October 26, 2007
America, The Future Will Not Be Like The Past
Commentary by Jack Kelley

It's been said that nations derive their income from taxing their citizens whereas empires derive their income from taxing nations. Where the US is concerned, this taxation has come in the form of an inflated dollar, caused by the monopoly it has enjoyed where the purchase of oil is concerned.

In 1972 President Nixon made an agreement with Saudi Arabia that in return for a pledge of security and protection the Saudis would influence OPEC to accept only dollars for the purchase of oil. This has required nations to maintain larger supplies of dollars then they normally would have, increasing the world wide demand for dollars. A year earlier, Nixon had taken the dollar off the gold standard. Now he was saying that while they could no longer expect gold for their dollars they could buy oil with them. This allowed the dollar's value to fluctuate according to demand, instead of being fixed at the rate of $35 per ounce of gold. As the law of supply and demand took effect, the dollar's value relative to other currencies increased. The US then used these inflated dollars purchase goods from other nations. The effect of all this was that the US has been able to purchase as much as $1.25 worth of goods for every dollar it spends. In this way, the US has collected its tax from the nations of the world.

As we all know from our our personal finances, what begins as a bonus can soon become a requirement if we're not careful. So has it been with the US economy, until now we can only make ends meet if we continue to collect this “tax” by keeping the dollar monopoly on oil purchases.

About 17 months ago I first wrote that Iran was going to break this monopoly by offering to accept payment for its oil in other currencies. Its customers would no longer be required use dollars to purchase Iranian oil. I said that if Iran could pull this off, the nations of the world would no longer have to maintain a large supply of dollars, but would begin selling them off in exchange for other currencies. As this happened the law of supply and demand would begin working against the dollar causing a decline in its value.

The thing that makes all this so confusing is that currencies no longer have absolute values like they did in the good old days. Back then all the currencies of the world derived their value in comparison to the dollar which derived its value in comparison to an ounce of gold which was fixed at $35.00. When the dollar went off the gold standard we were left with only relative value based on supply and demand.

When Iran began accepting other currencies the dollar's monopoly was broken and its value began declining. The Euro benefited most from this and as an example of Iran's success, in October of 2003 you could buy 1 Euro for $1.19. By the end of 2006 it took $1.31 and on Oct. 11, 2007 one Euro cost $1.43.

Iran hasn't done this alone, but certainly started the attack against the dollar. Russia, China, and Venezuela have all helped out. And recently Japan's three largest refineries announced that they've begun paying for Iranian oil in Yen. Some are calling this the currency cold war, saying that what America's enemies couldn't do militarily, they've begun to accomplish in the financial markets. China alone holds 1.3 trillion in US dollar assets. Dumping these assets is being called China's nuclear option because of the devastating effect it would have on the US Economy. Recently China and Japan led one of the biggest sell-offs of US dollar assets in history.

Financial experts warn that the dollar is still over valued and will likely face further adjustments, and the head of the International Monetary Fund warned of an abrupt fall in the dollar's value due to a growing lack of confidence in the US currency. Honestly we can't blame Iran alone for our situation. Our staggering debt load, the spiraling rate of home mortgage foreclosures, the War on Terrorism and our general credit crisis have all contributed. And the rate of our moral decay has certainly disqualified us from receiving any help from God.

America has recovered from financial difficulties before, and may well do so again. And certainly there's no immediate fear that we'll go to bed one night with money in the bank and wake up the next morning to find that it's all worthless. But never before has America had an enemy like Iran, whose president is admittedly orchestrating world-wide chaos in an all out attempt to hasten the return of al Mahdi, his Messiah. Never before has any national leader said that he'd gladly sacrifice his country and his people in such a pursuit. And the only obstacle standing in his way is the USA.

There's no prophecy in the Bible that points to an end times conflict of such proportions as that which is looming between Iran and the US. But there is one that pits Iran against Israel, and many think that it's just over the horizon. Even the secular press in Israel has begun to sense it, saying the next war will be the Gog-Magog war of the Bible. The only thing preventing an attack on Israel is the fear of US retaliation. Something has to be done to get us out of the way, and soon.

The US government has just imposed even more stringent economic sanctions against Iran, a move that Iranian officials say is tantamount to a declaration of war, and obligates them to respond. Will they cripple us militarily through a series of attacks against our forces in the Middle East? Or will they break our national will with devastating terrorist attacks here at home? Or beat us financially, by destroying our currency? We're clearly vulnerable on all these fronts.

Or will the King of the Universe decide that America's “15 minutes of fame” is up and suddenly strip our country of its Christian component leaving countless military and civilian leadership and support positions vacant, rendering the country confused and leaderless?

One of these options will likely take place soon, since America plays no obvious role in End Times prophecy. Even those who see us there, see us as Mystery Babylon, destroyed in a single day, in one hour. We are not specifically listed among either the participants or the observers in Ezekiel's battle. Our presence cannot be detected among the forces of the Kings of the North or the South, nor do we appear with the Kings of the East. And there is no King of the West. It's truly remarkable that a nation having enjoyed the power, the prosperity, and the influence of the US is primarily distinguished at the End of the Age by its absence.

And so the future will not be like the past, and life doesn't just go on. We who are believers must finally and unreservedly shift our allegiance to our coming King, and make ready our place in His Kingdom, the one that will never be destroyed nor will it be given to another people. It will crush all those other kingdoms and bring them to an end. But it will itself endure forever. (Daniel 2:44)

..................................................benny

America not playing a role?????????? That is debatable.


We are mentioned in Ezekiel 38 as one of the villages of Tarshish , or one of the lions depending on what version you read.

You have to go back to Genesis 10 to understand this.

One of the sons of Javan (Greece) is Tarshish , the meri-time people. We (Americans) are a decendant of Tarshish.

Oh, Benny.

The world has been ruled by Washington for many many years.
America is Babylon of the End-times, there is no doubt about it.

This issue must be debated, because if you can't see the obvious...

It is hard for this debate to settle. Because from an American's point of view we are looking from within America to the outside. We see things differently. We do not see all the things our government does to other countries. Most Americans only see what our media tells us and we all know to take them with a grain of salt. But being outside the U.S. and seeing us from afar makes us seem different. When we are all comfy in America we don't look at America like a bully or Empire, because we know everyday citizens, some are the best most loving people you could ever meet. We just look at our government as elected official that we do or do not agree with. BUt we are not the brunt of our Governments attacks. Yall are. The rest of the world see America in a whole other light than do us who live here. The way most see us they would have no problem see us as Babylon. When I leave this country, I look on the T.V. from afar and they are talking about the US and she looks totaly different when you're not there. America seems kinda like Rome would have seemed to others from far away. Realy big and powerful, great in some ways, but overbearing and over present in other ways. I love the freedoms and way of life I enjoy in this great country. But as I saw someone say on another post. It is indeed time to place you allegance with JEsus and His Kingdom. We are told to love nothing that is of this world. If fact we are told we do not belong to this world, but to our Fathers Kingdom which is in Heaven. We as Christians owe NO loyalty to America. WE owe it to our Father and His son Yeshua Moshia Olam. To say otherwise is unbiblical.
What I'm trying to say is we are Christians before Americans and mabey America will be babylon. Who cares, Yahweh has a plan and if it involves America being Babylon then great. Cause I want 100% what my Father wants. CAuse he is God.
But it is time to look at the world and even America from a Christians stand point, instead of an American. There is a major difference and if you stopped as noticed things look alot different than you might have thought. This is not direct at any one on this topic, just a comment to shed light why some find it hard to see America in certain lights.
ETC

I think Benny makes some very good points.

Sin has severely crippled this nation, as we are functionally a Democracy, which amounts to 'mob rule.' When the great bulk of human beings are unregenerate, it is a mistake to permit them to have a say in the government.

In the Scripture, God NEVER certified Democracy (or a Republic for that matter) as a 'good' form of governance. Most of the Founding Fathers of this nation were Christians, but they were affected to a greater or lesser extent by the Deism and "Enlightenment" philosophy of their era. This led to many of them having a too charitable view of human nature, and to a too broad distribution of the vote! As long as unregenerate men can help set the direction a nation should take, that nation is bound ineluctably to become more and more wicked, and some point (or at least at increasingly prominent and recurrent points) to encounter Divine Judgment.

God is NOT MOCKED. The nation that 'forgets God' WILL CREATE IT'S OWN HELL! Be it suddenly, or be degrees, this nation will be cast down. ONLY A REVIVAL OF REAL RELIGION AND GENUINE GODLINESS CAN HELP PRESERVE US NOW.

PRAY FOR REAL REVIVAL IN OUR LAND!

The barbarians have already passed the gates and are on the verge of sacking the cities!

Caneman

FIRST..............unless I am mistaken...Benny didn't write what he posted. Look at the TOP of the post....its clearly marked. Its from an article by Jack Kelly. What I find VERY frustrating is not having a link provided for the original article. I just did a web search and can't find it anywhere!!!

Secondly, End-Time Calling...I am in TOTAL agreement with you!!!! TIME TO WAKE UP!!!!!!!

Dear Miche,.....I tend to agree with you that tarish is a english speaking people....But I do recall a few years ago, that Hal Lindsey gave a different explanation on one of his tv programs....maybe a search would pull up what he stated, so that we all could decide what is correct.......many seem to believe that america is mystery babylon,...I would not bet on that to be true..........Europe is destined to become a super economic power....in the last days....We are now wittnessing that economic growth at this moment........When the ezekial 38 battle comes to pass....scriptures seem to indicate that Sheba, Dedan and the merchants of Tarish make a diplomatic protest.....no military action at all........Could we speculate that if that we (america) are a seed of Tarish, and that America only made a diplomatic protest when the Ezekial 38 battle begins....That America only gave a diplomatic protest and did not lift a finger to help Israel, Because at the time of the Ezekial 38 invasion,...That there were not any longer any christians in our government or military forces because the rapture had already came to pass prior to the Ezekial 38 battle.......Another thing....Recently a post tribber had stated that the revealing of the anti-christ happens at the abomination of desolation, and he also stated that is when the time of Jacobs trouble begins".....I must say that I agree with his statement....You see....Our Lord Jesus said to the Jews ....Him they would not except, but that another would come in his own name and that him the Jews would except....What I am getting at is this.......If the Bride of Jesus Christ were here on this earth when some type of 7 year covenant has been confirmed.........you would have a few million Billy Grahams shouting and pointing the finger as to who the anti-christ is!....I believe the Bride will "NOT" be here on earth at that time......At that time when this coming 7 year covenant has been confirmed, the Jews will believe the anti-christ to be thier long awaited messiah.......but when the A.O.D. comes to pass....the Jews will flee into the wilderness, because they realize that the one who they thought was their messiah, was really the anti-christ...Also I do not believe that the Bride will not be on earth when Ezekial 38 comes to pass....and I suspiciously do not believe that the Bride will not be on earth when Isaiah 17;1 comes to pass.........If my suspicions are correct......then We should be otta here EXTREMELY SOON!!!.......................................benny

Everyone is saying that today, there is a "culture war" going on in America. This is a term that puts on a thin viel over the spriritual battle of good and evil in our Land. We are however, at the tipping point, the straw that breaks the camels back is just around the corner. The country is pretty much split 50/50 at this time. How could this be if 70-80% of America claim to be christian? We have had it so good for so long, America has lost her first Love, and will, in the near future pay the price for it! "If MY PEOPLE WHO ARE CALLED BY NAME Humble themselves and pray, I will hear from heaven, and heal their land." We as Christians can't point fingers, we'll have three pointing back at ourselves.