“Paper Tiger” is an ancient Chinese expression that refers to something that appears to be strong, but is really weak. It appears to be very dangerous, but it is not dangerous at all. For many years, Communist China was called a “Paper Tiger,” but the expression no longer fits.

In November 2013, China got the world’s attention by announcing that it was establishing an Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) over a large area of the East China Sea. This ADIZ included a tiny group of islands that are thought to have rich mineral deposits, and that are surrounded by good fishing waters, and that have long been claimed by Japan and Taiwan as well as China. It is causing a really big problem, but the thing that I want to call to everyone’s attention is the assertiveness and belligerence of China.

In December 2013, China announced that it had landed a rover on the moon to explore its surface by taking pictures and soil samples and probing the ground with radar. Although the rover quickly ran into trouble, it should be noted that everything worked at first and China is one of only three nations to accomplish a soft landing on the moon. Doing this on her very first try was a great achievement and it clearly shows that China has made tremendous strides in science and technology.

In January 2014, China announced that it had successfully tested a hypersonic missile. Several nations got the jitters and some members of Congress even speculated that China has surpassed the U.S. in the development of this kind of weapon. That remains to be seen, but there is no doubt that former “Paper Tiger” has become stronger and more dangerous.

It was also announced in January 2014 that China is now the largest trading nation in the world. China traded more goods in 2013 than the U.S. This demonstrated China’s rising wealth, power and influence, and it alarmed some in the U.S. who said China now has money to build and modernize her military.

Having said this, I want to come to the real purpose of this article. Not everyone agrees, but many believe that China will lead a 200 million man army in an invasion of the Middle East during the Tribulation Period (Rev. 9:16). There were fewer than 200 million men on earth when this prophecy was written so fulfilling it in those days was impossible.

But in 1964, China shook the world of Bible prophecy by announcing that it could field a 200 million man armed and organized militia. The fact that the population of the earth had reached the point where one nation could field a Tribulation period size militia was seen by some as both significant and frightening. But others said China is a “Paper Tiger.” They said China doesn’t have the resources to move an army of this size into the Middle East. They said China’s army would have to cross some of the world’s highest mountains or China would have to build many ships to get to the Middle East.

Well guess what? A few weeks ago, it was reported that China has already signed a number of contracts worth billions of dollars with Pakistan to build a port on the eastern approach of the Persian Gulf near Iran and Saudi Arabia. The report said China is already in the early stages of building a network of roads, rail lines and pipelines from China to that port and these roads will shorten the distance for moving supplies from China to the Gulf.

Surprise! Surprise! When John the Revelator was in prison on the Isle of Patmos the earth didn’t have 200 million men. Now, China says she can come up with 200 million men; she is becoming assertive; technologically, militarily and financially capable; and she is building roads and railroads to move things to the Middle East. World leaders should be concerned, but they don’t know or believe Bible prophecy so they are unprepared.

FYI: God Has Spoken (And We Know It) by Daymond Duck is available, (linked to my publisher @ https://www.raptureready.com/terry/book17.html). Books and a Kindle version are available at amazon.com. A Nook version is available at bn.com. Check out what it says about Syria, Russia, Iran, Egypt, natural disasters, the Two-State Solution, etc.

Prophecy Plus Ministries
Daymond & Rachel Duck

“Asking for trouble” is a phrase that means behaving in a way that will likely cause you problems or behaving in a way that will backfire on you. It reminds me of something in the Bible:

“For the day of the LORD is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head” (Obadiah 1:15).

When the Tribulation period draws near what the unsaved try to do to Israel will be done unto them.

God is not dead. He is sovereign. He is holy. He judges with righteous judgment. At the end of the age, He will allow the unsaved to determine their own judgment by how they treat Israel. The actions of those who persist in harming Israel will come back on them because they are ignoring the Word of God.

Concerning the weather, God controls it. The Bible says, God “causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain; he bringeth the wind out of his treasuries” (Psalm 135:7). God controls the mist, lightning, rain and wind. The Bible also says, “Fire, and hail; snow, and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his word” (Psalm 148:8). God uses high temperatures, ice, snow, mist and wind to fulfill His Word. So, you see weather extremes might have something to do with Bible prophecy.

About four years ago, the U.S. was pushing Israel to negotiate a peace treaty with the PA to create a Palestinian state on the West Bank of Israel. The Bible warns against this, but U.S. Vice President Joe Biden traveled to Israel in March of 2010 to discuss it. Prime Minister Netanyahu came to this country in July of that same year to discuss it. Israel and the PA agreed to hold direct negotiations in September of that same year, but the negotiations quickly broke down. And about that time, a drought started to take hold in several southwestern states.

In 2011, President Obama continued to push the peace negotiations and he made several speeches in May calling for negotiations to begin based on Israel’s pre-1967 borders. The EU praised his position and the G-8 nations expressed strong support. The drought in the U.S. worsened, the price of hay soared, many ranchers were forced to slaughter their animals and the size of the U.S. cattle herd dropped sharply. There was a glut of beef on the market for awhile causing the price of beef to decline, but the price soon started up and it eventually hit an all-time-high.

In 2012, the U.S. election dominated politics and the pressure on Israel let up slightly. But the pressure wasn’t completely stopped and by then the drought had started spreading to California.

In 2013, John Kerry replaced Hillary Clinton as U.S. Secretary of State and he took over—totally obsessed with the idea of forcing a peace treaty on Israel. By the end of the year he had made almost a dozen trips to the Middle East to force Israel to accept the pre-1967 borders against the will of God.

To get Iran to the negotiating table over its nuclear weapons program, the U.S. linked up with the EU. The two promised to cut Israel down to size by isolating and weakening Israel. To get Israel to agree to the pre-1967 borders, Mr. Kerry got the EU to threaten to harm the economy of Israel by boycotting Israeli crops and manufactured products grown and produced on the West Bank. Mr. Kerry wanted the EU to slowly harm Israel’s economy at first, but he wanted them to ramp up the damage if the peace negotiations fail. He also warned Israel that the PA will start another intifada (rioting and demonstrating) if the Jews fail to sign a peace treaty.

Considering what God said in Obadiah 1:15, trying to cut Israel down to size is the same thing as asking God to cut the U.S. down to size. Trying to harm Israel’s economy is the same thing as asking God to harm the U.S. economy. Trying to harm Israel’s crops and industry is the same thing as asking God to harm U.S. crops and industry. And encouraging the PA to start another intifada in Israel is the same thing as asking God to send rioting and demonstrations in the U.S. God is not mean. He will just give the nations what they ask for.

Isn’t it interesting that while the U.S. is trying to weaken Israel the U.S. is losing allies left and right (Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, etc.)? And while the U.S. is trying to harm the economy of Israel the U.S. economy is tanking. And while the U.S. is urging the EU to boycott food grown on the West Bank of Israel the U.S. food supply is being threatened by the worst drought in California history.

In fact, the God who controls the rain and snow has shut up the heavens over California, but He has opened them up over Israel. California has received so little rain and snow that her reservoirs are dangerously low, she doesn’t have enough water to adequately irrigate her crops and several small communities could run out of water by this summer.

On the other hand, Israel has received so much rain and snow that her reservoirs are almost full and she has more than enough to irrigate her crops. She has even reduced the operation of her desalinization plants because she doesn’t need the water. The U.S. needs to pay attention to the Word of God and leave Israel alone. Things won’t get better if we keep asking for trouble.

FYI: God Has Spoken (And We Know It) by Daymond Duck is available (linked to my publisher @ https://www.raptureready.com/terry/book17.html). Books and a Kindle version are available at amazon.com. A Nook version is available at bn.com. Check out what it says about Syria, Russia, Iran, Egypt, natural disasters, the Two-State Solution, etc.

Prophecy Plus Ministries
Daymond & Rachel Duck