Five Years Left?

I'm entering serious tin-foil hat territory with this post, but I'm charging on in.

I've been interested in end-times studies for a long time. Prophecies. Book of Revelations. Armegeddon and all that. The end of humankind.

I've done considerable studying on the topic over the years. Collecting bits and pieces in my mind.

I remember one pivotal day on this topic clearly. I was a Freshman at a Big Ten university in the late 70's, enjoying a sunny day at lunchtime out on the Quad. A gentleman interrupted my meal by setting up an easel and starting an impromptu talk. He was drawing maps and interactions of nations as they would be in the end times according to the Book of Revelations. How Gog and Magog (Russia and China?) would join up and march 100 million strong across the Middle East and into Israel for the big battle. The problem to me was that in 1978 these nations didn't line up very well with the prophecy. Russia and China for example, while both Communist nations, were pretty much enemies who often clashed along their common border. So, I noted his talk with interest and filed it away in my mind - taking it out to remember over the years as borders and alliances have changed.

There are preconditions in all these prophecies for every thing to be lined up right. The Anti-Christ has to be walking the earth. The Temple has to be rebuild in Israel. Things like that.

So - here's the tin-foil hat part - it's 2007 and it looks to me like it's all starting to line up.

- The Middle East is a tinderbox like it's never been in a long time with our War in Iraq and with Islamic Jihadists on the march. Iran's President is openly talking about acquiring nuclear weapons and attacking Israel to bring on the Second Coming.

- The Anti-Christ may in fact be already here. I read a very convincing scholarly work a couple of years ago pointing to the likely candidate. The most well known man in the world. A man who could step up on the international stage as a peace leader. A man who has the red dragon in his coat of arms. The Beast out of the Sea, who was born on an island. I'm talking, of course, about the leading candidate: Charles, Prince of Wales. (See "The Antichrist and a Cup of Tea", by Timothy Cohen)

- The prophecy of St. Malachy was a vision listing 112 Popes, ending in the end of the Holy Roman Church with the last Pope - Peter II. Pope John Paul II was number 110, Benedict number 111. There's only one left. If the next Pope chooses the name Peter look out.

- News story this week indicated that a scholar in Israel has pinpointed the location of the Temple in Israel. Plans are in existence to rebuild it.

- News story this week, August 17 indicated that "Russia, China hold joint war games". Uh oh.

Finally, I was looking at articles again this week that deal with the Mayan Calendar. You know, those primitive guys who built the amazing temples that look an awful lot like precise stellar mapping calendars? Well, they made a "Long Count" calender. It has an endpoint - December 21, 2012. I guess I may not need that 30 year mortgage after all.

Relax, all of this is just wild speculation. A collection of disjointed stories that have occupied my attention for 30 years or so.

But that Russia/China joint war games story did send a chill up my spine this week.