With the iron-fisted  Vladimir Putin  reclaiming Russia's Presidency in 2012  &  a mandate of ' supreme power ' of Russia until 2024 - a resurgent Russian economy , rapid growth & advancement of Russia's military machine has emboldened Mr Putin , who continues to re-shape the international political landscape with his aggressive foreign policy , often challenging & defying US , European & United Nations initiatives - particularly in the Middle East - by supporting pariah states Iran , Syria , Lebanon & the Palestinians.   Mr Putin has signaled his quest for ' world dominance ' by his plan​ to create a ' Eurasian ' axis of powers ( extending from Portugal to China ) to rival the US & European alliances.  Russia's stealthy acquisition & control of energy pipelines provides a formidable stranglehold over most European nations  &  is key to Russia's strategic plans & consistent with her  increased involvement in the Middle East  as she ' eyes ' huge energy reserves discovered recently near Israel

Daniel 8 v 23-25

In the  LATTER TIME  of their [ man's ] kingdom ,  when the transgressors [ sinners ] are come to the full ,  A KING  of  '  fierce ' countenance  &  understanding dark sentences , shall stand up.  And  his power shall be mighty , but not by his own power  & he  shall destroy wonderfully  &  shall prosper  &  practise  &  shall destroy  ' the mighty '  [ USA ? ]  &  ' the holy people ' [ ISRAEL ]  Through  his policy also  he  shall cause craft to prosper in his hand  &  he  shall magnify himself  in his heart   &  ' BY PEACE '  shall destroy many :  he  shall also stand up against  the Prince of princes [ Christ ]  but he shall be broken  without hand

Since its formal creation on 1st December 2009 ,  the European Union has had a short ,  turbulent history as European leaders have struggled to merge their national economies together as a ' United States of Europe '.  Over the past 4 years , the EU's development has been severely jeopardized by a string of spiraling economic debt crises that have ravaged many EU nations ( Greece , Spain , Portugal , Italy , Ireland )  &  driven strong EU nations to their knees.  In a desperate effort to save the EU  &  its stricken Euro-zone currency , EU policy makers are aggressively pushing for a rapid acceleration towards a single centralized EU government  -  usurping power from individual states.  As the European financial crisis deepens , resistant states are being  ' forced to comply '  to survive.  Recent moves to create a central EU " military " force have also alarmed some sovereign member states  &  regional nations  raising the specter of a new emergent regional threat.

Revelation 17 v 11-14

 THE BEAST  [ Euro Union ]  that  was  &  is not ,  even he is the eighth  &  is of the seven  &  goeth into perdition.  And  THE TEN HORNS  which thou sawest are  TEN KINGS ,  which have received no kingdom as yet ;  but ​receive ' power ' as kings  one hour  with  THE BEAST [ Euro Union ].   These have  one mind &  shall  give their power & strength  unto  THE BEAST​ [ Euro Union ].   These shall make war with THE LAMB  [ Lord Jesus Christ ]  &  THE LAMB  shall overcome them :   for  He  [ Lord Jesus Christ ]  is  Lord of lords  &  King of kings :   &  they [ Believers ]  that are with Him are called  &  chosen  &  faithful 

In a dramatic fulfilment of Bible Prophecy ,  the ' individual ' clearly referred to in the Bible records of  Daniel , Matthew  &  Mark  as the  " Abomination of Desolation " the Catholic Pope ,  ​on the  12th May 2009   made the  ' FIRST EVER ' Papal visit  INTO ' THE HOLY PLACE '  in  Jerusalem.  No Roman Catholic Pope in history had EVER  ' STOOD INSIDE '  the HOLY PLACE  until  Pope Benedict's historic visit to the site in  May 2009 when he actually entered  into  the revered building.  The purpose of this prophecy  ( given by Jesus Christ himself )  was to provide a  ' clear signpost '  to the faithful believers ,  of the  imminency  of the time of Great Tribulation to come ,  just before the return of the Lord Jesus Christ from heaven.   With the unmistakable fulfillment of this prophecy  &  we now await the culmination of the ' Time of Trouble ' we now see escalating around the world.

Matthew 24 v 15-21

When YE  therefore  shall see the  ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION  [ Catholic Pope ]  spoken of  by Daniel the prophet ,  ' STAND IN '  The Holy Place ,( whoso readeth , let him understand  : )   Then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains :  Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house :   Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes ... For  '  THEN '  shall be  GREAT TRIBULATION   such as was  NOT  since the  beginning  of the world  to this time ,  no ,  nor ever shall be.

While man's advances in technology & communications , have in recent years enabled a world-wide awareness of the Bible ,  it has also resulted in an explosion of divergent  &  at times ,  extreme array of faiths & religions  -  extending  from  ' the fundamental '  to  ' the fraudulent '.   Recent years have seen an unprecedented number of religions , sects  &  cults around the world , many even claiming to be the manifestation of the Lord Jesus Christ. Invariably these fraudulent scams masquerade in the name of religion to exploit their followers & in many instances have ended in heartbreak & tragedy.  God's Word  fore-told  this would be a ' clear signal ' of the nearness of the ' true Christ ' from heaven

Mark 13 v 22-26​

For  FALSE CHRISTS  &  FALSE PROPHETS  s​hall  rise  &  shall   shew signs  &  wonders  , to seduce ,  if it were possible ,  even the elect .  But take ye heed :  behold ,  I have fore-told you all things.  But in those days  ' after '  that  TRIBULATION ,  the sun shall be darkened  &  the moon shall not give her light , And the stars of heaven shall fall  &   the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.  And  THEN  shall they see  THE SON OF MAN  coming  in the clouds with great power  &  glory

2011 to 2013  have been ' Years of Natural Disasters ' almost  unparalleled in human history.  With the three-fold disaster in Japan ( earthquake - tsunami - nuclear ) being the epicenter of this incredible period of cataclysmic events around the globe. The frequency of earthquakes has risen dramatically in recent years ,  while many nations have in the last 2 years suffered their  worst ever natural disasters  ( Australia - Floods / Brazil - Flood-Mudslides / NZ - Earthquakes / Thailand - Floods / Philippines - Typhoon ). USA above all has experienced the ' most bizarre ' series of catastrophic disasters through 2011-2013 including its ' worst ever ' Tornado season in 2011 , historic flooding in many states , unprecedented earthquakes , huge wildfires , record heatwaves , severe droughts , epic blizzards  &  2 catastrophic hurricanes ( Irene - Sandy ) which shut down 20% of the USA & caused hundreds of billions of dollars in damage.  It is NOT just " co-incidence " all these disasters are happening  in parallel  with the US Govt's policy of supporting  the dividing of Israel  ( God's Land ) as a 2-state solution

Jeremiah 25 v 31-33   ( Amplified Version ) ​​

" The tumult  will resound to the ends of the earth , for  the LORD  will bring  CHARGES AGAINST THE NATIONS  [ as all nations move to divide Israel ] He will bring  judgment  on  ALL MANKIND  &  put  the wicked  to the sword " declares the LORD.  This is what the LORD Almighty says  . . . ." Look !  DISASTER is spreading  FROM NATION  to  NATION  ;  A  MIGHTY STORM  is rising from  THE ENDS OF THE EARTH. "

Aside from the incredible series of natural disasters in 2011 & 2012 , the scriptures also forewarned there would be extra-ordinary " Signs & Wonders " immediately prior to the Lord's return as a warning & encouragement to those who believe. Signs & Wonders both in the ' LITERAL ' heavens & earth , such as stunning volcano eruptions & ash clouds extending around the globe , rare lunar & solar eclipses , mysterious mass deaths of birds & fish , ' freak ' tornadoes in unheard of regions ( Italy ~ NewZealand ~ Portugal )  &  devastating earthquakes.  These natural events , being  symbolic  of events in  the  METAPHORICAL ( ' political ' )  heavens &  earth that would shake the world​.   ' Seismic ' global events such as the  Arab Spring - Global Financial Crisis - Debt Crises - Occupy Protests - Austerity Protests  . . . .  all  unprecedented  &  all heralding the Master's soon return

​

Joel 2 v 30-32​

I will shew  ' WONDERS ' . . .  in the heavens  &  in the earth  . . .  BLOOD​  &  FIRE  &  PILLARS OF SMOKE .  The  SUN  shall be  turned into darkness  &  the  MOON  into blood  ,  BEFORE  the great  &  the terrible  DAY of the LORD come.  And it shall come to pass ,  that  ' WHOSOEVER '   shall call on the  name of the LORD  shall be delivered :  For   in mount Zion  &  ​in Jerusalem  shall be deliverance , as the LORD hath said