We Are Living in Prophetic Times
We Are Living in Prophetic Times
By Todd Strandberg
There have always been folks who claim we are currently living in the seven-year tribulation. I suppose over the past few weeks, many of these people are telling their friends and family, “See, I told you so.”
In 1994, I drove with some friends from Omaha to Des Moines, Iowa, to hear prophecy teacher Irvin Baxter. The trip taught me that you need to research all prophetic lecturers before going to hear them speak. Right near the end of Baxter’s presentation, he told the crowd that we are currently in the tribulation.
When the real Tribulation comes, there will be no mistaking it. The removal of all Christians in the rapture will be the first warning sign. The unification of all nations and financial systems under one body will be another key Tribulation warning.
The coronavirus is unlikely to be a sign that the Tribulation is now occurring. Because, during that time period, various pestilences will kill a large portion of the world population. In those dark days, the coronavirus will seem like a mild rash.
I think my second point about global unity is what we see playing out right now. I know we are living in prophetic times because I am seeing economic events that I would never think as possible. The Federal Reserve spent $1 trillion on private sector bonds in a two-day period. During the 2008/2009 Great Recession, the most the Fed spent was $85 billion over a whole month.
A few days later, Congress passes a $2.2 trillion stimulus package, which equal 10% of GDP. During the Great Depression, the stimulus package of President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal was only 3% of GDP. The Revenue Act of 1935 raised federal income tax on higher income levels by introducing the “Wealth Tax.” It was introduced to pay for what was perceived as Roosevelt’s reckless spending.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin tripled downed on the stimulus package by promising another $4 trillion for loans to businesses with the purchase of debt. The current GDP of the US is $19.39 trillion, and it’s stunning to think we could be set to add $8 trillion to our national debt in a single year.
Washington Lawmakers have already wasted a full week by trying fill up this already massive bill with pet pork projects. A business is like a shark in one important way; they need constant motion to stay alive. The costs continue to add up even when the businesses are closed. Here are four business news blurbs that show how quickly bankruptcy becomes the only option:
LSC Communications Inc., one of the largest book and magazine printers in the U.S., is preparing to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after failed efforts to restructure its nearly $1 billion of debt.
The Cheesecake Factory, one of the most popular sit-down restaurant chains in the country, says it will not be able to make upcoming rent payments for any of its storefronts on April 1 because of significant loss of income due to the coronavirus crisis.
For the first time, Frontier Communications filed formal notification that it may file for bankruptcy protection, as the company toils under some $17 billion in debt amid dwindling revenues.
Neiman Marcus retail experts see bankruptcy to restructure and continue operating as the most likely scenario for the luxury retailer.
California electric company PG&E is already in bankruptcy from having to pay for wildfire damage blamed on its equipment. PG&E agreed to set up the $13.5 billion fund for the victims as part of its plan to emerge from bankruptcy this summer, with half the amount coming from stock in the company. Now that the coronavirus is cutting demand for power, PG&E’s stock is down 60%. PG&E would seem to be cursed with bad luck, but too much debt was the #1 problem.
The US national debt of $24.5 trillion is going to zoom past $30 trillion by the end of the year. I remember Christian Economist Larry Burkett warned in his book The Coming Economic Earthquake that the nation’s $350 billion federal deficits were going to destroy the nation. Larry was correct in sounding the alarm. Dozens of nations faced the meltdown of their national currency over the same level of deficit spending we had in the early 1990’s.
If we are able to get away with printing an Everest-sized mountain of new debt, I expect a brief sugar high from people spending all their free government money, followed by a headache of runaway inflation.
“And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.”
— Todd