122    The Bible and the Future of the World 

hoofs seem like flint, and their wheels like the whirlwind. Their roaring is 

like a lion, like young lions they roar; they growl and seize their prey, they 

carry it off, and none can rescue.  (Isaiah 5:26 29). 

    God is going to punish the Christian nations for their many evil deeds by 

means of the Arab nations. The Arab nations will band  together and then 

will invade and conquer the nations of Europe. They will succeed because it 

is God's will. They will occupy Europe for many years and will greatly 

oppress Christians. Things formerly called  rights  and  freedoms  will not 

be permitted. 

The Babylonian Captivity 

    The Forty Years is, for Christians, what the Babylonian Captivity was for 

the ancient Israelites. God punished Israel for its sins by means of war and a 

far off nation. Yet, after a period of time, God's wrath relented and the 

Israelites were set free. 

    At the beginning of the Babylonian Captivity for the Israelites, the First 

Temple of Jerusalem was destroyed. So also, at the beginning of the 

Babylonian Captivity for the Church,  Rome and  Vatican City will be 

destroyed (in July of 2013). As the Israelites did not build the Second 

Temple of Jerusalem until after their captivity ended, so also will the Church 

not be allowed by God to build a new Vatican City until after the Forty 

Years has ended. 

Forty Years in the Desert 

    The Forty Years which the Church must endure is like the forty years 

which the Israelites endured wandering in the desert. God delivered the 

Israelites out of the slavery of Egypt to bring them into the Promised Land. 

Yet, between their deliverance from slavery and their entry into the land of 

peace and prosperity, Israel had to be tested and purified by suffering (Num 

14:33; Ps 95:8 11). Likewise, the Church must endure forty years of trials 

and sufferings, before entering into the peace and prosperity which follows 

the Forty Years. 

The Sins of Christians 

     Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for 

light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!  

(Isaiah 5:20). 

    Some Christians today not only commit many serious sins without 

repentance, but they also call their sins good. Many Christians say that what