OIL

1. OIL …a Biblical Perspective Scott Huckaby www.BibleTract.org

2. OIL …and Armageddon Be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near (James 5:8, NIV)

3. Today’s Discussion: How economic developments relate to the return of Christ What is forcing oil prices up (Satan leveraging sin: greed, fear) Why our hope should be bolstered by today’s economic trends

4. How did locusts affect an agrarian society? The LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land" (Exodus 10:12, NKJV) God used them to crash their economy so that they’d listen to Him.

5. What are the locusts of today’s economy? You shall carry much seed out to the field and gather but little in, for the locust shall consume it. (Deuteronomy 28:38, NKJV) • The frantic focus on accumulating wealth by a few in one sector devours wealth for the many in other sectors creating “financial bubbles” that burst. • (technology, real estate, oil, food...)

6. What will be mankind’s solution to our economic perturbations? These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. (Revelation 17:13, NKJV) Global problems require a global solution… …centralized power will lead to centralized abuse No one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. (Rev 13:17, NKJV)

7. What is the problem with big government? “the prince of this world is coming” (John 14:30, NIV) Worldly power does corrupt; Satan takes advantage of God removing His restraint of evil on the earth to pursue his ambitions… …it will be a terrible time.

8. How is Satan behind our economic woes? No one can serve two masters… you cannot serve God and mammon. (Matt 6:24, NKJV) Mammon represents the spiritual forces leveraging the lusts of the world to diminish God’s glory. Satan supports anything that detracts from God.

9. How do high oil prices further the agenda of Satan? They worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?" (Revelation 13:4, NKJV) The U.S. needs to yield its power in the world to make way for the Revived Roman Empire from which the Antichrist will rule the world.

10. What has made today’s economic swings worse? With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed—an accursed brood! (2 Peter 2:14, NIV) Increasing moral relativism has institutionalized greed as good for the economy.

11. What is driving up oil prices? Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you! …you have heaped up treasure in the last days. (James 5:1-3, NKJV) GREED… Consumable commodities (oil, corn, rice) are hoarded in hope of great gains; and institutional investors are piling on.

12. What is the problem with greed? Give me only my daily bread; otherwise, I may have too much and disown You (Proverbs 30:8-9, NKJV) It causes us to be self-reliant and thus turn away from God.

13. How does inflation affect us? The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. (James 5:4, NIV) Common workers are taken advantage of. The increasing frequency of these financial bubbles are birth pangs of the Tribulation.

14. What will the economy be like during the Tribulation? A quart of wheat for a day's wages, and three quarts of barley for a day's wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine! (Revelation 6:6, NIV) Most people will be living paycheck to paycheck; working just to eat.

15. What will the food supply be like during the Tribulation? There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events… (Luke 21:11, NIV) There will be food shortages as a consequence of war.

16. What will become of the economy of the Tribulation? The merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her will stand far off, terrified at her torment. They will weep and mourn… In one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin! (Revelation 18:16-17, NIV) The economy built on greed will suddenly come crashing down.

17. What do high oil prices tell us about the supply of oil? Lift up your eyes to the heavens, look at the earth beneath; the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment and its inhabitants die like flies. (Isaiah 51:5, NIV) The earth is changing due to pollution, forests are disappearing, fish stocks are being depleted, & the oil age is coming to an end (supply can not keep up with demand).

18. Fear of global warming is restricting oil supply development. Is the earth’s supply of oil running out? the earth will wear out like a garment (Isaiah 51:5, NIV) Whether the earth’s oil supply is really drying up or whether political agendas are keeping oil from being produced, the affect is the same.

19. How will the death throes of the oil age affect the world? the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment and its inhabitants die like flies. (Isaiah 51:5, NIV) It will be dramatically destabilizing. It is no accident that most oil supplies are in the Mideast. (to say the least)

20. Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, UK, USA Why will the world’s oil situation lead to apocalyptic turmoil? 75% of world’s oil is in Islamic countries 8 of the 10 largest oil producing nations are Muslim Muslim nations have 8x more oil/person than the 10 richest Christian nations Muslims use 15% of the oil of citizens in 10 richest Christian nations Some Islamic sects are driven to incite turmoil Islamic Hadiths mandate that Jews should be killed They believe that world war and Israel’s destruction is required for the 12th Imam to appear ushering in world peace under worldwide Islamic rule.

21. How do we know that the world’s distribution of oil is not coincidence? You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by Your will they were created and have their being. (Revelation 4:11, NIV) God is in control… He set up this situation to bring about the course of events foretold long ago.

22. How will lust for oil lead to Armageddon? The Sovereign LORD says: I am against you, O Gog... I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with your whole army (Ezekiel 38:3-4, NIV) Russia will attack Israel to have a presence in the Mideast and thus control oil supplies.

23. CHINA A 200M-man army invades to secure the oil supply they need. Who else invades the Mideast? EUROPE The Revived Roman Empire under the Antichrist will control Israel and the Mideast. The king of the North will… …invade the Beautiful Land. (Daniel 11:40-41, NIV) The great river Euphrates… was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East. (Revelation 16:12, NIV)

24. How will the lust for oil culminate? Spirits of demons… go out to… the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty …they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon. (Revelation 16:14-16, NKJV) WW III… finally, representatives of all the world’s nations converge at Armageddon.

25. Where is the hope in the economic trend? The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. (James 5:4, NIV) They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat… My elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands; they shall not labor in vain (Isaiah 65:22-23, NKJV) The Lord will return to bring justice to the earth thus fixing the economy…

26. How else do we know we don’t have to fear the economic trend? As in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark (Matthew 24:38, NKJV) The economy will be normal enough so that those who do not know the Lord are caught by surprise at the Tribulation.

27. Is the Lord’s return the only hope for the economic trend? As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease. (Genesis 8:22, NIV) The Tribulation is not yet. God promised His provision… as there have always been agricultural cycles, there will be economic cycles.

28. How should we respond if oil prices… (a) keep going up? Recognize that this helps set the stage for the Tribulation; so Jesus is getting ready to rapture us! Seed on good ground Seed among the thorns (b) start to drop? Realize that the Tribulation may be further away than we thought; so more time to help others know Jesus! Seed on the wayside Seed on stony places of Matt 13:3-23