The Three and a Half Years Part 2

This post examines the second crucial, fundamental assumption which underpins much end time theology. It is particularly targeted to Christians with an interest in end times theology. This post examines the basis for concluding that the time, times and half a time in Daniel 7:25, Daniel 12:7 and Revelation 12:14 is 3½ years. It is expected that the conclusions will generate some strong resistance, but I implore you to examine the interpretation very carefully so that we engage in fruitful debate at the deepest level in order to establish the truth.

What is the reason for taking the time, times and half a time (in future abbreviated TT½) in Daniel 7:25, Daniel 12:7 and Revelation 12:14 as 3½ years? We believe that this assumption cannot be adequately supported from the Bible and it is a (perhaps the) primary reason for end time theological confusion.

We discover that it relies on a chain of linked time periods incorporating the 42 months in Revelation 11:2 and 13:5, the 1260 days in Revelation 11:3 and 12:6, the TT½ in Revelation 12:14, the two TT½ in Daniel 7:25 and 12:7 and the first or second half of the final seven in Daniel 9:27. The assumed common identity and literalness of these time periods is used to derive the conclusion that this length is 3½ years. For many, this is also the primary basis through which the prophecies in the book of Daniel and the book of Revelation are linked which leads to specific, crucial time elements being imparted to the book of Revelation.

Since the interpretation of this time chain and its validity is so crucial to a large percentage of end time views, it is vital that it is very carefully and thoroughly checked. From an analysis of most commentaries, this is rarely if ever done and is therefore a major hermeneutical weakness in these works. Usually, the time chain is only cursorily checked and few of the links are thoroughly examined. Many just assume that the work of a previous scholar is valid and consequently they rarely check the assumption thoroughly for themselves.

Let’s draw a diagram of this time chain whose sequence reflects the usual way in which the links are inferred. The biblical references are shown underneath. The abbreviations are D = Daniel, R = Revelation, d = days, m = months, y = years and TT½ is the time, times and half a time.

TT½ -> 1260d -> 1260d –> 42m (=3½y) -> 42m -> TT½ -> TT½ -> 3½y
R12:14-> R12:6-> R11:3-> R11:2-> R13:5-> D7:25-> D12:7-> D9:27

The way this typically works is that firstly, the assumed common identity of Revelation 12:14 and 12:6 is used to establish that the TT½ is 1260 days. Then secondly, it is assumed that the two periods of 1260 days are the same. Then thirdly, the assumed common identity of the 42 months and the 1260 days in Revelation 11:2 and 3 is used to establish that the 1260 days is 3½ years. Fourthly, it is assumed that the 42 months in Revelation 13:5 must be this same period of time as the 42 months in Revelation 11:2 and therefore 3½ years as well. Fifthly, it is assumed that the TT½’s in Revelation and Daniel are all the same period of time which must then be 3½ years in length. Finally, this is equated to the (usually) final 3½ years in the final seven of the seventy sevens prophecy whose length of time was independently asserted from the interpretation of that prophecy (this was examined in Part 1 of this post).

Notice how this chain has 8 nodes and 7 links. If at any point the chain should be broken through an invalid assumption or the chain weakened through an unproven or doubtful assumption, then the overall interpretation will be damaged. In this way, the time chain should be seen to be fragile. Note that not all end time interpretations necessarily require all the 8 nodes.

Let us now examine these assumptions.

Firstly, is the 1260 days in Revelation 12:6 the same period of time as the TT½ in Revelation 12:14?

In Revelation 12:6 the woman flees, but why she flees is not explained and the focus of verse 6 is on the woman being “taken care of”. The Greek word used which occurs eight times focuses on the idea of feeding, nourishing and bringing up, but excludes the thought of protection from an enemy. Thus the focus of the 1260 days is nurture, not protection.

There are important similarities between the description of the woman fleeing into the wilderness to a place prepared for her and being nourished there in Revelation 12:6 and 12:14. For this reason, many scholars take the 1260 days and the TT½ as the same period of time. However, there are also important differences in the second passage reflected in all of Revelation 12;13-16 and these must be taken into account when making this assessment. Overall, it is apparent that the focus of the first passage is on nurture in the wilderness, whereas the focus in the second is protection from the direct attacks of the dragon and the indirect attacks of the serpent.

In Revelation 12:13, the woman is pursued, and by implication persecuted, by the dragon with the clear intention of destroying her. This would explain why she flees in Revelation 12:6. Then we are told in Revelation 12:14 that the woman is given the two wings of a great eagle and so is given help in her flight whereas in Revelation 12:6 no help is identified. Next, in Revelation 12:14 we are informed that she is carried to a place of refuge in the wilderness where she will be taken care of for a period of TT½. An important difference between Revelation 12:6 and Revelation 12:14 is that this place in the wilderness is “out of sight of the serpent”. It is quite curious that the identity of the woman’s aggressor changes from the “dragon” to the “serpent” although the same person is clearly in mind. Then we see that because the woman is out of sight, the serpent has to adopt a different “catch all” strategy to attack the woman as direct attack is not possible. So the serpent pours rivers of water out of his mouth to sweep her away. To understand this we need to recall the rivers of living water that flow from God’s throne as a picture of the work of the Holy Spirit. Here, the serpent’s counterfeit spiritual attack is designed as a catch all strategy to destroy the woman, much like Herod’s attempt to kill Jesus by killing all the babies less than two years old. The reason this attack fails is that “the earth swallowed the river”. We need to consider the vision picture here and we suggest that the reason the attack fails is that the “woman” is scattered over a large region implying that the woman is symbolic of a large group of people not a single individual.

The change of identity of Satan from being a “dragon” to be being a “serpent” reflects the different strategy needed to destroy the woman. As a dragon, the attack is direct and violent; as a serpent, the attack is subtle and deceptive.

So the focus on Revelation 12:13-16 is on Satan’s attempts to destroy the woman and the protection given to save her in the wilderness. This contrasts with Revelation 12:6 where the focus is on nourishing the woman in the wilderness. So what we must observe is that the period of 1260 days is related to the nourishment given to the woman at her location in the wilderness, whereas the TT½ is related to the protection given to the woman in the wilderness. The role of nourishment for 1260 days is replaced by the role of protection for a period of TT½.

When we examine the TT½ in Daniel 7:25 we see that the aggression of the little horn continues right up until the end of the age and so the protection of the woman must continue right up to the end as well. In contrast, when we examine the 1260 days in Revelation 11 it becomes apparent that there are events that follow after the end of the 1260 days before the end of the age. The TT½ must therefore be longer than the 1260 days. Although some may argue that the word translated “taken care of” in Revelation 12:6 and Revelation 12:14 means the same and therefore implies the period of time is the same length, a better explanation is provided if we include the wider context of Revelation 11 and Daniel 7 and recognise that the TT½ starts at the same time, but extends beyond the end of the 1260 days right to the end of the age.

Secondly, why does John make a distinction between the 1260 days and the 42 months?

This question is especially relevant if both are the same period of time. In my recollection, this question has not been examined, but the answer is obvious from the text. The 42 months is a period when Jerusalem is under the authority of her people’s enemies. The 1260 days is a period when the two witnesses are prophesying clothed in sackcloth and the woman has fled into the wilderness and so does not have a home so it has to do with actions of God’s people. Given that the two contexts are different, the onus is on the scholar to prove that they are the same; it cannot be assumed.

This conclusion is further reinforced when we recognise that under the Julian Calendar that was in use in John’s days, 42 months is equivalent to 1279 days if rounded up. If these periods are interpreted literally, they cannot be the same either. To overcome this, it is often taken that the 1260 days is 3½ years of 360 days (sometimes called a prophetic year) which can be shown to be valid in the days of Noah and probably in the days of Moses too. However, by the time of Daniel all countries in Mesopotamia were using calendars that recognised that a year was longer than 360 days. It is therefore highly doubtful that a 360 day year can be used literally although it might be used symbolically.

Thirdly, are the two periods of 1260 days the same?

Since the contexts of the two uses of this period of time are very similar, it is reasonable to assume that they are the same.

Fourthly, are the two periods of 42 months the same?

Since the contexts of the two uses of this period of time are very similar, it is reasonable to assume that they are the same.

Fifthly, is the 1260 days in Revelation 11:3 the same period of time as the 42 months in Revelation 11:2?

Since the descriptions are different, the contexts are different and the numbers expressing the length of time are different, the most natural assumption is to assume they are different. Although the two lengths are nearly the same, they are literally about 19 days different. A full explanation of this difference is necessary to be sure of any conclusion that we arrive at. This has rarely, if ever been done.

Our conviction is that the only possible conclusion that unifies the whole word of God is that these two periods are 3½ years symbolically, but something else literally.

Sixthly, are all the periods of TT½ the same?

If we allow the presence of the same numbers to determine our end time theology, this is like the “tail wagging the dog”. The presence of the same phrase does not prove they are the same period of time especially if the phrase is symbolic and since the context surrounding each use is so different, we need to have solid grounds for saying they are the same. To my knowledge, this has not been done.

The weight of textual evidence using sound interpretation principles strongly suggests that the TT½ in Daniel 12:7 begins at the time Daniel received this final vision, that is in the third year of Cyrus king of Persia which is about 535 BC. The question that is asked in Daniel 12:6 is “How long shall it be until the end of these wonders?”. The normal, natural meaning of this question is that the starting time for the period is Daniel’s now which is the third year of Cyrus, not when the king appears on the scene in Daniel 11:36.

It also strongly suggests that the TT½ in Daniel 7:25 begins when the little horn emerges out of Rome. Whatever interpretation you give to the little horn, the two TT½ cannot be the same. To conclude that the two TT½ are the same the validity of the time chain must be proved beyond reasonable doubt.

Seventhly, is the final period of seven in the seventy sevens prophecy a period of seven years so that the events that occur in the middle of that seven split it into two periods of 3½ years?

The argument given in Part 1 of this post strongly suggest that the periods of seven are either symbolic or determined from the context of the interpretation. We cannot without further evidence conclude that the final seven is a period of seven years.

Many other scholars, who interpret Revelation symbolically, still see these time periods as being the same length of time, but frequently interpret the period to be actually the whole or most of the church age. However, these scholars rarely debate the reason why John uses 1260 days in one place, 42 months in another and why Daniel and John use a time, times and half a time. If indeed John has written under the inspiration of the Lord with precision, the failure to explain these differences is a weakness in the interpretation.

In conclusion, it is very doubtful that we can validly conclude from intensive Bible study that the periods of seven in the seventy sevens prophecy are periods of years and the time, times and half a time is 3½ years. This means that substantial components of most end time theologies are in error and most certainly cannot be asserted with any degree of confidence. Accepting this conclusion will most definitely lead to the removal of much confusion and steer us to a much more accurate end time theology.

I do expect some strong emotional reactions to what has been written here. From my perspective what has been written is motivated by a strong desire to know God and a love for the truth reflected in my convictions that the word of God is accurate. I believe the truth is knowable so that the end time confusion reflects the fact that up until now there is so much confusion. Current end time theologies must to some extent be in error, because they neither unify the word of God nor do they bring unity to the world wide church.

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The Three and a Half Years Part 1

This post examines the first crucial, fundamental conviction which underpins much end time theology. It is particularly targeted to Christians with an interest in end times theology. This post examines the widely accepted conviction that the periods of seven in the seventy sevens prophecy in Daniel 9:24-27 are sevens of years. It is expected that the conclusions will generate some strong resistance, but I implore you to examine the interpretation very carefully so that we engage in fruitful debate at the deepest level in order to establish the truth.

It is very significant that in Daniel 9:24-27, the Hebrew word for seven (which occurs six times and simply means a period of seven) is always unqualified whereas in Daniel 10:2-3 the same Hebrew word for a period of seven is twice qualified with the Hebrew “of days”. It is never specifically stated in Daniel 9:24-27 that the periods of seven are periods of seven years, therefore the omission must be intentional. There are three possible reasons. Firstly, the interpretation is obvious from the context, secondly it is symbolic and never intended to identify a specific length of time and thirdly it does identify a specific length of time, but a length which can vary in each case and/or be only determinable from the context of the interpretation. The fact that Daniel is impassioned to pray for His people, the city and the sanctuary comes from his recognition that the seventy years of desolation for Jerusalem prophesied by Jeremiah (25:11, 29:10) is nearly completed. The mention of seventy years in Daniel 9:2 does not, of itself, provide sufficient context to be certain that the sevens are sevens of years as some scholars infer. Others, based on the seven-times judgments in Leviticus 26, infer that the length of Daniel’s prophecy must be 70 years times seven (490 years), however the passage in Leviticus 26 means seven times more severe, and therefore that may not necessarily be in length. Therefore, additional evidence in the form of precise prediction resulting from this interpretation is needed to establish that periods of seven years is intended.

For those of you who go for a literal interpretation, note that since Daniel did not specify the length of the period of seven then the most literal interpretation should do so as well.

The content of Daniel’s intercession to God in Daniel 9 is fervent prayer for the restoration of the people, the city and the temple as prophesied by Jeremiah 25-33 and Daniel is clearly not particularly interested in the timing of this restoration, other than that it occurs and begins as predicted since 70 years have nearly been fulfilled. Gabriel’s prophecy is given in answer to Daniel’s prayer and in fact is quite explicit that Daniel will know its beginning after seven sevens by the appearance of an anointed ruler (Daniel 9:25a). Keep in mind that we know quite precisely that the prophecy in Jeremiah 25 of 70 years of desolation for Jerusalem was given in 605 BC and that Daniel was probably present in Jerusalem when it was given and that the prophecy by Gabriel was probably given in 538 BC when only 3 years remain before it would fulfilled.

Many of you I know will disagree with this interpretation, but the burden of proof that the periods of seven are periods of seven years still rests upon you. And recognise that the Hebrew text in Daniel 9:25 says “an anointed ruler” not “the Messiah” as translated in the KJV and some other translations. If you examine the Hebrew text of this verse, it is also apparent that it is a beautifully balanced chiasm which reveals that the seven sevens and the sixty two sevens are quite distinct making the ESV translation of this verse much more likely. Unfortunately, many of us have been misled by the KJV into thinking that this prophecy is about the coming of Jesus. It clearly is not and the chiasmic structure of this verse rules out that this prophecy can be used to predict the year of Jesus crucifixion. Without this prediction it is impossible to prove that sevens of years were intended.

Having said all this it is quite extraordinary that in establishing this prophecy to prove the year of crucifixion that the start time chosen is some 80 years in the future and is chosen to ensure that the calculation works. In addition, we do not know the end time as both 30 AD and 33 AD are possible. I am amazed, that given the huge uncertainty and ambiguity and doubtful nature of the interpretation, that so many proclaim their end time theology with such confidence. There are so many different and confidently expressed views that in reality we should express our view with great caution and uncertainty and present them for careful testing. In reality, most, if not all preterist and futurist views depend on a very shaky interpretive foundation.

The next post will examine the basis for concluding that the time, times and half a time in Daniel 7:25, Daniel 12:7 and Revelation 12:14 is 3½ years.

The Coming Crisis

It is strikingly apparent that people in our world today, perhaps with the exception of those with monotheistic beliefs, expect life on earth to continue far into the foreseeable future. Although some see huge dangers, in general, most believe that we will get through the current challenges somehow and life will continue. In general, we seem to be eternal optimists. In the developed and developing countries many live from day to day without giving a great deal of thought to longer term issues; many others will plan to secure their financial and long term health issues as best as their nation will provide. In poorer countries, most can only live from day to day as courageous survival and intelligent adaptability is the best they can hope for.

Most exciting in our time is to see the growth of our modern, world wide civilisation and to be part of it. This is quite unique in history. Never before has a world wide civilisation occurred. However, there is an increasing number of people who realise that this amazing civilisation is coming under a growing threat and is on the edge of collapse. Perhaps, this threat was first made public with the release of the book “The Limits to Growth” in 1972, which caused a storm of controversy and was rejected by many who had political mind sets, but not on scientific grounds. The essential thesis of this work was that our modern civilisation cannot continue to grow forever because there are limits to what our planet can sustain. The authors suggested that we needed to put in place measures to control population growth, limits to the use of energy resources especially fossil fuels and to limit pollution, because without these controls our modern civilisation would become unsustainable and must eventually collapse sometime in the 21st century. Two subsequent updates to this work, the last one in 2004, indicated that our civilisation had grown beyond sustainability and that more drastic measures were needed to avoid a more catastrophic decline. Recent research seems to confirm the correctness of these conclusions and also show that the results were remarkably accurate. Today more and more people are recognising how fragile our modern civilisation is and this web site will attempt to reflect on these emerging circumstances and to provide recommendations for discussion and action.

The unique features that this web site brings is to link this perspective and the unfolding events especially pertaining to Israel and the Middle East with a matching perspective to God’s plan revealed in the Bible and described by an end time theology. Not surprisingly no existing secular source goes near this connection. In addition, from a Christian perspective, no existing, published end time theology is able to do this as their framework is unable to link together the teaching of the Bible unambiguously, clearly and with confident interpretations of every relevant passage of the Bible. The conclusions are startlingly relevant in a new and exciting way. That’s why we say the the return of Jesus is near. Our prophetic sense is that God’s patience is running out and that He will not allow the huge suffering in the world to continue very much longer.

Thus it is my conviction that our current modern civilisation will inevitably collapse and that this collapse reflects the end time scenario in the Bible that will lead to the return of Jesus. Thus I believe that the world we know today will end, but will be replaced by a new world which will be far better and which God planned for before the beginning of time. I do not look on this negatively as a doom and gloom perspective because the reality is that most people living today are already suffering to a tremendous degree. God has planned for heaven on earth. Today we are able to experience a foretaste of this within communities that are vibrantly connected to God, but God’s plan is that this experience will extend to the whole earth after Jesus returns. In the meantime, there are churches that are experiencing a measure of this joy and it is exciting to see this unfold.

The Big Picture to Watch

The granularity of Bible prophecy is an important factor we must understand if we are to interpret the Bible correctly. We have to be very careful when seeing events in the world as fulfilling Bible prophecy. They need to be carefully tested as frequently a specific event does not have adequate significance to match the big picture presentation of Bible prophecy. We can gain some perspective of this from the book of Daniel because we can identify the exact fulfilment of some of the things that are written. The same granularity must carried over to all other Bible prophecy.

In this post we want to examine two key passages in the book of Joel. The first is the very well known passage in Joel 2:28-32 where God foretells the outpouring of God’s Spirit on all flesh. This prophecy is picked up by Peter when the Holy Spirit first came on the Day of Pentecost. On that day, Peter quoted from this passage saying that Joel’s prophecy was beginning to be fulfilled and that this was the beginning of the “last days”.

At this point we come up against a major challenge in Biblical interpretation. Many Christians see that Joel’s prophecy will be fulfilled in the last few years before Jesus returns in an extraordinary end time revival and that what happened on the Day of Pentecost foreshadowed a much greater outpouring that will occur in the end times in the generation that will see the return of Jesus. The alternative interpretation is that Joel’s prophecy began with Pentecost and then extends throughout the church age which is equivalent to the “last days” and so has so far lasted nearly 2,000 years. In our view the Biblical evidence is overwhelmingly in favour of this alternative interpretation.

Crucial to making this choice is the time element. Many see most Biblical last days prophecy being fulfilled in the generation that will see Jesus return or the last 3.5 or 7 years before His return. These will inevitably interpret the outpouring of God’s Spirit as primarily being fulfilled during this end time period. However, if the last days extends throughout the church age then so must the outpouring of God’s Spirit.

To see this more clearly, let’s unpack Joel 2:28-32, for the Hebrew text reflects a typical Hebrew structure which can only be partially discerned in our modern English translations. In the Hebrew Bible these five verses are a separate chapter, chapter 3. Our chapter 3 is the Hebrew chapter 4. This passage divides into three sections.

A. The outpouring of God’s Spirit (v 28-29).
B. Final signs (v 30-31)
A’. The salvation for all who respond (v 32)

Sections A and A’ have similar structure

Section A

And it will be (one Hebrew word which implies more than just “and”)
A time phrase (afterward)
An action (I will pour out my Spirit)
An outcome (prophesying, declaring God’s word)
A time phrase (“in those days”, in the Hebrew text this comes before the next phrase)
The same action (I will pour out my Spirit)

Section A’

And it will be (the same Hebrew word as begins section A implying the same time period)
The time phrase is omitted as it is implied and not needed
An action (Every one who calls on name of the Lord)
An outcome (salvation in Mt Zion and in Jerusalem)
The time phrase is omitted as it is implied and not needed
A similar, reverse action (Whom The Lord calls)

Note how the outpouring of God’s Spirit and the prophesying in section A lead to people calling out to God and God calling so that there is salvation in section A’. The two sections are parallel and are fulfilled concurrently. All will experience the outpouring of God’s Spirit, but only those that call on the Lord will experience salvation. That is what Peter saw on the Day of Pentecost; the beginning of the fulfilment of this prophecy as section A and A’ were seen. According to Acts 1 and 2, those that respond to the Spirit and accept God’s call are empowered by His Spirit to be His witnesses and these witnesses prophesy. Together with the Spirit, the prophetic witness is passed on so that more and more people respond and shine the light of the glory of the gospel to those around them. This is also the prophetic witness described by John in a concurrently parallel passage in Revelation 11:1-6 in his allusion to Joel in Revelation 11:3-4. This understanding of Revelation 11 is explained in the book “The Time is Near” available for download on this web site.

Peter also quoted Joel 2:30 describing wonders seen in the heavens and on earth blood, fire and smoke which was clearly not being fulfilled. This verse and similar words are here and elsewhere described as occurring just before the Day of The Lord and associated with the second coming of Jesus. Interestingly, this verse is sandwiched between section A and A’. I suggest the reason is obvious; section B marks the end of the period of time which begins with the outpouring of God’s Spirit and the opportunity of all flesh to respond to God’s initiative. Conclusion, this prophecy must span the whole church age. It is not just about a final end time revival which we have yet to see.

When we examine the statistics of church growth throughout the church age, history supports our conclusion. The outpouring of God’s Spirit has been occurring throughout the church age and also there has been an acceleration of growth and the manifestation of God’s power too.

Note that when Peter quotes from Joel in Acts 2:17-21, he omits the last part of Joel 2:32, the final verse. In that part, those on whom the Lord calls are specified rather than those that call on the Lord. Curious. This relates to those who respond to God’s final call, especially the faithful remnant of Jews and others who have not heard the gospel. See also Revelation 11:12 and those that respond when the earthquake comes and Revelation 14:6-7.

So the locust invasion and the mighty army invasion in Joel 1 and 2 identify the beginning and on going attacks against people which lead up to the Day of The Lord which ends them. Joel 3 describes that final end.

When we come to Joel 3:1, we see that the time of its fulfilment is “in those days” which is the same phrase used for the period of the outpouring of God’s Spirit in Joel 2:28-29 and, in addition, the time when God has restored the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem. If, as we believe, “in those days” refers to the church age, then the only time in history when the second condition could be concurrently fulfilled is in recent times when Israel became a nation in 1948 and the subsequent history which saw Israel win some extraordinary military victories and enjoy incredible success in the face of enormous opposition. At that time, Joel 3:2 says that God would gather all the nations to a place of reckoning and enter into judgment against them based on the way they treated His chosen people.

In a big picture sense, that is what we are seeing occurring today. This gathering is not something occurring in an instant of time, but rather the result of activity spanning the decades since the Second World War. It is the overall outcome of multiple events. In our view it is significant that all the nations geographically surrounding and near Israel are Islamic and that most of them are hostile or at best unfriendly. A few of them, notably Iran and Hamas have publicly stated their goal is to destroy Israel and technically are at war although not in practice. The alignment of other nations further away seems to vary continuously, but is primarily based on political and economical factors. Only the US and a few other nations have remained as faithful allies.

In quite a notable way, the description in Joel 3:4-8 corresponds well with the condition of Lebanon (the region of Tyre and Sidon) and that of the Palestinians (the regions of Philistia) mentioned in Joel 3:4. Although written in words corresponding to the geography and language contextualised to Joel’s era, the description of these people being sold to Judah who then in turn sell them to the Arabs (the Sabeans) is vivid and in a big picture sense an accurate picture of the current situation. This all suggests that Joel 3:1-8 is a picture of our “now”.

If this is correct then the next thing that occurs from Joel 3:9 and onwards is preparation for war. I would suggest that this is already happening. Therefore, we must watch and pray in order that we can be prepared and not be surprised or dismayed as tragic and threatening events continue to unfold.

What in the World is going on?

This is the first post to this web site. Progress has been slow, but it is planned that it will be ready for productive use by 31 May 2013. Some time in the next two months important downloads will be possible and a number of posts will be published which will define the scope of this web site.

The world today is changing very rapidly. It is very interesting, exciting and terrible at the same time. Only a minority live in a reasonably secure environment. Much evidence suggests that there are limits to growth and that we are now coming up against those limits. It suggests that the modern civilisation we know cannot continue much longer in the form that we are experiencing today.

It is our conviction that these circumstances were anticipated long ago.

This site is being constructed to examine these issues. It is hoped that it will engender fruitful debate and lead us to understand the urgency of this hour and how we might prepare for what is coming on the world.