery stones. Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground (Ezekiel 28:14–17).

Lucifer Rebelled and Became Satan | Isaiah 14

Scripture often blends ideas and quickly changes as it does here by reverting back to the human leader of Tyre. We learn more about this powerful being—even his name and further motivations for rebelling against his Creator—in the book of Isaiah. Note that this spirit being was not satisfied with ruling only on Earth. He wanted to knock God off His throne and take over rulership of the universe. He was the first narcissist. Count the “I’s,” and notice also that he has a throne and it is on this Earth.

How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: “I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars [angels] of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High” (Isaiah 14:12–14).

As with Ezekiel, the dialog once again fades back to apply to the human leader who is influenced by this fallen cherub.

Why is it that artists portray cherubs as chubby little babies shooting love arrows? What better way to deceive people than to convince them that there is no real devil and that, if there is, he’s harmless as a babe?

Yes, dear friends, there is a real devil, and he is far more powerful and crafty than most can begin to imagine. He is the great deceiver, and one thing he has deceived mankind about is what it means to be a follower of Christ.

[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

Are You Truly Following Jesus Christ?

Over the last 2,000 years since it was first used, the word “Christian” has taken on many meanings. And, as it has done so, the word has become almost meaningless—to the point that many today who call themselves Christian would not be recognized as such by the founder of true Christianity Himself, Jesus Christ.

What about you and me? When Jesus looks at us, does He see someone who claims His name but isn’t actually following Him like a disciple?

If you have the courage to ask yourself this question—and the integrity and humility to answer it—it has the potential to completely change your life.

Our question today is whether Jesus would recognize you as a Christian—or, even, would He recognize me, for that matter. And before we jump into answering that question, I should warn you—some of the points we’re going to discuss today might make many of you uncomfortable, maybe even angry. They made me uncomfortable and angry the first time I heard them. The sort of truths that move us forward in life and in our relationship with God often do.

But I hope you’ll stick with me for the whole program and hear me out. It might take some courage on your part, but seeing the Bible’s own answer to this question may very well be the most important thing you’ve ever done in your life.

What Is a Christian?

At the heart of our discussion today is the word “Christian.” It’s an interesting word—a simple word that seems like it should be obvious in meaning, and yet a word that is the source of so much confusion today.

The Bible itself reports on the first time it was ever used in history. We see this in the book of Acts in chapter 11.

This was early enough in the Church’s existence that the Apostle Paul wasn’t even an apostle yet—and he still went by the name of Saul.

Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul. And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch (Acts 11:25–26).

We see here that there were disciples of Jesus Christ in Antioch, and they numbered enough that people began calling them Christians—identifying them as disciples of someone named Christ.

Some have speculated that the name Christian might even have originally been meant as an insult. But whether it was intended as an insult or not, the early followers of Jesus seem to have accepted it.

In chapter 4 of Peter’s first letter, the Apostle uses the word to encourage his brothers and sisters in the faith who were being persecuted.

Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter (1 Peter 4:16).

In the New Testament letters, we see the disciples referring to each other as brothers and sisters.

Biblical Definition of Christian

But in contrast with the world, the word “Christian” helped to identify them as those who believe in, follow, and obey the teachings of Jesus Christ.

However, that was a long time ago. And things have changed a great deal since then.

Of the two billion people on earth claiming to be a Christian, there are a maddening number of different doctrines, different practices, different traditions, different beliefs about creation, different understandings of prophecy, different beliefs about the afterlife, different beliefs about what God is like and the purpose of man—even different understandings of who and what Jesus Christ really was. The list goes on and on.

Frankly, as the executive editor of the Tomorrow’s World magazine, I’ve seen how the word “Christian” is a real challenge. It’s come to mean so many different things that the word is a source of confusion. When we say the word “Christian,” many of our hundreds of thousands of subscribers think different things—just like our hundreds of thousands of viewers do.

How to Follow Jesus Christ: 5 Steps That Matter

So let’s get down to the basics and frame today’s question this way: If a TRUE Christian is a disciple and follower of Jesus Christ, then what does that mean? How can we know whether Jesus would recognize us as one of His disciples? And if He wouldn’t, how do we need to change?

We’ll cover five key points about being a real disciple of Jesus Christ that most do not understand.

Get to Know the Real Jesus Christ of the Bible

The first point might seem like the most obvious, but don’t be fooled.

1. A disciple of Jesus believes in and follows the real Jesus Christ.

Now, that might prompt you to think, “Excellent! That’s me. I believe in Jesus.”

But the Bible would push back on that conclusion and ask you: Which “Jesus” do you believe in?

Because many believe in a “Jesus Christ,” but it is not the real Jesus Christ. Don’t take my word for it—take the Apostle Paul’s.

In his second letter to the Corinthians in chapter 11, Paul discusses this very real possibility.

But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it (2 Corinthians 11:3–4).

Yes, “another Jesus.” Jesus Himself warned His disciples that, right after His resurrection, many would come in His name, proclaiming Him as Christ, yet they would be false teachers who “deceive many” (Matthew 24:5). And they did.

Even in the first century, writers of the Bible were warning their readers to:

Contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 1:3).

While so-called “Christianity” is the largest religion on the planet, Jesus says that His true disciples would make up a “little flock” on the earth (Luke 12:32).

In fact, after someone asks Jesus if many or few would truly follow Him, He answers with a warning that we should all take seriously.

“Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from,’ then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’ But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity’” (Luke 13:24–27).

Jesus is warning us not to take for granted that He even knows who we are. Many think they know Jesus Christ, but the “Jesus” they are following is, in Paul’s words, “another Jesus.”

So, how do we know we are following the REAL Jesus?

True Christians Repent and Turn Away from Sin

Our next points will give us some clarity. For instance:

2. A disciple of Jesus repents of sin.

You know, “Just as I Am” is one of the most popular Christian hymns in history. And yet, it is also a lie. One of the very first steps one takes to become a disciple of Jesus Christ is to repent of one’s sins—to turn away from disobeying God and to begin obeying Him.

Again, don’t take my word for it—take Jesus’.

Mark 1 records the beginning of His earthly ministry. Let’s see it there for ourselves.

Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:14–15).

Repentance and turning from sin is fundamental to being a true disciple of Jesus Christ. So much so that the need to repent was emphasized in the very first sermon of the Church Jesus founded. We read of that in Acts 2. There, we see that after being convicted by Peter’s sermon of their guilt in the death of the Messiah, the people are moved to take action.

Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:37–38).

Now, I’ve heard some so-called Christian preachers say that repentance was only for the Jews, and never a requirement made of the non-Jewish Gentiles.

Well, let’s just say that those preachers must have purchased a defective Bible, because such claims are deceptive hogwash. For instance, look at Paul’s statement to King Agrippa in Acts 26:19–20.

“Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.”

In fact, in Athens Paul told the assembled Greeks that:

[God] now commands all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30).

Far from saying we come to Christ like the old hymn says, “just as we are,” being a disciple requires repenting of our sins—a necessity for anyone to be a true follower of Christ.

But what does that mean, repenting of sin? Most people don’t understand the most basic definition of sin—even though it’s right there in the Bible under their noses.

Let’s look at it in 1 John 3:4. In the New King James Version, we read this:

Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.

The meaning is even plainer in the old King James Version.

Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law (1 John 3:4).

Jesus Christ Said to Keep the Commandments

That brings us to the next point about being a true disciple of Jesus Christ.

3. A real disciple keeps God’s commandments.

Many so-called Christian teachers will tell you just the opposite—claiming that God’s law and commandments are not required of Christians. But if you want to be a true follower of Jesus Christ, ignore them and listen to Jesus.

In Matthew 19, we read of a rich young man who came to Jesus and asked Him what he needed to do to have eternal life. Jesus’ answer was simple.

“If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments” (Matthew 19:7).

The young man asked Him which ones, and Jesus listed several of the Ten Commandments.

Many like to cast commandment-keeping and obedience as if it is somehow foreign to Christianity, claiming that you need only to believe—and cherry-picking verses here or there to prop up their ideas. But all such arguments always fail when the whole of God’s word is taken together.

For instance, how important did Jesus think obedience is? Let’s read it ourselves in Matthew 7:21–23.

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”

Notice that. Those who profess Christ’s name and even work wonders in His name—if they practice lawlessness and will not obey God’s law—are told by Jesus Christ Himself that He does not know them.

If Jesus HIMSELF does not recognize us as one of his followers, how does the word “Christian” apply to us?

John, the last of the Twelve Apostles, understood this. Let’s look in 1 John, which he wrote near the close of the first century.

John is often called the “Apostle of Love” because of his great emphasis on the need for Christians to love others. But He could also just as well be called the Apostle of Law, because he also emphasized obedience to God’s commands. Again, don’t just take my word for it, let’s look in 1 John 2:3–4.

Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

My friends, read that in your own Bible as many times as you need to in order to take it in and believe it! If we believe that we know Jesus and are His followers, yet we do not seek to keep the Commandments, then the Apostle John, the Apostle of Love, says we are liars.

And those who say we do not need to keep the commandments to be Christians are liars, as well—lying in ignorance, perhaps, but lying all the same.

That lie is rooted in the doctrines and traditions of men, who have warped the truth of God for almost two millennia.

Be Doers of the Word, Not Substituting Man-Made Traditions

And understanding that leads us to our next point about true disciples.

4. A disciple of Jesus believes the Bible over traditions of men.

Many so-called Christian organizations will pay lip service to God’s word, but in practice they put their own human traditions and council decisions above Scripture time and time again. They do not keep the biblical festivals like Jesus, His apostles, and the first-century Church did. They keep holidays intermingled with pagan symbols and practices, which God condemns in multiple places in His word. They do not keep the seventh-day Sabbath—the only weekday set apart in Scripture for rest and worship, often choosing instead Sunday—a day taken from pagan worship practices and enforced by Roman decree, long after the Apostles’ deaths.

Yes, there is a real human, organized, and ordained authority in the REAL Church Jesus founded, which persists today. Many passages make this plain. Christianity is not a “lone wolf” religion, in which everyone interprets the Bible based on his own, individual ideas.

But did Jesus ever think human beings could OVERRULE the Bible with their own traditions? We see His own answer in Mark 7.

There, talking to the Pharisees, who had used their legitimate authority to make God’s word of no real effect through their traditions, Jesus had harsh words.

He answered and said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men’” (Mark 7:6–7).

In verse 9, He continues His condemnation.

He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition” (Mark 7:9).

No, Jesus is not interested in all the fancy arguments and theological traditions that various denominations use to justify their commandment-breaking idols in their cathedrals, Sunday meetings instead of observing the biblical Sabbath, and pagan-tainted holidays instead of biblically-commanded Holy Days.

For the disciple of Jesus Christ, God’s word is just that: God’s word. And it outranks any traditions that effectively contradict it and make it of no effect.

Disciples of Jesus Put God First | Luke 14:26-33 Explained

The last point we’ll discuss today is this—and it’s a big one:

5. A disciple of Jesus yields his or her whole life to Christ.

This might seem like something obvious. But it is far from clear to most who call themselves Christian.

This requirement of Jesus’ disciples is probably best explained by Jesus Himself—like most of our points have been! We read His description of it in Luke 14. We don’t have much time, but let’s look at portions of that passage together. We can start in verse 26.

“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.”

Now, don’t misunderstand. Jesus isn’t saying you must truly hate your family. If so, He’d be contradicting Himself, because He also says to love each other and to keep the commandment to honor your father and mother.

Rather, He is speaking of loving Him more than them. He must come first in the lives of His disciples—before their own parents, siblings, spouses, or children—yes, even before their own lives.

Note His words there. He doesn’t just say this priority is a “good idea.” He literally says that those who will not put Him first above all “cannot be [His] disciple.”

That means that if following Jesus, repenting of our sins, and beginning to obey God’s commandments and living according to the Bible means going against the wishes of our family, then that’s what we do. Even if it costs us our lives, Jesus expects us to do just that, to give up our lives. As He says toward the end of this passage:

“So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:33).

Those are powerful words, not to be taken lightly. “All that we have” literally means all that we have. Our work and business connections, our personal or political preferences, our hobbies and pastimes—all that we have must be laid at Christ’s feet and seen as tools for His purposes, sacrifices we are willing to make for the sake of His Kingdom and His righteousness.

Now, the good news is that, in many ways, the reward for doing so is often immediate. For instance, it’s remarkable how much better and happier a marriage can be when both husband and wife put Jesus Christ truly first in their lives, even over each other. Yet, I would be lying if I didn’t say that a commitment to Christ never entails instead the sacrifice of these things.

Yet being willing to go further than comforting, but ultimately confusing, labels like “Christian” and strive for the reality and commitment of true discipleship under Jesus Christ makes available rewards so much more profound than anything we would ever have to give up in this life:

• A real and living relationship with our Creator and our Savior
• The forgiveness of sins and the gift of God’s indwelling Spirit
• The power of divine purpose as we seek membership in the Family of God
• And the hope of unending glory, love, and joy, with our Father, the Son of God, and our fellow disciples, as we enter eternity at the return of Christ.

[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

Do You Believe Children Are a Blessing from the Lord?

Our modern world has a strange perspective on children. For most of human history, they have been considered a blessing. The arrival of children was accompanied by great joy. They meant security for parents in old age. Lots of children were a sign of a healthy and growing population. They meant the promise of a productive workforce and the creation of wealth. In short, children were a blessing.

But something has changed in the last few decades. A different perspective has taken over, mostly in the Western world. Unwanted pregnancies are now often seen as an obstacle to the happy life. Especially for those having sex outside of marriage, pregnancy can just be seen as a complication, not a joy.

But even for those who want children, who love their children, what starts out as a series of coos and smiles and snuggles, someday, somehow can turn into a series of overwhelming burdens. Raising children is a challenge. Children can frustrate you and disappoint you. Even with the best intentions, some parents can wonder, where did I go wrong? Where is all this conflict coming from? How did this blessing become a curse?

These are important questions and worth pursuing. How CAN the arrival of children go from being one of the greatest blessings of life to a curse? Or, at least what feels like a curse?

Effects from the Abortion Debate

For millennia, having children meant the hope of prosperity and security. But something’s different today. Something has changed. In our affluent world, children are often considered a hassle. They get in the way of personal aspirations. They are sometimes seen as a hindrance to people’s desire for sexual freedom without the burdens of family life.

Abortion is the ultimate expression of this view. And many countries around the world allow abortion by law. But abortion is murder, no matter what any government of man says. Frankly, laws allowing abortion are a sign of the times. As the Psalmist said (in Psalm 94:20-21):

Shall the throne of iniquity, which devises evil by law, have fellowship with You? They gather together against the life of the righteous, and condemn innocent blood.

How appropriate this verse is for our day. In the U.S., 37 states allow abortion by law. That’s actually more restrictive than it was just a few years ago. In 2022, the United States Supreme Court overturned the Roe vs. Wade decision of 1973. Even so, since 1973, about 63 million babies have been killed in the United States. In the last few decades, one estimate is that 20 to 25% of the youngest generation has been lost to abortion (“Our Youngest Generations are Missing Millions,” Population Research Institute). In any other context, this would be considered a crime against humanity.

Around the world, abortion goes on at an even more shocking rate. According to the globalcitizensolutions.comwebsite, almost 90% of countries have laws allowing abortion. That comes to about 73 million abortions taking place every year—children who never had the chance to run, play, see the sun or take in a breath of fresh air. That’s more than the entire population of France or the United Kingdom. suTruly, our advanced, enlightened world is at war with children.

Now, understand. If you’ve had an abortion, you can be forgiven. Like so many other areas of life, if we’ve made mistakes, if we’re sorry and repentant and express that in prayer to our heavenly Father, He will forgive. But we must ask for it. And we must be heartfelt and sincere.

The US Population Decline: Our Future at Risk

Children are our future. We can see this not only in a moral sense, but also in economic terms. A country’s national prosperity depends on a healthy birthrate.

Evangelist Stuart Wachowicz is our colleague and fellow presenter in the Canadian version of Tomorrow’s World. Back in 2022, he recorded a program entitled, “Fewer Babies: Population in Decline.” You can find it at tomorrowsworld.org. Referring to a 2019 Financial Post article by a Joe Chidley, he said this:

“Chidley points out that in the 1960s, growth in the West was in excess of 5%. Through the 1970s, it hovered about 4%. But by 2019, nations struggled to hit 2% or less. Why? ‘The decline in demand growth has coincided with a sharp increase in the proportion of the elderly in developed economies—in the Group of Seven, it has doubled since the early ‘60s. It has also coincided with a decline in fertility rates, from an OECD average of 3.2 children per woman in 1961 to 1.7 children per woman in 2017’” (“Fewer Babies: Population in Decline,” tomorrowsworld.org).

The OECD is an organization comprising 38 of the more open, democratic, free-market nations around the world. Mr. Wachowicz then explains this economic slide is not surprising, given the drop in birth-rate over the last few decades.

“Many demographers and economists have predicted this as the result of a major cultural change in Western nations. For a population to replace itself, there must be an average birthrate of at least 2.1 babies per woman. Yet in many nations, this is no longer the case” (“Fewer Babies: Population in Decline,” tomorrowsworld.org).

So are children a blessing or a curse? Aside from the moral implications of abortion, killing future children is disastrous for a nation. In the long term, it destroys the very economic prosperity people are trying to preserve.

What Does the Bible Say About Children?

What does God say? From the beginning of time, God intended marriages and expanding families to be a blessing, a part of His general plan.

Be Fruitful and Multiply | Genesis 1:27-28

In Genesis 1:27, we read of how God worked with Adam and Eve.

So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; and replenish the earth” (Genesis 1:27-28).

God wanted a large population on the earth. It was His desire that they would fill the world with a vibrant, functioning and productive society. In speaking of His promised blessings to Abraham, He told him (in Genesis 17:6):

“I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you…”

God’s blessings to Abraham meant he would have many descendants, expanding into powerful tribes which would become nations.

Children Are a Heritage from the Lord | Psalm 127:3-5

Solomon echoed the same idea in Psalm 127:3.

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them… (Psalm 127:3-5).

Happy is the man who is blessed with children. Even today we see that children and grandchildren can provide security and comfort to those in their sunset years. And many elderly do lean on the support and encouragement of their extended family. They are blessed because of their children.

No, God never intended family life to be a curse, but rather a mechanism to produce positive benefits throughout life. What does it say about our society today when, potentially, the most dangerous place to be for a child is in the womb of its own mother?

But even for parents who want to have children, what do you do when taking care of that little bundle of joy turns into a daily grind? It can feel overwhelming. And then as children grow, the challenges just get more complicated. Navigating through choices of dress, music, friends, games, and the inevitable battles about screen-time—it can be discouraging, especially when there is conflict. The idyllic moment when that precious life came to be can become just a vague and distant memory.

Don’t worry. Keep the big picture. You can navigate the inevitable lows that all parents experience.

God’s Plan for Creating a Family

You see, children are precious. But why? That’s a vital question to answer. They are precious because they are made in the image of God. That is repeated in Genesis 5:1.

This is the book of the genealogy of Adam. In the day that God created man, He made him in the likeness of God. He created them male and female, and blessed them and called them Mankind in the day they were created. And Adam lived one hundred and thirty years, and begot a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth (Genesis 5:1-3).

Seth was made in his parents’ image and likeness. Many people, even professing Christians, read right over this and miss the point. But it’s significant. You see, Adam and Eve’s son, Seth looked just like his parents. He had eyes, ears, a head, hands and feet. The same description is used of Adam and Eve being made in God’s image. In other words, we look like God. And we all—including our children—have the potential to be born into His literal family forever as His sons and daughters. And that’s why our children are so precious—they are made in the image of God.

What Did Jesus Say About Children?

God wants us to highly value our children. Jesus illustrated that when He was on this earth. Notice Luke 18:15.

Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.

The disciples were saying these children were just in the way. They were a hindrance. Jesus had more important things to do. And yet Jesus said no, let them come to Me. He had a different attitude. Notice Luke 18:16.

<block>But Jesus called them to Him and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.”

Jesus took them up in His arms. He took the time to hold them and bless them. He wanted His disciples to understand, He loved children. Are our children perfect? No, not by a long shot. But that’s OK, because they need to be taught by us. And we also learn a great deal through the process.

How to Train Up a Child in the Way He Should Go

Training children is not for the faint of heart. It can be very discouraging at times. Children will frustrate you. They will annoy and aggravate you. They will test your patience to the utmost. They might even make you think what’s the use?

If that ever happens to you, don’t give up. You can do it, but you need God’s help. And you need the help found in this Book, the Bible. Notice what Paul said in Ephesians 6:1-4.

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise: “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.” And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.”

This is good advice for fathers. When are you tempted to provoke your child to wrath? Well, when you’re at the end of your rope—when you’re frustrated, tired, exhausted. And yet that’s when you must be in control of your emotions. You must keep your wits about you. You’ve got to remember, you’re not just feeding and clothing and providing for that child. You’re training a future potential member of God’s Family.

What about mothers? Notice Proverbs 31:26.

She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness… Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.

When you are maxed out, when you can’t go on, when you have had all you can take, it says: Don’t forget the law of kindness. God can give you help and strength and wisdom. Notice Proverbs 29:15, 17.

A child left to himself brings shame to his mother… Correct your son, and he will give you rest; yes, he will give delight to your soul.

Your children need you—but not just for their physical needs. They need your instruction and, yes, even gentle correction. If you correct them, in love, you will be blessed; in the end they will be a “delight” to your soul. They will “give you rest.” That sounds pretty good.

You see, God is heavily invested in the training of our children and wants to be involved.

Godly Parenting in the Last Days | 2 Timothy 3:1-5

But there’s another element to address. And that is the big picture as we live in the end-times, just before Christ’s return. It doesn’t take much spiritual discernment to understand we are living in the last days. This is a time of increasing hate, violence, and antagonism against the biblical values of the Bible. As this happens, it shouldn’t surprise us to see a slide in morality and conduct in general. And if that’s happening in society at large, how could that not include children? Notice what Paul wrote to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:1-2.

But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents.

Should we be surprised if we see an uptick in anger and rebellion among young people? If there is a general attitude of resistance against God and His ways, why would there not be the same attitude among the youth as well? Going on (2 Timothy 3:2-5).

Unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power.

I find myself turning to this passage more and more when thinking about the days we are living in. This passage seems to describe our times so well—and more with each passing day.

Now, here’s a note of caution. Don’t label all young people as problems. It’s so easy to judge and condemn the current younger generation, but who taught them? Who created the world they were brought into? In truth, are they not just taking the secular, anti-God values they’ve inherited one step further?

And actually, there are many in the younger generation today who are bucking the trends and seeking to do the rightthings. If you’re older, painting younger generations with a broad, condemning brush isn’t helpful. Instead, reach out to the young people in your life and try to make a connection.

But be careful about unsolicited advice. From time to time, we get calls from grandparents ordering literature from us for their children or grandchildren. If they want it, that’s fine. But if they’re not ready for it, unwanted advice is usually not taken well. And regarding grandchildren, understand—in most cases, they’re not your direct responsibility anymore. Don’t tell their parents how to raise them, unless they’re asking for help. Instead, just be the best example you can possibly be. Praying for them and having a spirit of love and respect does more than all the lectures and harangues put together.

Even when relationships are strained, be uncompromising in your values, but don’t burn bridges. Do everything you can to maintain a connection. As Paul wrote (in Romans 12:18):

If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.

You never know when—down the road—the bridge you don’t burn may be the path you use to reconnect.

When a society descends into an attitude of defiance against the God of Heaven, it doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It affects everything. Including family relationships, interaction between parents and children, and a general antagonism toward those in authority. Notice what Isaiah wrote in Isaiah 3:4. He was particularly writing about the downfall of ancient Judah and Jerusalem, but the same is true in any society that is descending into chaos. Notice Isaiah 3:4.

I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them. The people will be oppressed, every one by another and every one by his neighbor; the child will be insolent toward the elder, and the base toward the honorable (Isaiah 3:4-5).

Going down to verse 12:

As for My people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O My people! Those who lead you cause you to err, and destroy the way of your paths (Isaiah 3:12).

And that’s where we are today. We’ve come to a point where it almost feels like children—many children, not all, but many—are our oppressors because, well, we as a debased and corrupt society have created them.

God Will Help You and Your Children

But again, if you want something different, if you want to please God and honor Him in your life in general—and in working with your children—don’t despair. Because even in the context of Isaiah’s description of a total breakdown of society, notice what he said in Isaiah 3:10.

Say to the righteous that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.

Say to the righteous, “It will be well with them.” Do you want to follow God, even in the midst of a perverse and evil generation? If you do, God will help you. And He will help your children.

The Value of Family | Psalm 128:1-4

Psalm 128:1 continues the theme.

Blessed is every one who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways. When you eat the labor of your hands, you shall be happy, and it shall be well with you (Psalm 128:1-2).

The same wording: If you turn your heart to God, and commit to following Him, whether in good times, or in bad, it will be well with you. Going on (in Psalm 128:3).

Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the very heart of your house, your children like olive plants all around your table. Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord (Psalm 128:3-4).

What a beautiful picture of a happy and blessed family. And even in today’s deceived and darkening world, many still do invest in building successful marriages, and training their children together. To the degree they do that, they are blessed.

I recently got a letter from a Tomorrow’s World subscriber, responding to a Tomorrow’s World article of mine. He wrote to tell me about how the principles about family and child-rearing we teach in this Work, are consistent with what he was learning over 45 years ago, from our predecessor, Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong. He spoke fondly of his wife of over 62 years; his son and his daughter, his six grandchildren. And he even sent me a picture of his son, and his son’s four sons, and their wives. He mentioned this scripture in Psalm 128 and how it compares children to olive plants. There are many fascinating aspects of the olive plant used in the Bible.

But one he pointed out to me was how valuable olive oil was in ancient times. I didn’t know this before his letter. But olive oil, in times past, was actually used as a currency exchange, because of its high value. No wonder the Psalmist compares our children to those same olive plants.

You see, children are not appendages. They are not just clumps of tissue to be cut off if they cause inconvenience. And they are not just annoyances to pacify with an iPhone or a tablet. They are invaluable, precious and priceless. They are potential members of God’s eternal family. And He has given us a great privilege to participate in the process of preparing them for that destiny. What an awesome and blessed plan our loving Father has for us and our children.

[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

Signs of the End-Times: 3 World Superpowers Emerging

History has seen many superpowers rise and fall. Since World War II and the fall of the Soviet Union, the United States of America was left as the last remaining superpower—a nation capable of extending its power and influence to any part of the globe, seemingly at will.

But times are changing. The old international order is crumbling. Alliances are shifting. And new leaders, nations, and organizations are seeking the throne for themselves.

Political scientists pour over reports and analyses, trying to figure out who will come out on top, yet they all ignore the one source that reveals the future configuration of the world in detail: God’s word.

The Almighty Creator of heaven and earth REVEALED the identity of Earth’s final superpowers millennia in advance in the prophetic pages of your Bible.

World War II left civilization with three national powers recognized around the globe as superpowers: the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union. However, that conflict was exhausting for the British, and their power to influence world affairs quickly declined—a decline revealed in the starkest terms in the Suez Crisis of 1956. The Cold War that followed World War II ended with the dissolution of the Soviet Union, leaving the U.S. as the sole remaining superpower—able to project its influence and power to any location on the face of the earth and unquestioned in its military and economic dominance among the nations of the world.

But, my friends, times change. Yesterday’s great empires become today’s backwater nations and, in some cases, tomorrow’s historical footnotes—mere memories of interest only to academics studying the relics of the past.

The Fall of the United States

Today, the United States is riven by ideological differences and seems continually fractured into smaller and smaller angry fragments, each finding it harder and harder to live within the same country with the others.

As the U.S. seeks to get its own house in order, nations such as China see an opportunity to exert influence and project their own dominance in directions that the American government would once have never allowed. European nations, such as Germany, who have long looked to the United States and its backing of NATO for a sense of security against the Soviet Union, and later Russia, no longer have confidence that the U.S. has their backs. And alliances that stood for generations are now disintegrating, even as long-time enemies—such as Israel and many Arab nations—reconsider their options in a world where all the old variables are taking on new values.

And all of this is happening in a world that has grown more dangerous than ever—one in which the massive deployment of drones in the Ukraine-Russia conflict has changed the face of warfare, not to mention the potential impact of advanced biological weapons and the wildcard represented by artificial intelligence.

The structure and shape of the world is changing right before our eyes.

Will the United States remain the superpower for years to come? Will a rival to the U.S. eventually rise to the top? Or even replace it?

Who will be the next superpowers?

Well, the answer to that question doesn’t have to be a mystery, because there is a source of knowledge and understanding that the political prognosticators of our day rarely consider. Yet it is the only one that has been right each time and every time in its predictions. And that is the word of God—the Holy Bible.

The prophecies of the Bible are like history written in advance—and are inspired by the only One who KNOWS that future with certainty. Look with me in Isaiah 46, beginning in verse 9, where the prophet records God’s challenge to mankind.

Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, “My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure… (Isaiah 46:9–10).

What He says is going to happen DOES HAPPEN, WITHOUT FAIL, EVERY TIME.

3 World Superpowers Arise in End-Time Bible Prophecy

If we want to be able to identify the superpowers of the future, we need only to look to God, the One who reveals the future, and see what He says in His word.

So, where do we look?

Well, in World War II, the superpowers were easy to find. You only had to look at where the conflict was raging the hottest, and there you saw them engaged in battle.

So to identify the END-TIME superpowers, we need only look where the greatest END-TIME conflict will take place before the return of Christ. And God’s word is utterly clear on that location: the Middle East and the land of Israel.

We see the centrality of Israel and Jerusalem in end-time conflict made plain in Bible prophecy. For instance, look in Zechariah 12:2:

Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for ALL peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though ALL NATIONS OF THE EARTH are gathered against it (Zechariah 12:2–3).

What a testimony to God’s word that Israel was re-established as a nation in 1948. And as prophecy foretold, it remains at the center of world affairs.

God long ago prophesied that the nations of the world would not be able to solve the challenge of Israel and Jerusalem—and no, even current peace treaties, agreements, and alliances will not solve it.

So if Jerusalem, Israel, and the surrounding region represent the stage for the final acts of mankind before Christ’s return, then the three final superpowers are the actors who will occupy that stage in the end-times.

The King of the North, the King of the South, and a 200-Million Man Army

Now, many biblical prophecies combine to give us the details of the end-time scenario. For instance, in Daniel’s book of prophecy, we see that a dominating economic and military power he calls the King of the North will storm through the Middle East. It will be provoked by a rival power he calls the King of the South.

The King of the North will press against the King of the South, entering its territory conquering and pillaging, until it is troubled by NEWS it hears of incredibly MASSIVE ARMIES on the other side of the Euphrates. After much conflict, the river Euphrates is miraculously dried up, allowing these two powers, the King of the North and the massive force from the East to meet on the hill of Megiddo—at what is called in Hebrew Armageddon—and they gather there for what God calls in Revelation 16:14 “the Battle of that Great Day of God Almighty.” The devastation unleashed by these military forces in their conflicts leading up to the final battle is prophesied to kill “a THIRD of mankind” (Revelation 9:18).

In today’s terms, a third of humanity would be more than TWO BILLION PEOPLE.

The conflicts to come between these superpowers will be horrific—so horrific that Jesus Christ warns all of us in Matthew 24:22 that “no flesh would be saved” alive unless “those days were shortened” by God’s intervention. And we should thank God that He will intervene.

So, who are these superpowers—the King of the North, the King of the South, and the massive armies from the East?

Who Are Kings of the East? 200-Million Man Army Explained

First, we have to recognize that such compass directions in prophecy—north, south, and east—are determined from the perspective of Israel and Jerusalem, the land of the prophets.

With this in mind, the massive forces from the East are perhaps the easiest to find candidates for.

Revelation 16:12 refers to these as “the kings from the east,” implying a multinational coalition of some sort.

Revelation 9:16 describes the armies from that region, on the other side of the Euphrates, as being two-hundred million strong. There are very few nations in the world that could muster such an army in the foreseeable future. Of them, there are two obvious candidates: China and India—both of which lie east of Israel and of the Euphrates River. Combined, these two nations contain more than one-third of the ENTIRE POPULATION OF THE WORLD—one out of every three human beings on earth.

These facts, along with their geographic position, make them strong candidates for being contributors to the collective armies of the East. No doubt, other peoples east of the Euphrates River will contribute, as well—such as Iran (or Persia in Bible prophecy), portions of modern Russia, North and South Korea, and Japan. All are candidates as additional partners in this combined eastern superpower, creating one of the largest military coalitions the world has ever seen.

Who Is the King of the North in Bible Prophecy?

Next, let’s consider the King of the North. This terrifying individual is more commonly known as the Beast of Revelation.

In Daniel 2, we read of a great prophetic image that symbolized four successive world powers, beginning with the Babylon of Daniel’s day. The fourth world empire pictured by the legs of iron in that image is the Roman Empire and its various successive revivals throughout history—such as the reigns of Charlemagne, Napoleon, and Mussolini. The feet of the image made of iron and clay symbolize the final, end-time revival of the Roman Empire that will exist in power at the time of Christ’s return. We read of these feet, beginning in Daniel 2:41:

Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay. And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile. As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay (Daniel 2:41–43).

This end-time power will be “partly strong and partly fragile” because its component parts do not naturally adhere together, just as iron and clay do not.

As this very ministry has explained for the better part of a century, the current seeds of what will become this Revived Roman Empire can be found in today’s European Union and will be led by a resurgent Germany.

Now, to be frank, we’ve been ridiculed for this stance over the years—after all, since World War II, Europe has relied heavily on the United States for military support and protection, and Germany has been so burdened by its past in World War II that it seemed almost too ashamed to build a massive military presence. But as the Apostle Paul says in the book of Romans: “[L]et God be true but every man a liar” (Romans 3:4). And as usual, current events are catching up to prophecy.

Spurred by conflict between Russia and Ukraine and their concern that the United States is turning its back on them, Europe and Germany have suddenly begun taking dramatic actions to seize their own military destiny.

In 2025, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced:

“We are in an era of rearmament, and Europe is ready to massively boost its defence spending,” and proposed mobilizing up to 800 billion euros—almost one trillion U.S. dollars—in defense spending (“Press statement by President von der Leyen on the defence package,” ec.europa.eu, March 3, 2025).

For Germany’s part, the office of German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced in December 2025:

“We are sending a signal to the (NATO) alliance and our partners: Germany is leading the way. We are fulfilling our obligations to the alliance and accepting our responsibility for security and peace in Europe” (“German lawmakers approve billions in military expenditure,” dw.com, December 17, 2025).

Now this was after the German government had just authorized 50 billion euros to be spent on military upgrades. Earning much of that money will be Germany’s biggest defense contractor, Rhinemetall—the same major manufacturer of arms for Germany during both World War I and World War II, and which is now expanding arms factories across Europe and building new ones.

Once again, the forges of war are igniting across Europe.

But what of the prophecy that the kingdom of the north, the revived Roman Empire, will be a mixture of iron and clay that has difficulty adhering? Truly, unity in the European Union HAS historically been a huge challenge, and it remains so today. What force will be able to bind these nations together to truly empower the King of the North, the coming Beast of Revelation?

That binding power will come from a common religion, and an unholy alliance of church and state.

Who Is the King of the South in Daniel 11?

We’ve identified two of the three end-time superpowers: the collection of a massive military force powered by nations east of the Euphrates, and a revived Holy Roman Empire centered in Europe. But what of Daniel’s prophesied King of the South?

Again, we look to Jerusalem and the Holy Land to understand directional references. The prophesied Kings of the East are just that: nations and peoples that lie east of Jerusalem. Now, if you draw a horizontal line at Jerusalem, you’ll notice that Europe lies above that line—in latitudes north of Jerusalem on the globe.

So what nations do we see south of Jerusalem?

Some have sought to identify the King of the South with Iran, given the frequent trouble that nation has sought to cause for modern Israel. But look at our map. Iran (or Persia as it is called in Scripture) is not south of Israel, but east.

Remember: Don’t try to interpret the Bible based on current events. Eventually, current events always catch up to the Bible, as the late evangelist John Ogwyn writes in Revelation: The Mystery Unveiled!

We have to let the Bible interpret itself, rather than trying to read our own preconceived notions or current world events back into the text. Only in this way can we see Bible prophecies in their proper context.

That is, don’t try to cram the news into the Bible. The Bible interprets itself. And in the case of the nations behind the King of the South, we see details in Daniel’s prophecy if we’ll simply read them. For instance, turn to Daniel 11, and let’s begin reading in verse 40.

At the time of the end the king of the South shall attack him; and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through. He shall also enter the Glorious Land, and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall escape from his hand: Edom, Moab, and the prominent people of Ammon. He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. He shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; also the Libyans and Ethiopians shall follow at his heels (Daniel 11:40–43).

Daniel 11 pictures the wrath of the King of the North against the King of the South being directed at nations of northern Africa.

It is worth noting that today’s League of Arab States lies primarily south of Jerusalem, and key nations of these Arab states, such as Egypt, face the wrath of the European King of the North in the years to come.

Now does that mean that the current Arab League is the prophesied King of the South? Of course not. With the topsy-turvy nature of alliances today—not to mention the historic volatility of relations between Arabic nations—much can happen in the years just ahead. But the Islamic nature of the nations south of Jerusalem, plus the historic conflict between so-called Christian Europe and Islamic peoples, as in the Crusades, is a detail worth noting as these end-time conditions come together. And rest assured, there will be a unified power of nations south of Israel that will be powerful enough to provoke the European superpower to great wrath—as these three leviathans of end-time prophecy compete for global dominance.

The Final Superpower at the End of the Age

So in the last days leading up to the return of Christ, we see a counterfeit-Christian, European superpower, a massive military superpower alliance to the east of Israel and the Euphrates, and an Islamic superpower involving nations of North Africa and others.

But note—what’s missing in all of this? Or, perhaps more accurately, WHO is missing in all of this?

After all, can you imagine a major conflict involving superpowers today that does NOT involve in some way the United States? Where is the U.S. in this great, end-time conflict?

In short, the United States, the United Kingdom, and other British-descended nations will find themselves to be superpowers no longer—utterly bereft of power and influence on the world stage and, frankly, subjugated nations, crushed, dissected, and replaced by the very nations we’ve discussed today.

I know that is hard to believe given the dominating prominence of the U.S. today. But let there be no doubt. God’s word is sure. These three powers—the King of the North, the King of the South, and the armies of the East—will rise. And in today’s headlines, we see seeds of their rise to power being planted.

But in reality, there is a FOURTH superpower to consider—one we’ve barely mentioned, but one which is prophesied to crush those that we’ve discussed today.

We read of it in Daniel 2.

We read there earlier of the revived Roman Empire that was symbolized by the feet of a statue, composed of iron and clay. This statue was seen by Nebuchadnezzar in a dream—a dream explained to him by the prophet Daniel.

In this dream, this final, carnal, end-time worldly superpower is destroyed in a spectacular manner.

You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth (Daniel 2:34–35).

Daniel later explains to Nebuchadnezzar that the stone from heaven, cut without hands, that would crush the worldly superpowers of this world is the Kingdom of God that will come with the returning Jesus Christ.

And the reign of Christ will spread to the entire earth. But unlike the superpowers of today, Jesus Christ, the King of Kings, will not seek to enrich Himself or selfishly control the world for His own benefit. Rather, He will bring the peace, joy, and true prosperity that all people and nations have always desired but could never achieve.

In fact, as we close, let’s turn to Isaiah 19:24 and look into a small window at the peace the world will enjoy under that final superpower.

In that day Israel will be one of three with Egypt and Assyria—a blessing in the midst of the land, whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, “Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance.”

When you understand that Assyria in prophecy is modern Germany, you see that this is a beautiful picture of nations, once connected with the King of the North and the King of the South, now working alongside the people of Israel, with all three of them claimed as His own by Almighty God and His Son.

What a glorious day of peace Jesus Christ will bring to this world, when all human superpowers—past, present, and future—will be replaced forever by the Kingdom of God for all eternity.