America has its stimulus package. Congress approved it–with virtually no member of Congress having read it– and President Obama signed it into law. Officially estimated as costing about $790 billion, it is really MUCH more expensive.
The Office of the Press Secretary released the text of a speech given by President Obama on February 17 in Denver, when signing the stimulus package. In the speech, Mr. Obama said: “Today does not mark the end of our economic troubles. Nor does it constitute all of what we must do to turn our economy around. But it does mark the beginning of the end…”
Even though Mr. Obama meant that in signing the stimulus package, we could see the beginning of a better economy (which is highly doubtful), his comments would be prophetically correct when understood quite differently. Is the United States seeing the beginning of the end of its prosperity? And more globally–is the end of this world in sight? Almost 2,000 years ago, Jesus Christ spoke of the “beginning of sorrows.” This would result in the END of this present EVIL civilization, when we see the true gospel preached in all the world as a witness (Matthew 24:8, 13-14). Have we reached this time? For more information, please read our free booklet, “The Gospel of the Kingdom of God.”
The downfall of the U.S. economy (on Thursday, the Dow Jones was the worst in six years) might be mirrored by the virtual bankruptcy of the state of California. Bickering politicians were unable, until Thursday morning, to approve a state budget–after 106 days without a budget. The new budget increases income and sales taxes. At the same time, freedom of speech is being suppressed in California’s schools and universities when those expressions of thought are not in line with “politically correct” ideas.
Germany is being asked to rescue Ireland and to help in rebuilding Iraq. At the same time, violent demonstrations of neo-Nazis and leftist activists occurred in Dresden, reminding us of frightful conditions rampant in pre-war Germany. The highest French court decided that the state of France was responsible for the deportation of many Jews in World War 2, but refused to grant further compensation for survivors, and while anti-Semitism may already be on the rise in Europe, Israel might be involved in covert sabotage in Iran.
A French and British submarine collided, “each laden with missiles powerful enough for 1,248 Hiroshima bombings.” Even though we are assured that no radio-active material was released, the frightening news is, in any event, that the “unthinkable” could have happened.
While Europe is muzzling its member states, with “no limits to the Eurocrats’ claim to power,” it is also obvious that Europe is still waiting for a strong unifying political and military leader. At the same time, we are reminded that 80 years ago, the Roman Catholic Church and Benito Mussolini signed the Lateran Treaty. This Pact established the Vatican City State, guaranteed Church independence, and declared Roman Catholicism as Italy’s state religion.
Finally, a seemingly harmless “domesticated” chimpanzee went on a brutal attack. Whatever the cause for its behavior, wild animals still possess wild natures. The time when the nature of wild animals will be truly changed has not yet quite arrived (compare Isaiah 11:6-9).
