In February 2022, China and Russia unveiled a plan for a new world order. A Washington Examiner article stated in October 2023, that “China and Russia have outlined a vision of international relations anchored in their potential to reinforce each other in disputes with the United States and its allies while cooperating on an array of economic and diplomatic fronts.”
Moscow and Beijing could now develop into an integrated challenge to American power. The entire situation with Ukraine began getting the U.S. embroiled in this type of position. The common enemy of Russia and China is the United States, the West, and its allies. Keeping Russia and China in mind, especially in the ongoing situations unfolding in Ukraine and now in the Israeli-Hamas war, it is not difficult to think that both are the United States’ greatest enemies. And Russia and China are continuing their plan to set a new world order.
But God is the One who set the initial world order as He fulfilled His promises to Abraham’s descendants that made the West so dominant. However, the world order that God established through Abraham’s two great grandsons, Ephraim and Manasseh, is failing because of their rebellion against God. In reality, Russia and China’s greatest foe is the One who set the initial world order. They hate that world order and are dedicated to its destruction. They despise the global governance architecture. They want to achieve the transformation of the global world order into their ideology.
Since western society has lost its moral compass, we cannot distinguish between truth and lies and who are the victims and the victimizers, or what is self-defense or aggression. Personal responsibility is being eliminated which gives a free pass to those who conduct vicious witch-hunts against those whom they disapprove. Increasing numbers of people in Britain and America no longer recognize moral boundaries.
This is why these countries are being weakened and failing on the national level, not because of the power of other forces around them. However, God also makes plain what follows the demise of the British and American worldwide power. After they’ve been chastised and experienced national failure, God will work with a remnant of their people to prepare them to be the intended national example to all nations of God’s purpose (Ezekiel 34:10-13, 28-31).
Interestingly, in the future, two more superpowers will emerge. Daniel 11 identifies these two superpowers as the King of the South and the King of the North: “At the time of the end the king of the South shall attack him; and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through. He shall also enter the Glorious Land, and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall escape from his hand: Edom, Moab, and the prominent people of Ammon (Daniel 11:40-41). These two kings are not on the world scene now, and they cannot be identified yet.
We can conclude that the King of the North is a great power at the time of the end. And that it overcomes the King of the South and enters the land of Palestine – the Glorious Land. And it seems that pressure is being brought upon Europe to produce exactly this power, even against its own will. Europe is watching what is happening in Ukraine, and do not trust that Putin will just stop there. Putin is not happy that all of the former Soviet Union satellite states have become a part of NATO. Many thinking Europeans can see that what is happening in Ukraine might be only one step of a domino effect.
Consequently, Europe may be forced to come together to defend itself. The leaders of Europe no longer believe that they can rely on the U.S. to come to their aid if they needed help. And they are not going to look to China or Russia. Hence, Europe will have to generate strength within.
There are those among the leadership of Europe today that are trying extremely hard to stir Europe up to get its own standing army, to begin to look to itself, to be able to defend itself. What is happening today between Ukraine and Russia may be prodding this power to come forward sooner rather than later. In other words, there may be a suddenness to the way this all comes together.
Daniel says that the King of the North is a world dominating power which enters the Middle East because they attacked them. The King of the North enters Palestine as the dominating power: “He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. He shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; also, the Libyans and Ethiopians shall follow at his heels” (Daniel 11:42-43). This fits with the description of the beast power of Revelation 13 & 17.
While this power doesn’t exist yet, it’s coming onto the scene and it’s clearly a conquering power. This does not go the way that Russia or China, who are north and east of this conquering power, want it to go. Daniel reveals that disapproving news is coming from two directions toward the King of the North: “But news from the east and the north shall trouble him; therefore he shall go out with great fury to destroy and annihilate many” (Daniel 11:44).
These two communist dominated powers see developments in the Middle East as a threat. This world power is not the world order that Russia and China want to see. The king of the North, anticipating their coming to try and influence the situation, attacks with great fury. In Revelation 9, the first woe is the beast power attacking Russia and China. The second woe is a counterattack backed by Russia and China against the beast power. It is a very destructive war. If it continued to its final conclusion, it seems there would be no flesh saved alive. Many nations possess nuclear, chemical and biological weapons able to kill the earth’s population several times over. However, at the time when this massive warfare is happening, we are introduced to the return of Jesus Christ.
Christ’s return changes the focus of the warring nations. These warring enemies the King of the North and Russia and China now have a common enemy, which pulls them together. They now begin to work together to cooperate against what they perceive as their enemy, the returning Jesus Christ. He is seen as the antichrist. He’s not seen in positive terms as He intervenes in the affairs of this world.
“Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the Kings from the east might be prepared. (Bringing them all together into the Middle East.) And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the Kings of the earth and of the entire world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty” (Revelation 16:12-14).
This battle is the Battle of the Great Day of God Almighty which takes place at Armageddon. “These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful” (Revelation 17:14).
World peace under Christ may take a while to achieve, but ultimately unity, harmony and peace will exist. “I will accept you as a sweet aroma when I bring you (descendants of Jacob) out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you have been scattered; and I will be hallowed in you before the Gentiles” (Ezekiel 20:41). That is a beautiful vision of the future.
However, the world isn’t immediately under Christ’s authority and feeling good that He has returned. The remaining nations do not instantly submit to Christ’s rule. It will take time for them to understand His plan as He establishes a godly world order. They will need to choose life with Him rather than their own destructive ways.
The world’s common enemy will be replaced by a common Savior. They will come to see the role that Jesus Christ plays in their lives individually and nationally.
Brian Orchard