It was one of the last major great weather events I remember being able to see. I lost my eyesight within a few years, but this storm stands out in my memory as no other.

What makes it stand out is that the news cameras were all trained at one point on the summer White House of President George H. W. Bush in Kennebunkport, Maine. The raging Atlantic waves were actually crashing into the home, and it was feared it would be washed away, the continuing assault was so powerful.

Here is a brief description of that great storm:

In late October 28 into early November 1991, a fierce storm wreaked havoc on the high seas, bringing hurricane-force winds, major coastal flooding, and perilous waves to New England. Though it never actually made landfall in the United States, it is regarded as a highly unusual and record-setting storm for the northwest Atlantic Ocean and was memorialized in the book Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger and a movie of the same name.…

In the first few days of November, the “Perfect Storm” evolved into a tropical cyclone, and then quickly evolved into a hurricane as it sped back towards the northeast. On November 2, it passed over the same area where it had originated, landfalling in Nova Scotia…

there were isolated rogue waves reported as high as 90 feet in the North Atlantic. Hurricane-force wind gusts, reaching almost 80 miles per hour in certain areas, swept the coasts and whipped seas into a frenzy.

There can be no doubt that, though it never touched down on American soil, the “Perfect Storm” will forever be remembered as a benchmark storm for the North Atlantic. (“Remembering the ‘Perfect Storm’,” National Weather Service Heritage—Virtual Lab, By Emily Senesac (edited by Greg Romano)

This was the storm that sank the Andrea Gail, a 72-foot fishing vessel, and took the lives of six crewmen.

That infamous storm will always be pointed to with legendary implication, much as the storm years earlier that sank the Edmund Fitzgerald in the Great Lakes.

The remembrance of that 1991 storm I was able to watch unfold, and the winter storm of a week or so ago I was not able to “watch”—the one predicted to be a storm like no other, at least for the central US—engendered thoughts of things we believe are coming together in a perfect prophetic storm.

The ingredients are now in place to produce the great Tribulation storm that will make all the maelstrom of human history seem insignificant by comparison when it breaks full-blown upon anti-God rebels left behind on earth. I often refer to developments we see coming together for this perfect storm as the stage being set for the seven years known as “Daniel’s seventieth week.”

Just as weather watchers could observe the various elements of that 1991 storm and the recent winter storm, so the student of God’s prophetic Word can observe what’s coming. We can witness and report the most prominent elements forecast by Jesus and the prophets as those ingredients coalesce while the Tribulation approaches.

With God’s chosen nation, Israel, at the center of world turmoil, and with many lesser ingredients on the stormfront horizon, here are the key elements that continue to come together that will produce the unprecedented prophetic storm John saw when he was inspired to write the Revelation.

Wars and Rumors of War

Wars are raging, as has been constantly in the news in the Middle East and the arena of the former USSR. The rumors of war have never in humankind’s history been more prolific.

America’s powerful naval forces now churn into the region, bringing speculation that a US military action against Iran will likely ignite a greater regional conflict. Nuclear war is a possibility, it is speculated, while the Iranian terrorist regime threatens to sink the Abraham Lincoln American aircraft carrier and fire on other US military assets.

As part of the overall buildup to war, the major coalition members that will constitute the Gog-Magog attack of Ezekiel 38–39 have come together north of Israel.

As we’ve looked at previously, economics–the need for fiscal stability among Russia, Persia (Iran) and Turkey (Togarmah) in order to quell unrest that threatens these dictatorships likely will drive the leadership to have that evil” thought” that will lead to seek “great spoil” to the south.

The Cry for Peace

The fears produced by the buildup toward war are bringing forth an unprecedented call for peace among the nations. This is a primary indicator the Bible gives as proof that great destruction—the destruction of the Tribulation—is about to occur.

But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. (1 Thessalonians 5:1–3)

All we have to do is consider the cry for peace that’s in the news every hour of every news cycle. The Board of Peace the American president has presented to the world’s leaders is nothing short of profound in setting the stage for the perfect prophetic storm.

Leaders who have always been completely against everything Mr. Trump ever proposed apparently can’t resist climbing on the Trump Board of Peace train. Even Russia’s Vladimir Putin seems intrigued—wondering, no doubt, how to gain something economically advantageous by joining with the multi-world leader group part of Trump’s proposed peace initiative.

The Board of Peace comes at a time when all other ingredients for the perfect prophetic storm are brewing. And this is where I suspect a very special ingredient that ties this time so close to the Tribulation together.

Jesus’ Days of Lot Prophecy

As readers know, the one prophecy I believe most relevant to our time is Jesus’ word about the days of Lot:

Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. (Luke 17:28–30)

While all the volatile ingredients of the building Tribulation Storm are coalescing, Jesus gives those of us who are watchers (Mark 13:37) a heads-up on precisely what life will be like. And, again, I believe our Lord might have had America in mind when He gave this prophecy.

I say this because unless one just will not admit to truth, this country must be considered the apex nation of world history, so far as being materially blessed—and next to Israel so far as being spiritually blessed.

However, America, it is tragic and sad to say, has long since departed from God’s supreme directions in so many ways. We have become almost a twin—or I should say a “triplet”?—of Sodom and Gomorrah in ways of cultural anti-God comportment.

Our Lord said He will next catastrophically intervene into the wicked affairs of humankind—not at a time when there is world war or economic collapse into depression, but at a time of buying, selling, building, planting, and marrying—all the activities that indicate business as usual. As a matter of fact, I believe we are beginning to see economic times boom, as Sodom did in Lot’s day.

It will be at that time—like in the case of Lot’s day in Sodom—when Christ will call all believers to Himself in the clouds of Glory. That “sudden destruction” of 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 will then take place. That is, it will take place at the same time as the cry for peace is taking place!

I believe we are seeing the perfect prophetic storm very near the point of breaking upon a world totally unsuspecting that it is coming. “Like a snare,” it will come upon the entire world (Luke 21:35).

A Special Thank You!

The donation request for the Pakistani ministry was very successful, thanks to you wonderful brothers and sisters who so generously opened up your hearts to this effort.

Soon our Pakistani Pastor Anil will send for posting his personal note of gratitude to you and thanks to our Lord.

The printing and distribution of my two little books, Prophecy Power: Strength from God to Face Your Future and HeavenVision: Glimpses into Glory are now in process there in Pakistan. Let us pray together that many souls come to Christ in this mission effort!

Again, may our Lord bless each of you in every way!

—Terry

PS—I sent personal notes of thanks through email to those of you who included your email addresses with your donation.

Unfortunately, a few of those notes came back as undeliverable. So, to those who didn’t get my personal thanks, please send me an email at wtjames1@swbell.net and I’ll respond with a thank-you note, which is what I very much want to do.

If you’ve watched the rage going on in Minneapolis and other cities, you see the screaming, howling, cursing, and, in many cases, the physical assaults upon the ICE agents trying to enforce the law by rounding up illegal aliens. It seems sheer lunacy, at least to this observer, just listening to the screeching, especially of young women who seem to have gone mad with the obsession of keeping those convicted of the most heinous crimes imaginable from capture and deportation.

These aren’t protests like the founders envisioned, but are riotous and steeped in violence, and even murderous intent, as fiercely wicked as the acts of the illegals who have invaded our borders. We remember vividly, for example, the recent death of the thirty-seven-year-old woman who tried to block ICE agents and, when ordered to get out of her vehicle, instead of lawfully complying, accelerated into the ICE officer. He then, in order to protect himself and others, fired his weapon, striking the woman and killing her.

As insanely as the young woman acted, I was touched by words I heard her father say when interviewed. He was, the report indicated, a Christian who, while heartbroken over his daughter’s death, said she had no business acting in such a way, when obviously trying to run the ICE officer over.

Days later, an armed rioter threatened an ICE officer with guns and was shot and killed, touching off even more violence. One rioter, in the throes of ferocity, bit off the finger of an ICE agent.

What has happened in this nation, where sanity seems out the window and absolute hatred rules in the minds of those who apparently want to protect murderers, rapists, child molesters, and many other kinds of criminals from other countries to remain in America?

And the chaos and insanity are backed up by most every mainstream news organization in the country. It’s a growing sin infection that Paul the apostle called “the reprobate mind” (Romans 1:28).

Paul warned of how things will develop as the time of Christ’s return nears. We have looked at that passage many times. I refer, of course, to the great apostle’s “perilous times” prophecy of 2 Timothy chapter 3. I’ll let you look it up in totality but will dwell only on one element for our purpose here.

Paul said: “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be…fierce…” (2 Timothy 3:3). 

And, as we have just recounted, women will be fierce, too.  As a matter of fact, the record is reflecting that those responsible for organizing these rages against law and order are using young, white women to thrust into the forefront of protecting the murderers, rapists, child molesters, and other illegal criminals murdering, raping, sex-trafficking children and plundering billions of dollars from tax paying citizens, such as we have witnessed from among the Somali fraud—again in the Minneapolis area.

Again, Paul wrote under Holy Spirit Inspiration of the very thing that would mark the end of the Age of Grace (Church Age).  He said that the “lawless one,” Antichrist, will be revealed following the removal of the Restrainer as governor of evil over this fallen world system. It will be the spirit of Antichrist that even in John the apostle’s day was prevalent that will pervade the human race and its rebellion against all godliness.

That spirit is being manifest with each of these lawless episodes exploding around the nation. These have at their riotous hearts the reprobate minds of those who champion the wickedness that saturates our nation’s bluest cities. This has been the evil springing forth since the Biden administration opened those floodgates along our borders.

But it is not a political problem that threatens the republic the founding fathers—and God Himself—gave us. My great friend Gary Stearman had something to say about all this, giving us a Holy Spirit-influenced think-piece, I believe:

Years ago, I noticed something in Paul’s Second Letter to Timothy. It struck home in a big way, and to this day directs my thinking about Bible prophecy. In the third chapter, there is an intriguing statement: “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.” Probably most serious Christians have noticed this warning, and then have continued to read the long list of character deficiencies that follow…

This description of latter-day societal shortcomings rings with a surprising familiarity to those of us who observe the daily media parade. As I read this, it occurred to me that I needed to do a deeper study of what the term “perilous times” really meant. Looking it up, I found that the word “perilous” came from the Greek word, chalepos.

Looking further, I discovered that in the New Testament, this word was used only twice, the other time being in Matthew, Chapter 8, in which Jesus and His disciples had sailed across the Sea of Galilee. A windstorm had risen and swamped their sailboat, until He spoke and calmed the waters:

“27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him! 28 And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way”(Mt. 8:27, 28).

To my amazement, I discovered that the Greek word chalepos was used in the phrase, “exceedingly fierce!”

And fierce they were … so strong that in this territory of the beach and its cliffs, no one could pass. Their strength came from demonic possession.

I was immediately struck with the thought that when Paul wrote those prophetic words to Timothy, his exhaustive description of latter-day humanity was constructed around the idea of madness … raging insanity empowered by dark forces! Suddenly, I was deeply impressed with Paul’s true intent: to show Timothy – and us, in the twenty-first century – that the days before Christ’s return would be marked by a growing social insanity.

And not just that; it would be an insanity driven by the same dark forces encountered by Jesus and His disciples on the shores of Galilee on that day so long ago.

When this connection struck me so long ago, I began what I called the Chalepos Watch!

Always keeping Paul’s words in mind, I noted social changes and developments that were driven by raging insanity of the sort that suggested the presence of dark forces, working behind the scenes to fragment our civilized society:

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Eph 6:12).

The Chalepos Watch is still underway, and I intend to pursue it in the future, just as I have for so many years now. (Source: Gary Stearman needs no introduction to those who study Bible prophecy, of course. I’ll just say that Gary is cohost, along with Mondo Gonzales, of Prophecy Watchers, one of the premiere Bible prophecy ministries today.)

So, it is obvious that we face at this moment fierceness born of the dark side, fomented by the father of lies and the perpetrator of lawlessness against the order established by our God.

But as Gary put it in concluding his thoughts on this fierceness we face: “The good news? It is found a little further down in Paul’s letter”: “But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was” (2 Timothy 3:9).

This week’s column is intended to build upon last week’s regarding what the violence and great unrest are about and where they’re leading prophetically.

One prophetic component of what will comprise the denouement of this Age of Grace (Church Age) has vaulted to top of the stage-setting platform. This ingredient has, I believe, put end-times prophecy into overdrive while we watch things unfold through today’s hourly news cycles.

This component is spelled out unequivocally in God’s Word as at the root of evil in this sin-infected world, fallen since humanity’s rebellion in Eden.

For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. (1 Timothy 6:10)

It would be easy to conclude a probe into this root cause of all the world’s evil by simply pointing to the billions of dollars of fraud found by Elon Musk’s DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency). The tremendous fraud is still being uncovered daily after a year of the Trump administration coming to power.

Or an even greater proof that could be concluded is to offer the many billions of dollars of which the American taxpayers have been defrauded by Somalia operatives in Minnesota. But as profoundly evil as this larceny is, it’s only the tip of the enormous, evil iceberg that has grown to now threaten, in Titanic-like fashion, to sink the entire world in an economy-crushing cataclysm.

That iceberg of evil that’s grown exponentially harbors within its crushing power the love of money that God’s Word says is the “root of all evil.” Let’s examine this more deeply to understand its growth and orchestration by the being who, for now, owns the wealth of this God-rejecting world.

The destruction of humankind has, from some point near the beginning of Lucifer’s rebellion in Heaven, been Satan’s goal. That destructive effort has ramped up quickly and powerfully, as the news testifies.

Tyrants and dictators have long kept the victims within their despotic grips to suppress freedom that might replace their evil regimes. They control all commerce ruthlessly—creating, in effect, slave labor—while providing scant substance of money and foodstuffs. This has always been the case with evil leadership. Their power indeed comes from the barrels of guns–or from other murderous weaponry of dealing death to those who resist.

These who hold their victims in their grip of absolute control harbor the love of money at the center of their black, sin-saturated hearts. Money is what ensures that they will stay in power so they can enjoy the lives of billionaires. Money purchases the weapons they can use to suppress those under their dictatorships. It gives them the means necessary to invade and conquer more and more victims.

And that love of money isn’t exclusively owned by what we most often think of as the enemies of democracy. President Dwight D. Eisenhower once waxed eloquent on this when he warned against the West’s military-industrial complex.

Many of the top echelons within this conglomerate, it has been charged by Eisenhower and others, want to see the wars continue to rage. The fantastic wealth such buildup to wars produce is staggering, if one adds up the cost of all conflicts just within the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.

The lives of the youths in the world’s nations have been fed into such conflict for the purpose of not just defending against tyrants, but to create great wealth to provide lavish lifestyles for politicians and corporate titans.

We see all this rolling before our eyes as we watch, for example, things going on involving Iran. The ayatollahs and their regime of Islamic terror are under great pressures from the people who now occupy the area that was Persia of ancient times. These evil leaders are about to loosen their stranglehold on their victims. The rioting and revolutionary fervor stem, in large part, from the people’s anger over economic deprivation. The regime’s dictators, the people know, are making life miserable, and they are rising up to rid themselves of their masters.

While it might seem the uprising is calming somewhat, it will, I believe, grow in swelling waves of discontent.

Exacerbating the ayatollahs’ problems with the current revolution in Iran is the fact that America’s president is promising, in some way not yet clear, to support the people in a way that will be disastrous for the regime.

This president follows through on such promises, so the regime’s leadership is in collective panic. For example, the leadership abruptly cancelled the execution of eighteen anti-regime protestors when President Trump said any executions would mean American action directly against those who ordered the executions.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, top leader and commander of the military, has reportedly made plans to go into exile–perhaps to Moscow—if America looks to be truly on the brink of regime change.

I don’t think this will be the case. These ayatollah types are satanically bound to the most radical and virulent form of Islam, and Khamenei is 87, so the regime might be ready to die on that hill, as is sometimes said for those who won’t change or quit.

But getting back to this article’s title, it is money that is at the root of what I sense is going on now in this regard. And it is profoundly prophetic, if it’s the way this might all be shaping up for one of the most notable of all Bible prophecies.

The people of Iran are revolting vehemently due to their destitution, driven to action by the regime creating that dire economic condition. And with sanctions in place that this American president has set against the Iranian dictatorship, they haven’t any way of satisfying the reason for the peoples’ revolt.

They must therefore do what every government, especially those under the tyrannical leaderships, usually do: create diversion—or, in this case, join a coalition that is strong so as to prevent their own loss of power.

It is fascinating to note that another nation of prophetic interest is in terrible economic shape, also. And, as stated before, it’s obvious to me that one reason Vladimir Putin of Russia is so adamant about taking back Ukraine because his own people must realize they’re being deprived and tremendous internal revolt is developing.

A much-appreciated reader wrote to say there are no such hard economic times in Russia–at least not to the extent the sources I’m hearing from are reporting. However, despite Russia’s economic condition one way or the other, with the American president, for example, cutting off Russia’s oil from Venezuela and other harsh monetary impositions such as sanctions, the Russian plight is destined to worsen.

Ukraine offers that diversion mentioned above, keeping the attention focused on the war. But the tremendous numbers of Russia’s youth lost in the war, and now even older people, are adding to the increasing displeasure among the people of Russia. At the same time, there is great need to get vast sums of money to keep their economic base out of the pit of destitution.

I wonder again if the “evil thought” that comes into the mind of the one called Gog will have the love of or the desperate need for money at the root of the decision to invade toward Israel to “take great spoil” (Israel’s riches).

The same question applies to Iran (Persia). Might the leadership see that their way to survive is to join that coalition with Russia and the others to gain strength back as they pursue riches to the south?

While the Tribulation grows nearer on the prophetic horizon, things seem to be shaping up quickly, with many of the developments wrapped around economic exigencies. And that shaping up includes the US, as we’ve looked at numerous times before.

While the tyrannical nations to the east are in declining economic conditions, I believe there’s about to be an economic boom in America. This is a reason, I believe, that Donald Trump was allowed in office again despite even assassination attempts against his life and every sort of unsavory political and personal attack imaginable.

Despite the declarations of some prophecy writers—those who deny there will be the pre-Trib Rapture and who think we are on the precipice of economic collapse, thus about to go directly into the Tribulation—the facts are coming out to the contrary. A just-released indicator of the up-trending fiscal outlook is highly relevant.

The U.S. trade deficit has been reduced to $29.4 billion, after last being reported at $48.1 billion. The forecasted deficit had been $58.1 billion, Investing.com reported. The deficit dropped by $18.7 billion, and was $28.7 billion less than the predicted figure. The deficit is the lowest since 2009. (“US Trade Deficit Shrinks to $29.4 Billion, Lowest Since 2009,” https://amac.us/newsline/economy/us-trade-deficit-shrinks-to-29-4-billion-lowest-since-2009/)

Some financial authorities/experts believe an economic boom is thus beginning. This fits with our Lord’s Luke 17:28–30 “days of Lot” prophecy. It’s just a time like this—when building, buying, selling, and other economics are on the uptick—when He will call the Church into the clouds of Glory, according to the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

So, after here looking a bit into the root of evil, let us rather, with great anticipation, begin looking up for our redemption, which is drawing near (Luke 21:28)!