Time of Distress (20) - Different Battle

This battle will be different from previous world wars. It will often be a personal struggle between political leaders.

For most of history, war was a personal struggle between one king and another, with each being supported by a small retinue of followers. Most kings could not afford a large number of troops, so the armies involved were quite small. Battles could last for several years, but were usually quite localised. Ordinary people did not get involved in war, unless they lived close to the battlefield. The greatest threat to their lives came from looting soldiers who had not been paid or supplied with provisions.

The nature of warfare changed dramatically during the nineteenth century with the development of total war. The emergence of nationalism changed war from a contest between two kings into a struggle between nations. Kings fought over territory. Nations tend to fight over causes, and everyone in the nation is drawn into the war effort by reducing their consumption and manufacturing equipment for the army. Civilians became the target for artillery and bombs. In total war, civilian casualties often exceed the number of military casualties.

As the Time of Distress gets underway, wars between nations will morph into personal struggles between political and military leaders (Dan 11). Assassinating evil political and military leaders will be morally acceptable. Personal attacks against undesirable political leaders will be an effective tool for projecting the Beast’s power in the world. The fear of a personal strike will cause many hostile leaders to submit to the Beast.

The weapons of war will change.

• Concentrating large numbers of infantry in one place will be superfluous.

• Sophisticated military weapons will have made personal warfare viable.

• Unmanned predator drones will intimidate the people by reminding them that they are under surveillance and under threat of attack. They will only kill a few people, but will torment many (Rev 9:1-6).

• Independent mobile strike teams will be efficient tools for strategic assassinations.

• Remotely controlled weapons will project power of across great distance.

• Many military engagements take place been combatants on different continents.

• Targeted missiles will strike against military targets and strategic assets.

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.