“Keep your shirts on; keep the lights on! Be like the house servants waiting for their master to come back from his honeymoon, awake and ready to open the door when he arrives and knocks. Lucky the servants whom the master finds on watch! He’ll put on an apron, sit them at the table, and serve them a meal, sharing his wedding feast with them. It doesn’t matter what time of the night he arrives; they’re awake–and so blessed! You know that if the house owner had known what night the burglar was coming, he wouldn’t have stayed out late and left the place unlocked. So don’t you be lazy and careless. Just when you don’t expect him, the Son of Man will show up.”
Luke 12:35-40 – The Message
Last week, I completed another study of the Old Testament, and it sparked this share. It kept spinning in my head and I dragged my feet a bit because – well, who am I really? I’m no expert. Sometimes when I write I wonder who I’m doing this for but then the Lord will lift me up in only the way He can. As it turns out though, dragging my feet this time scored a bonus because even an amateur theologian can see world events just keep rolling into moving pieces of prophecy.
Did anyone catch 60 Minutes this past Sunday? 60 Minutes – Episodes, interviews, profiles, reports and 60 Minutes Overtime – CBS News Norah O’Donnell reported on the United States’ response to China’s movement against Taiwan and China’s bullying of international waters.
“They are preparing for the possibility of war,” Ms. O’Donnell shares with us. Her report goes on to tell that per the CIA’s best guess, China’s goal is to take back Taiwan by force by 2027. (Minute 4:35 of the clip.)
So, is the US ready enough for war against China?
It sounds like a crap shoot to me.
China currently has the largest Navy in the world (minute 6:59), but their aircraft carrier capability doesn’t match that of the US.
China has 9,000 miles of coastline (minute 11:07), which if you continue listening, sounds like it makes up for what they don’t have in actual sea fleet.
Ms. O’Donnell goes on to share one naval scholar’s comparison of “China vs. US” to a “boxing match,” (minute 12:56), “much longer arms [China] than their potential opponent [the US].”
The US’ advantage over the PLA Rocket Force is its attack submarines (minute 13:30).
And as can often occur before conflict happens, there is lack of communication between the parties (minute 14:26).
There is “unease” among top US leaders and military strategists “both about the size of the US fleet and its readiness to fight” (minute 17). Listen on in the report to hear how the US’ Naval fleet is retiring ships faster than they can be replaced, while China’s fleet grows larger and stronger.
“Do the numbers matter?” (Minute 18:09).
As the report continues, there is concern “that under the Navy’s current plan, the fleet will shrink to 280 ships by 2027, the same year the CIA says China has set for having the capability to take Taiwan by force.” (Minute 18:58).
One scholar informs that “China will have about 440 ships by 2030.”
China has more shipyards than the US for building capability (minute 24:19).
The US Navy has a “multiyear backlog repairing the ships in the fleet.” (Minute 24:55.)
To modernize the US fleet for unmanned warfare – drones – the approximate year is 2045 (minute 26:14).
“The navy’s total budget request for fiscal year 2024 is over a quarter of a trillion dollars. An eleven million dollar increase from last year. The focus in on China.” (Minute 27:30.)
“The global economy literally floats on seawater,” was the concluding statement of the report.
In Zechariah Chapter 10 we learn about the Lord’s Spirit leaving the beloved temple. When I reread that account, I wondered if God’s Spirit could leave a nation today, like the United States. Here’s my best find on that, start it at minute 12:17 (55) Has God Turned His Back On the United States? – YouTube. Phew, that’s a relief.
But is the United States under judgment? Many pastors and theologians think so. Here’s one pastor’s take – Pastor John MacArthur: It’s ‘Too Late’ for America, We’re under Judgment – Milton Quintanilla (christianheadlines.com)
Ezra’s book is about spiritual restoration. He helped to lead the second group of Jewish people headed back into the Promised Land from their exile in Babylon. Ezra’s message is that when we depart from God, we lose our experience of Him. When we return to Him, He will restore us to fellowship with Him.
“Now then make confession to the LORD, the God of your fathers and do his will.
Separate yourselves from the people of the land and from the foreign wives.”
Ezra 10:11 – ESV
It’s an age-old battle that we’re going through in our country – but we’re not paying attention because…
“What was will be again, what happened will happen again.
There’s nothing new on this earth. Year after year it’s the same old thing.”
Ecclesiastes 1:9 – The Message
Hum, it’s the same old thing – that is until Jesus comes.
“It will seem like all hell has broken loose—sun, moon, stars, earth, sea, in an uproar and everyone all over the world in a panic,
the wind knocked out of them by the threat of doom, the powers-that-be quaking. And then—then! – they’ll see the Son of Man
welcomed in grand style – a glorious welcome! When all this starts to happen, up on your feet.
Stand tall with your heads high. Help is on the way.”
Luke 25-28 – The Message
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