Musings on the Election
By
Dene McGriff
Gee, I couldn’t resist. A chance every four years to opine! Two and a half weeks to go before the U.S. Presidential election. So first the caveat. You should vote if the Lord leads you to. I won’t. My citizenship is out of this world. Just thought I would let you know.
If I were a voting man, I would ask a lot of questions. Did the administration respond appropriately immediately after 9/11? Did they really pursue the war against terror in Afghanistan or did they divert needed resources into Iraq? Have they really supported local police and fire in making America safer at home? Has Bush really supported education? Health care? Seniors? Veterans? Have his economic policies really been responsible? Lowering interest rates? Balance of trade? Tax cuts - who really benefited? Energy policy - who's side is he on? Is the world safer today than four years ago? Does our foreign policy help or hurt our image in the world? What are the root causes of terrorism? Did we help or hinder their cause by going into Iraq? Jobs - what kind of jobs were created? What kind were lost? Why didn't Bush ever veto a single spending bill? Who benefited? Have they doctored unemployment statistics or do they report accurately? How can they say there is no inflation? Again, are their statistics accurate or doctored? Did our homes really double in value? Are people better off today or more in debt? What are the long term ramifications of this debt? Are the large number of sick soldiers in Iraq sick because of scattered nerve agents (per an article in this morning's Sacto Bee) or because of nuclear poisoning from using nuclear hardened bombs, artillery and tank shells? How much does the Karzai government really have control in Afghanistan? What about the oil pipeline going across Afghanistan - how did that figure in? Is poppy production doing well? Who benefits and why? Who has benefited most from Bush's policies overall - business interests or people? Seniors or pharmaceutical companies?-- Drivers or oil companies (that just had a 42% increase in profits - all time highs)? Is it a coincidence that Halliburton went from the 37th to the 7th largest American corporation? Did we really provide our soldiers with all of the support they need and deserve in Iraq and Afghanistan? What will the long term effect be of the budget and trade deficits? How about the asset bubbles because of low interest rates? Is the dollar stronger today than it was four years ago? Will it be stronger or weaker in another four years? Were the draconian features of the Patriot Act necessary? Were they that effective in controlling terrorism? Are we safer today? Does Bush treat demonstrators and others who oppose his policies with the respect accorded by the bill of rights?
Now we have to ask similar questions about Kerry. Will he really be for the little guy or the elites and corporations that support him? Will his foreign policy really change? Will the elites allow him to exit Iraq? Will he soften the Patriot Act and bring back the Constitution? (I doubt it. He wrote some of the more onerous parts of it). Will he curb the deficits? Will he stand against globalization and outsourcing? Will he be any better at managing government spending? The economy? The answer to these and other questions you may pose is that it probably won’t matter much. God has an agenda and a timetable and nothing can stop it.
Let’s look at prophecy. We know that the world is building toward the Gog-Magog War – a clash between the Western world and Islam, followed by a treaty to defend the nation of Israel. One thing the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have done is move us much closer to that war. The U.S. recently sold 500 bunker buster bombs to Israel which are presumably there to take out Iran’s underground nuclear facilities. All of this is a build up to the first great conflict prior to the beginning of Daniel’s 70th week. (please note, the Battle of Armageddon occurs at the seven year period).
This will all lead to a great conflict between Islam, Israel and the armies of the antichrist. Once the war is over, she may not have much left to defend herself with. Israel has never signed a defense treaty with any nation (they frankly don’t trust anyone but themselves) but once they have used up all of their offensive weaponry (nuclear included), they will not be in a very good position to defend themselves. At this point in time, the antichrist and ruler of that nation that just bailed them out, will sign a treaty (Daniel 9:27), which according to the great theologians of the past such as Pentecost, Ironsides, Barnhouse, Walvoord, etc., marks the beginning of the final seven year period know as the tribulation.
So what may the upcoming presidential election mean? If Bush is reelected, he will probably continue his wars of conquest in the Middle East against Syria, Iran, etc. which will further enrage the Islamic world against the U.S. and Israel. The resulting war will more likely come sooner rather than later. If Kerry is elected, he may take a more moderate, globalist, coalition building approach which may buy us some time. In the end it won’t matter that much one way or the other.
Brothers and sisters, there is a prophetic calendar. Just as history moved inexorably to the first coming of our Lord and all the historic events happened right on time and according to God’s plan, in the same manner, those great events foretold thousands of years ago by the prophets like Daniel and John, will occur. The down payment is that tiny little nation, Israel, which is such a thorn in the side of all the nations of the earth who rail against her.
And what is our role in all of this? Throughout the Book of Revelation we are referred to as “witnesses” – people who have a “testimony”. The root word in Greek for both words (witness and testimony) is “marturia”. “As a witness (martyr) we overcome by the blood of the lamb, by the word of our testimony (marturia) and we love not our lives unto death.” (Revelation 12:11) REI, SUV Christianity aside, only those who are willing to lay down there lives for their Lord will count in eternity. There is no stopping the march of the prophetic time table or the intent and purpose of God to have two glorious, overcoming witnesses in the last days.
So the outcome in the coming election won’t matter all that much. My prayer is that we learn to live today with eternity in view. Seeing the glory ahead will make the trials and sufferings coming upon the entire earth bearable. If only each of us could peek into the near future and then gaze a few years hence into eternity, we may be able to steel ourselves and prepare for the difficult days ahead.