“Watch therefore and pray that when you see these things happening that you may be counted worthy to escape the evils which will come to pass. But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn people and the sword comes to take one of the children, Christ will hold the watchman accountable”.
Oil reserves from the sea and land are dwindling. The laws of demand and supply are adjusting the price of oil around the globe. The ripple effects of increased inflation upon consumer goods and services caused by increased oil prices are affecting every industry and peoples of the world. The reality facing big business is that petroleum production is past its peak and there is still no standard energy replacement at this time. Many petroleum sponsored nations of the Middle East, Africa, and former Soviet Union upon whom much of the worlds wealth have been built, including countries like Iran, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Venezuela, Russia and Iraq are unstable. Engulfed by lawlessness, the colluded Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries are trying to keep their economic dominance alive in the new century. OPEC which was officially launched in Baghdad, Iraq on September 10-14, 1960, remains a powerful global monopoly and will without doubt continue to have a significant impact upon the lives of every citizen upon the earth.
Reconstructing Babylon
Rising from the ashes of time the eyes of the world are once again riveted to the Middle East. Babylon the great has become a great city again. Rising from the fine sands of the desert the city of man rises to take its place in the centre of the post-modern world stage. Ancient –Babylon which means the gate of god, was a city conceived in rebellion. Geographically today Babylon lies 40 miles south of Baghdad within the Sunnis triangle. Babylon was the first city built after the flood rains of Noah. It is the second most mentioned city in the bible behind Jerusalem-some 300 times in the old and new testament.
The Bible mentions that this great city, Babylon, will arise again, this time as the seat of the anti-Christ, the beast, and the symbol of human kinds turning away from God for other gods. In the past, for nearly 2000 years Babylon was the most important city in the world. It was the commercial and financial centre for Mesopotamia, the geographical X that linked the Orient with the Mediterranean, Egypt, and Persia. Its scribes and priests have since spread its cultural heritage throughout the world. The arts of divination, astronomy, astrology, accounting, private commercial law and bureaucratic bundling of the urban sprawl all sprang from Babylon. Still Babylon declined in importance as the major routes of commerce and trade shifted from the shores of the Euphrates to the Tigris.
Through the decline, Babylon was still inhabited, though the city retained only a shadow of its former glory. First Seleucia, the Ctesiphon, and in turn Baghdad rose to become centre of power and influence. The Babylon revealed in the book of revelation is not merely an idea, a religion, or economic system. It is, above all, a physical city. Cities of men or nation states are today built upon the principle of independence from God. By building the tower of Babel, human beings tried to reach heaven on their own, without God’s help. Their construction of the “tower that reaches heaven” came to a halt when God confounded their language and forced them to scatter across the earth.
Yet Babylon would return, again and again, for the human heart is constantly seeking its glory. The prophet Isaiah predicts that BABYLON the jewel of kingdoms, the glory of Babylonian’s pride, will be overthrown by God like Sodom and Gomorrah. The prophet Jeremiah predicts that Babylon’s city towers will fall and her walls will be torn down. The bible places the great battle at the end of the age in the Middle East.
Watchmen tell us of the night?
Global media zealots in the western world along with new eastern media signals such as Al Jezerra have allowed for the entry of envy, malice, hatred, disunity among competing, tribes, tongues, race, and faith groups of the middle east to be sewed among brethren. The brotherhood of one faith, one colour, and one nation has begun fragmenting. The locals now hark back to genealogies and grudging historic accounts from pre- colonial era. This new era in Middle Eastern politics seems devastatingly hostile, bloody and viciously entrenched.
The post 9/11 strategy by the United States to secure greater hegemony in leading the world undermined attempts by members of the world populace to have greater transparency and accountability in the global interface of ideas, languages, and trade. The preferred disorganized strategy and policies from Washington D. C. and London in 2003-2004, stubbornly unleashed a legion of unfortunate partisan battle ground committee’s and investigative bodies which only fuelled enduring “Iraqi freedom”. This while making as scapegoats individuals who had to sacrifice truth in exchange for their political future.
On either side of the House or Atlantic Ocean for that matter, Blair and Bush together had successfully sold their mission as one in their nation’s best interest. The political futures of these warriors were sidelined momentarily, but, was never brought into question objectively by world journalism—the watchmen—news media—press corps until re-election campaigns began in the spring of 2004. The pro- patriotic coverage which was adopted by US and British media in particular, re: the post 9-11-2001 severely frustrated the minds of those who were questioning conscientiously whether a rush to war was in fact just.
Desensitizing peoples of the world the nationalistic media personalities seemed to have dangerously thought out along with their creative directors what substance would have allowed for perpetuating the coverage of the war while urgently meeting government objectives.
In what was an intelligence crisis at the United Nations, the global public could not be left searching for answers for too long. Yet, the war plan of the US and Great Britain transformed by tactical media presentations easily became the story of the hour. The world audience was being jolted with never before seen or heard stories. Carefully news editors cut the usual sensational coverage of the past and gave way for the new improved in your face reality TV and so the production of live footage of wholesale evil began in the 21st century.
Graphic scenes of scores of attacks by each, hour, minutes, and seconds filtered across on satellite, cable, network TV, radio, newspapers, and the internet. Beginning with the Afghan-Taliban encounters in the fall of 2001 the cameras began rolling and before long the Iraqi invasion was ready to be sold as the most sophisticated and technologically sound war. High tech aviation meant smart bombs could hit targets from miles away. The unending torture of the public have continued well over 34 months, as daily more scenes of death, devastation, torture and absolute terror has been enacted, recorded, produced and re-packaged by World Media.
When Baghdad, Kirkuk, Nadjat, Fallujah and Basra alit in conflict, the audience had already had enough. Sadam Hussein captured, his sons killed, Bin Laden on the run and yet terror as a matter of more unfortunate attacks being successfully advanced against American operatives was still the lead headlines on the news. Men willing to die for their country of which great God already understands. To what end??
Washington D. C. has made it absolutely clear; their Commander In Chief response to global terror was to go on the offensive. The USA and Britain had entered the Middle East as a matter of pre-emption, striking against hostile targets, with the hope of uprooting warlord types and securing their nation from future terror attacks. The emotional appeal of “enduring freedom” has since thawed and even in America. Election year or not, some folks are amazed that the war on terror have become occupation of the weak by the mighty and strong.
Lest we forget the lesson of 9/11/2001 could lawless men hit multiple targets at the same time and bring civilizations reign to an end? Today 9-11-2004 with some 1,000 US service men and women dead and 7,000 wounded since the beginning of “enduring Iraqi freedom”. Some 65 British military personnel, 19 Italian, 13 Polish, 11 Spaniard and over 10,000 Iraqi’s dead. Confusion and pandemonium continues across many democracies of the world. The final steps toward more autonomy and sovereignty is on target as global unity fizzles before our eyes. Nations will rise up against nations, as will brothers against brother, sons against mothers, daughters against fathers, there will be civil wars, famine, earthquake, fires, floods, storms and every terror possible will plague the peoples of this earth until God intervenes. The birth pains of the new 21st century are being staggered by media coverage. The events of post- modern war are happening quickly. The reversal in the balance of power among post-modern civilization is revealing new shifts in geo- political paradigms.
The messengers of God, rabbis, disciples, apostles, even scientist of faith have already warned humanity that a cataclysmic event which is acute, traumatic even, in terms of social reordering of societies could in fact steer down the international community. Watchmen true to their roots of protecting peoples in the community from impending disasters on the planet have consistently warned the world to be awake and not let the hour of deliverance, age of enlightenment, for the vulnerable ,weak, and poor be overtaken by darkness.
The second and third world have watched on over the past several years and today accept that only a super power with the character of America could have been afforded the passion, will, wealth and ability to transform the hopes, dreams, vision, and lives of many peoples at the beginning of the 21st century. Described as the greatest attack on civilization- 9/11/2001- the twin towers falling to the ground, the pentagon being hit, commercial air crafts being high jacked and used for evil. Hundreds of civilians died in one of the largest urban metropolitan corridors of the world.
We at Jamaica PRIME TIME all pray for greater unity, friendship, and cooperation among all peoples of the world toward defeating evil rebellions which are amassing and killing innocent, vulnerable and weak peoples.
Endnotes, Thoughts guided by the following authors and books.
The Rise of Babylon; Charles H. Dyer. Beyond Iraq, The Next Move, Ancient Day and Modern Conspiracy; Micheal D. Evans. Prophecy at Ground Zero, From today’s mid- east madness to the coming of Christ; Willian T. James Editor.
About the Writer, Philip Dinham
Phil Dinham is a member of our Jamaica prime time news team. He remains a Jamaican citizen in Ft Lauderdale, United States where he is an Arts and Science major at Nova Southeastern Univeristy. Philip is a certified media professional with over six years of experience in formal media relations and radio broadcasting. Comment on this article and all Jamaica Prime Time presentations by writing respective authors at [email protected]
