The former Soviet Union was a gigantic attempt to internationaliz e many nation states under the banner of international socialism, which failed within the margins of a generation or two following Stalin's death. The reality, if not the law or principle of Balkanization, invariably dethroned the audacious dream of international communism and/ or socialism which came at astronomical amounts of blood-letting to get there. What is not well appreciated in our presumed secular-progressivis t world is the the fallout of the Tower of Babel described in Genesis 10-11, where the Lord sent the Babylonian world of that day packing across the planet every which way very quickly (not by slow gradual evolution), replete with new languages and new environments in which to develop new cultures, is/was permanent.

Different nations and people groups and/ or tribes are recognized not only in the biblical apocalypse, the coming Messianic Kingdom of righteousness, but also in eternity as Revelation 20-21 makes so clear. Having rejected the Judeo-Christian worldview and its biblical heritage, the great debate/crisis in the early 20th century in Europe became over what kind of secularized progressivist socialism to have in the world now that God is practically dead - international Marxism/ Socialism or socialism within one's country as Fascism emphasized. Such a distinction, in some ways very minor from a theoretical point of view, led to the biggest world war in human history yet to date in World War II. It was a mini-apocalypse of sorts drenched in the political blood of secular Social Darwinisms which came from both sides in any and all the debates.

In spite of the present growing madness to internationaliz e the world once again since the end of the Cold War according to what perhaps may be at the very best described as some kind of trashy socialism of some sort along new 'evolutionary' paths that only speaks of distinctions when it sees Christians and Jews, the virus chaos quickly balkanized the world wherein many borders were closed or severely restricted to human traffic so that it quickly became every man for himself locked up in his own home in his own country. Internationalis ms always are based on very tenuous and temporary grounds. Thanks to the virus scare, balkanization has now even pried deeply into the United States as well between 'Left' and 'Right' with the 'Left' owning both coastlands with all of its economic and political clout in the big commercial cities vs. the heartland which still leans 'Right,' but is rapidly fading away thanks to the fact that the Judeo-Christian worldview and the Bible has lost its hold on all too many American hearts and minds.

What is not well understood even by prophecy teachers is this push and pull between internationalis m and nationalism which the Bible presumes throughout from Genesis to Revelation. Much the same could be said of the political analysis being bandied around today as well. This also means that nationalism by itself, is not good. It is usually bad. The more nationalism is internationaliz ed, the worse it gets, of course, but most nationalisms are barely better than the internationalis ms they oppose. The American experiment was the exception because it was strongly based on Judeo-Christian Protestant values that are no longer really with us. More to the point, the same progressivist forces which created secular nationalisms all over Europe to get away from Catholicism, now want to re-unite Europe into a new technocratic utopia. Religious totalitarianism is being replaced with political totalitarianism . Such are the bitter fruits of profaning the world along secularist lines.

In light of such history since the Tower of Babel, it thus should not be surprising that Jesus specifically teaches in the Olivet Discourse, which predicts what is otherwise known as the Great Tribulation everywhere warned of throughout the the Old Testament, that "Nation will rise up against nation." The Apostle John then tells us even the Antichrist with all of his demonic authority and powers will still have a very difficult time through lots of warfare to take complete control of the world - and then when he finally does, wars will still continue, and his absolute reign of terror will be at most for 3 1/ 2 years as Revelation 13-19 makes clear. The push and pull and nationalism vs. internationalism is thus at the very heart even of the apocalypse itself and needs to be understood much better than is usually discussed. In the very place where civilization began, Babylon in Genesis 10-11, will be the same place that history will end in Revelation 17-19.

Such will be our great themes for the next few weeks as we have begun teaching the book of Revelation in Yerevan now for Dr. Ron Minton's International Baptist Bible College (IBBC). IBBC college modules meet usually 3-4 times a year in a number of locations in the former Soviet Union. It provides very fertile opportunities to practice what many have called "cross-cultural mission" work. I just finished a course on Proverbs for IBBC in Ukraine last week, and have started Revelation for IBBC now in Armenia. While it is not easy to balance such ministry demands as the former Soviet Union becomes more and more balkanized, I am still greatly honored and humbled to have the opportunity to do so, particular in today's very restricted suffocating atmosphere.

Furthermore, the apostle Paul tells us how to accomplish all this in 1st Corinthians 9:19-23 using grace and liberty to do so, "Though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it." In other words, contrary to popular opinion, grace and liberty are not a license to sin that all so many typically denigrate both for like a knee-jerk reaction, whether religiously or politically. On the contrary, grace and liberty are to be used for service. In other words, love that is not voluntary does not usually come across too well (Galatians 5:13-14).

I would even strongly venture to say the primary reason why service is now being limited these days is largely because all too many, including all too many of God's own people, have turned their backs on grace and liberty. What does a world look like without grace and liberty? Well, take a look around these days and open your eyes and take a good hard look at where we are at as we have entered into the realm of what can easily be characterized as bio-security. Biopolitics was big politics in fascist yesteryear under the banner of National Socialism. I assume that eco-security is next on the list from what I can see, and is actually the bigger prize as far as our world elites are concerned. It looks like bio-security will be used to accomplish eco-security? Converging biopolitics with political ecology is a pipe dream that has not been seriously attempted since the National Socialists combined eugenics with sustainable development and environmentalis m.

We live in such serious times and have been left completely exposed to a plethora of so many dangers on the horizon religiously, politically, economically, socially, and psychologically speaking far beyond the present medical concerns of it all. It even appears the crown virus madness has done permanent damage? I hope and pray not, but so far, I have yet to see any serious decisions being made to recover what has been lost. Jesus tells the church of Sardis of John's day that He is coming like a thief. He thus encourages the church of Thyatira in spite of its many compromises, "Nevertheless what you have, hold fast until I come (Rev. 2:25). " Jesus also warns the church of Philadelphia, "I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown (Rev. 3:11)." The Lord has big plans for us, but we need to finish the race.

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