What in the World is happening for Heaven's sake?

David Masson looks across the world stage and offers a view of what may be lying behind the upheavals around the planet in recent days.

Over the last few weeks there have been unprecedented events around the world.

The year started with the tsunami in Japan, which saw the biggest earthquake ever recorded in that country.

The uprisings of the 'Arab Spring' in North Africa and in many of the Middle East countries has seen heads of government being toppled or prosecuted with armies turning their weapons on their own people.

Then there was a mass murder of young people in normally trouble-free Norway and yet another famine in the Horn of Africa.

The stock markets throughout the World have been free fall and the economic crisis in Greece has forced the European Union to bail out the Greek economy yet again. Meanwhile question marks hang over other European countries in the euro zone.
Across the Altlantic the economy of the Unites States is in serious trouble over massive debt which is threatening not only that country but the whole financial system around the world.

Most recently we have witnessed the most serious riots and looting on the streets of British cities with even the very young being involved in acts of lawlessness, looting and extreme violence resulting in murder.

On 20 September, the nations of the world are being asked to vote to bring into being a Palestinian State embracing the West Bank and Gaza, resulting in Israel being left with indefensible borders. The Muslim world is uniting to force this issue: their avowed aim is to exterminate the Jewish state and to divide the capital Jerusalem; the city where God has 'caused His name to dwell (Ezra 6:12). Whatever the outcome of the vote, massive unrest is likely in the Middle East.

It seems that one of three things in happening in the World. Perhaps it is a combination of all three.

First: the political and financial leaders of the World have lost the ability to manage the world economy. Indeed they seem to be running out of solutions and are rushing from one crisis to another.

Second: the elite who control the financial institutions may be managing a crisis in order to bring into being a One World government and a One World currency. This is certainly their declared aim.

Third: the prophesy in Joel may be coming to pass as God brings the nations of the world into judgment for their division of His land (Joel 3:2) and their cursing of the Jewish people (Ps 83:4), who, despite their failings, are declared by God to be His people (Lev 26:12) – set apart for His purpose of bringing salvation to the World.

How will events unfold over the next few weeks? Time alone will tell but the Bible makes it clear in many places that God is sovereign in the affairs of men (Jer 1:12) and does everything for the honour of His own name (Jer 3:17). This is a time as never before to watch and pray (Mark 13:33).

David Masson is a retired lawyer who lives in the Scottish Highlands and leads teaching conferences for Christian leaders in Africa.

He established The Andrew Discipleship School, in Kampala and has just finished his first book called 'The Seven Spiritual Giants'. It is being translated ito Lugandan in Uganda, Swahili in Kenya and then printed in each country for distribution to the pastors and churches. He returned from a speaking visit to Norway just before the recent massacre.

David Masson, 16/08/2011