What

next?

Unless there are greater cataclysms to come, 2002 will be remembered simply as the year that followed 2001. What does the current state of play 'post Manhattan' suggest as a shape for the approaching New Year?

Two members of

PT's editorial board

prayerfully read

between the

headlines

2002

...if Christians...

Writing for Prophecy Today does not constrain the Lord to reveal the future to you! But current trends seem at least to hint where the battle-lines might be drawn in the coming year.

At home there seems no sign of a halt in the moral decline of the nation, and we must pray that this itself might provoke a response of repentance. There are signs of greater political disillusionment as New Labour’s ‘Purer than pure’ government continues to tolerate sleaze and undermine democracy. Cynicism will increase as its ‘Ethical Foreign Policy’ slowly succumbs to British self-interest. Recession is likely to curtail the promised renewal of public services, and as their coal-face workers increasingly abandon the pit to its fate chaos will grow.

Deliverance is only likely to come if Christians do what they were called to do—to bring what is dark into the light. This means to walk according to the word of Christ (which means to study it and live it), and to hold it out to the world (which means to proclaim it).

Internationally I do not know whether Islamic terrorism, and the Western reaction to it, will escalate or peter out. But despite the hopes of the liberally-minded, I believe that the ideological divide between Islam and the West is more likely to deepen than dissolve. Enough has been said during the recent conflict to show that, even apart from Al Qaida, a substantial proportion of Muslim opinion is deeply hostile to Western democracy and America in particular.

But this covers an even deeper hostility—which goes back to the Qur’an itself—to the Gospel of Christ, and to the nation of Israel. Christians must recognise this and accept their share of suffering, or risk being asleep on the Day of the Lord.

Jon Garvey

Calls for world government

In Matthew 24, Jesus describes the signs of the times and the end of the age. Every generation since the Early Church has rightly thought that it might be the last generation. With the existence of Israel, the spread of the gospel, and increased persecution, Christians today need to be particularly aware that we might see Jesus’ return, and be discerning.

If so, we should expect events worldwide to worsen—(see v22). The events of September 11 2001 will be seen as a key birth pang in that return. While this was an act of immense evil against New York, it is precisely this sort of event which will result in calls for world government, and the New World Order will become much more of a reality.

Yet, despite a great emphasis on security lawlessness will increase and everyone will do what is right in his own eyes. This will make it very difficult to govern. Being a Christian will become much more difficult, as will proclaiming that Jesus is unique (John 14:6). Persecution will be a reality. We should expect Islam to have a more favoured status in Britain compared with now, with sharia law governing Muslims.

This will contribute to arise in ethnic and religious tension: further urban violence should be expected, which would be exacerbated by a recession. 2002 will see major steps towards cohabiting and same sex relationships receiving virtually identical rights with marriage. The final taboo – incest – is also likely to be challenged. There will be moves to legalise euthanasia, and to deregulate embryonic and genetic testing. Catastrophes – or acts of God – will become more commonplace, with possibly the destruction of a major city. Britain will become a secular country in all but name, but crime (and obviously sin) will increase. All of this – and much more – will incur God’s wrath and judgement.

In such judgement, will we continue our own ways, or will we repent? The evidence to suggest the latter is not great, unless things get so desperate that there is no alternative.

David Lindsay