How Does It Feel To Be Number Two?
December 10, 2014
|
Share this article
For
more than half of its lifespan, the United States of America has been
considered the leading economic superpower of the World. That's quite a
run, and one that no other nation can lay claim to. For nearly 140
years, America's economy has been the largest among the nations; but
there's a new Power that holds that position.
According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), China just surpassed the U.S. in economic output, producing $17.6 trillion in so-called “real” terms of goods and services. According to MarketWatch.com, as recently as 2000, we produced nearly three times as much as the Chinese. So how did this happen, and what does it mean for the already shaky American economy? And what does history tell us this development means for our future, moving forward?
According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), China just surpassed the U.S. in economic output, producing $17.6 trillion in so-called “real” terms of goods and services. According to MarketWatch.com, as recently as 2000, we produced nearly three times as much as the Chinese. So how did this happen, and what does it mean for the already shaky American economy? And what does history tell us this development means for our future, moving forward?
First of all, the United States has been in the forefront of
prosperity and production for my entire lifetime. So a fall in position
in such a rapid timeframe deserves some explanation, don't you think? I
am also left wondering if this economic downturn somehow foretells a
decline in other aspects of our nation. Is it just me, or does this
state of affairs seem to mirror our diminishing civil liberties,
constitutional rights, and rule of law? Are we seeing the permanent
decline of the United States of America?
When you look at it from China's perspective, this is just the
evolution that sees them resuming their natural place in the global
order. After all, they have a history of dynasties that go back 3000
years, while the U.S. is not even 300 years old! They just had a little
200 year blip on their radar screen, which explains our dominance
during that time period. Now, China thinks that things are back to
being as they should; and perhaps we just got a little too big for our
britches?
The economic gurus will tell you that the bottom line is that China
is able to export more than we do, and do it cheaper. American
manufacturing is on the ropes, and China is ready to deliver the
knockout punch. With global powers pushing for a global economy, we are
all intertwined with each other ... how many Chinese components are
included in "American-made" products? The truth is that we need, and
use, far more Chinese exports/products than they use of ours. Even if
we tried to ban some of our components in the Chinese marketplace, there
are emerging economies that are waiting to step in and take our place.
But here's a whole other paradigm to consider ... The IMF is a
creation of the United Nations, and here is its official duty: "to
promote international financial stability and monetary cooperation. It
also seeks to facilitate international trade, promote high employment
and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world.
Created in 1945, the IMF is governed by and accountable to the 188
countries that make up its near-global membership." In other words, it
was created to establish a global, or one-world, financial system.
But here's the irony ... both China and the U.S. economies are
fake; China has built "ghost cities" based on an inflated economy, while
we have printed ourselves into a counterfeit recovery. However, for
whatever reason, the global elite leaders have decided that China should
now be the nation out front of the world economy.
Although this might all seem orchestrated, (and believe me, it is!) we must not forget the ideological changes our Number Two status could represent. We can expect to see a major change in the psychological, cultural, and moral aspects of the world's nations; because whatever beacon of Freedom we have been to the world is shining just a little dimmer at the moment. China has not exactly been a bastion of Liberty in the last three-quarters of a century ... Their "cultural revolution" resulted in the deaths of 30 million of their own people, and that's a conservative number. They killed tens of thousands in Tibet and then invaded Vietnam and India. And does anyone think that their cozying up to Russia is a good thing?
Although this might all seem orchestrated, (and believe me, it is!) we must not forget the ideological changes our Number Two status could represent. We can expect to see a major change in the psychological, cultural, and moral aspects of the world's nations; because whatever beacon of Freedom we have been to the world is shining just a little dimmer at the moment. China has not exactly been a bastion of Liberty in the last three-quarters of a century ... Their "cultural revolution" resulted in the deaths of 30 million of their own people, and that's a conservative number. They killed tens of thousands in Tibet and then invaded Vietnam and India. And does anyone think that their cozying up to Russia is a good thing?
At the end of the day, I can't help but think of the Biblical
prophesies that foretell Satan's political and economic systems that
come into play close to the Second Coming of Christ. In fact, Satan
even proclaims (in Luke 4:6) that he has been given power over the
earth, and he can distribute it to whomever he chooses. The rulers of
nations will be influenced by his evil machinations, and there will be a
darkness imposed on the earth by Satan's rule through the governance of
men.
But we must not forget that it is the hand of God that is really in
control of the rise and fall of great nations and empires. Satan's
influence is ultimately supervised by God. History is full of the
narratives of Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome -- all
nations that were used for His plan and purpose. Each one of these
nations played a part in the history of Israel and the Church. We are
no different, except that our rise was meteoric, and our fall may be
just as spectacular.
The real question becomes this: is God through with us? Can we
still be used by Him to further His plan, or have we become so enamored
by the temptations of Babylon's Harlot, that we no longer care about our
purpose? When, as a nation, we are focused on ourselves, and we ignore
or deny God, it makes no difference if we are Number One -- the
collapse is inevitable. If our role as "defender of the free world" is
reduced, and we no longer export faith in God to the nations of the
world, then our role may well be finished. When that happens, we will
become a footnote in history.
Read more at http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/2014/December09/092.html#bFhwwwdPOgZZK5PZ.99
No comments:
Post a Comment