Time of Distress (19) - ►The Big Battle

The epochal event that marks the end of the Time of the Distress is a Big Battle.

When the Time of Distress is getting very distressing, the last remaining political powers in the world will engage in a battle to the death.

• The Battle will emerge out of series of skirmishes between the Western beast and the Islamic powers.

• Trade wars will break out in various places.

• Control of oil fields will become a big issue.

• Minor military powers will try to gain control of local trade routes and shipping lanes.

• China will take advantage of the situation and push into Central Asia to secure control of minerals and oil.

• The Western beast will be used to getting its own way. It will begin a series of confrontations, assuming that it old enemies will be intimidated and back down, as in the past. This time their enemies will push back.

• The Islamic nations will want to punish the Beast for its policies while controlling the Promised Land. They will believe it has not gone far enough, so they will attack the Beast where it is exposed in Israel (Dan 11:40-45).

• The Eastern powers will be tired of being pushed around by the Western Beast and will decide to have a go at the Beast too (Rev 16:12-14).

• The Islamic nations will attack Israel to plunder and loot the precious metals that were stored there during earlier economic crises (Ezek 38:12-13).

• The major players in the big battle will be the Beast, representing the Western powers, the Islamic nations inspire by the Prince of Persia, and the powers from the East. Russia is too weak to be more than a bit player in these struggles.

The Old Testament prophets focus on the combat that occurs in Israel, because that was their interest, but the battle will take place on a much broader scale. It will affect many of the cities in the world (Rev 16:19). The confrontation in Israel will be a small part of a much larger battle.