What stopped Saddam was America with the spirit of God’s truth to be as applicable today as ever in overcoming the forces of evil. Our action is the continuation of the Pre-Endtime role of an Apocalyptic White Horseman which a friend of mine, David Belcher, Jr., the youngest captain in the Vietnam war, and I, realized was winning the war against Communism under then President Reagan. This was our view sixteen years ago.

We came to this conclusion, independently of each other, on Fri., Dec.23, 1988, one year before the Berlin Wall came down and freedom’s forces prevailed. My friend heard David Brinkley, a White House Correspondent during 50 years of the cold war, extol the president in a "Farewell Interview" for his campaign in the cold war. On that same day I read an article on the front page of the Wall Street Journal on Reagan’s role in fulfilling an “Ideology for all Seasons.” My thought was an “Ideology for all Nations” and for the first time I realized the spread of Democracy might be the Endtime goal of the White Horseman.

Two months before that David Belcher had asked me what was symbolized by Seal One. I didn’t know and also didn't believe it could be the Antichrist. But when I called him on Christmas Eve with my answer, he said he had come to the same conclusion the night before after listening to Brinkley and Reagan. Two witnesses to the meaning of “Seal One” just might be, could be, the truth.

I think, with Arafat’s death and Bush’s re-election, God continues the White Horseman’s Ideology. I have believed America is fulfilling its Pre-Endtime role. Endtime events begin with Seal Two’s Red Horse Rider “taking peace from the earth.” Between the actions of these two Horsemen, America may forfeit its leadership to global government under Mystery Babylon the Great as described in Rev.17:5-18.

Revelation reveals much about the Endtime of which Daniel was so much concerned. He spent time in prayer in order to know more about Israel’s future and that of the Saints at the “End of Time.” Dan. 7:25; Dan.12:4-7. The word Saints is mentioned 6 times in Daniel 7, more than any chapter of the Bible!

The Ideology of those waging the war of Seal One’s White Horseman must prevail against terrorist insurgents. Peace will then come to the Middle East. In the November issue of Senior Experience at First Baptist Church of Norfolk a year ago I wrote:

“Why are some European nations opposing our efforts in the war against Iraq? Is it because they wish to regulate the terms of global government? Europeans want to share sovereignty without America’s determination to give the benefits of democracy to Iraq. Overcoming terrorists is America’s agenda, not theirs.”

[With Arafat’s death, I am afraid of the U.S. backing of E.U. and U.N. pressure for Israel to make more concessions to Arabs in return for their support on Iraq and Iran and perhaps Syria.]  

“Jesus predicted wars will exist until the End of the Age. God will allow mankind to seek global rule on terms that unite all religions, rulers and regimes under the canopy of the Vatican at Rome. But divine judgment upon the harlotry of such global action will bring sudden destruction by Ten Kings who ‘hate’ Democracy, the Jews and Christianity. After confiscating its international System, they fulfill Daniel’s prophecy and control all nations by ‘changing times and laws for 42 months.’” Rev.17:16; Dan.7:25; Rev.13:5. 

In the January issue of Senior Experience I wrote: “In my view, before Antichrist can be the Beast of world power at Jerusalem, all nations will commit ‘fornication with Mystery Babylon’ at Rome. She will unite religions and regimes in a global governance before Antichrist plays the recognizable role to take peace from earth and desecrate the Jewish Temple. Rev.11:1-2; Rev.6:3-4; Matt.24:15.

"The Lawless One will be ‘one of many’ who agree to Babylon’s peacemaker role that lasts a `short time’ until God removes the restraint against lawlessness and allows him to `take peace from earth.’” [Pre-Endtime events of Rev.17:1-18 and 2 Thess.2:6-7 precede Endtime events of Rev.13:1-18.] 

“I believe the victory over state-supported terrorism will lay the groundwork for the next Pope to persuade the Mullahs and all religions and rulers to agree to a new world order. The present Pope and Democratic presidential candidate are against the war in Iraq. Nevertheless, the war with terrorism must be won, I believe, before Babylon the Great unites the world.” [So it makes sense that America should bring the terrorist insurgents under control first.]

“Mystery Babylon must rule the kings of earth before the Beast comes up from the Abyss to ‘make war against the Saints for 42 months.’ Peace and great prosperity under her rule precedes the 1260-day Endtime. Ten Kings will hate and destroy the City in one hour and confiscate the Network.” Rev.17:16; Rev.18:8,10,17,19. [Believers, refusing to invest in the System, will be ready for God’s judgment on lawful human government. Rev.18:4-8.]   

In the May issue of Senior Experience I wrote: “Democratic nations champion the principles of lawful government. But the Endtime apostasy that arises under Babylon the Great, before the Lawless One is revealed, must be ‘taken out of our midst’ by God’s judgment. That's why, after allowing Ten Kings, who hate the Harlot, to ‘burn the City in one hour and eat her flesh’ (confiscate the System), `God will put into their minds to agree to give their power and authority to the Beast for 42 months and to make war’ against Jews and the Saints.” Rev.17:16-18; Rev.12:12-17; Rev.13:5-7; Dan.7:21-25. 

Christianity’s lethargy in parts of the world deepens apostasy and demonstrates why “judgment begins at the household of God.” I Pet.4:7. As democratic nations seek peace but make concessions to godless nations that oppose our values, Mystery Babylon’s harlotry will sacrifice freedoms to appease those who despise Judaism and Christianity. Investment in the System will bring devastation. It will be a union of Satan’s inspiration …awaiting destruction and confiscation by Ten Kings who hate Democracy. Yet God can inspire them to “give their (oil) power and authority to the Beast.” Rev.17:17.

As long as America continues to uphold the principles of Democracy, Christians will enjoy some freedom to preach the Gospel to the nations. Subduing evil forces that would destroy our freedoms will be curtailed after compromising principles for the sake of global government under Mystery Babylon. The most devastating judgment on lawful human government sees God inspiring these fractious rulers to agree and destroy us.

We saw in 1973 the effect of a Mideast oil embargo upon our economy and way of life. History’s greatest holocaust will be recognized as a judgment that prepares all Believers to be totally faithful to God. Freedom to spread the Gospel will cease for having “mixed” principles with ideologies opposed to the Gospel. Dan.2:40-44.  "Here’s the patience of Saints keeping God’s word and the faith of Jesus.” Rev.14:12.

Biblical expositors realize that Mystery Babylon is both a City and global System; but not that the City will be destroyed twice. Destruction of the City by fire is one of five Catalysts of Endtime events. But on the Lastday God will destroy the City and System by history’s greatest quake. Its aftershocks will cause the global System of earth’s cities to disappear. Mountains will collapse and the islands will move out of their places…when the 7^th Trumpet sounds that “God’s wrath has come.” Rev.6:14; Rev.16:18-21.

That's why I am especially concerned with 100 verses in Revelation that describe events on the Day Christ comes in glory. At the first sound of the 7th Trumpet, the final 38 of these 100 verses brings Babylon’s 2nd fall and the “rejoicing in heaven” and Christ’s immediate descent to gather all the Saints and totally destroy His enemies. Events from Rev.14:1 to Rev.15:5 occur before the Three-Act Drama of Rev.7, Seal 7 and Trump 7.

The "Last Trump" proclaims the time for “judgment and rewards to the Saints has come.” Rev.11:15-18. The rejoicing in heaven ensues from Rev.18:20 to Rev.19:10. Then, I believe, it will sound for Jesus to "gather the dead in Christ first." I Thess.4:16. With Jesus having gathered the Elect from "earth to heaven on the four winds, the great trumpet will sound (a third time) for the angels to gather the Elect," both the living and the dead, "out of the same four winds from all extremities of the heavenS" and from around the globe to the Synagogue in the Sky. Mark 13:27; Matt.24:31. From that vantage point, the "Lord will consume the wicked by the spirit of His mouth and by the outshining of His presence bring to nothing the operation of Satan." 2 Thess.2:1,8.

The Beast will subdue all nations and persecute the Saints; but on the Lastday, God will destroy him right after Rev.7’s Testimony, Seal 7’s Tribunal and Trump 7’s Triumph. Rev.7:9 to Rev.8:5 and Rev.11:15-19. Only after the last Plagues empties does the smoke of God’s glory and power clear from the Temple for the Drama of the Tabernacle of Testimony. The Drama begins as soon as the Martyrs and 144,000 Jews sing their songs. Rev.14:3-4; Rev.15:3-4. The text flows retroactively from Rev.15:5 to Rev.7:9.

The Plagues will have “exhausted God’s patience and manifested His righteous deeds.” Rev.15:1,4. With the wicked incarcerated in the "winepress of God’s great anger" by the Son of Man, a Great and Wonderful Sign appears in heaven. Rev.14:19; Rev.15:1. The Martyrs and Firstfruit of the living harvest sing their songs and the Three-Act Temple Drama ensues. This will occur on one of three nights of a full moon. The Feast of Tabernacles, though it varies by up to three days, is almost always at a full moon.

The Testimony of Rev.7:9-17, Tribunal of Seal 7 and Triumph of Trump 7 result in the vindication, victory and vengeance by Christ for the Saints redeemed from all the ages! Believers, and millions of earth’s tribes who beg for mercy will be “kept alive and kept from the hour of trial coming on all the inhabitants on all the face of all the earth.” Matt.24:30; Luke 17:33; Rev.3:10; Luke 21:35-36.

“Every eye beholds Jesus coming and those who pierced Him" sharing in His glory and witnessing God’s loving-kindness suddenly embracing mankind as never before! The tribes of earth will mourn and of these "every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father." But the eyes of the wicked will melt in their sockets and their knees will buckle as their flesh deteriorates in the Hour of Trial. Every knee will bow, willingly or not, and their blasphemous words will forever  reverberate in the hollow echoes of Hell. Rev.1:7; Phil.2:10-11.   Mel