A look at the coming year has to start with the question: Whatever happened to the much-discussed Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP) with its plan for North American integration in 2010?

Previously, we’ve discussed the cycles of history that promise to converge to create the anticipated apocalypse of 2012—a time when life as we know it ends and a new “spiritually enlightened” world emerges.

As we discussed in Part 1 of this series, wading through the mystique surrounding the popular focus of the year 2012 is actually a study in cycle theory. Without regard for the Mayan Long calendar, scholars and analysts, extrapolating from the cycles of human history, have reasoned that the coming years will be extraordinary.

As 2009 is rapidly passing, I have been approached by many friends asking, “What do you think of all of this 2012 nonsense?” I had to admit I hadn’t given it much thought except for the attention to the Mayan Long Calendar I had studied years ago (many years ago) in college.

The final installment of this series focuses on the most controversial member of the treacherous trio of Ezekiel 38—Russia. Parts 1 and 2 of this series discussed the rise of Turkey and Iran, respectively. Historically, each of these three countries enjoyed grand imperial pasts. All are ambitious. All are making a move to achieve a measure of their previous success.

The headlines have been filled with speculation of either a U.S. or an Israeli strike against Iran’s nuclear sites. When George Bush was in the White House, many analysts had determined that it could go either way. However, the election of Barack Obama changed the odds in the minds of many.

As discussed in Part 1 of this series, the treacherous trio of Ezekiel 38 is defined as Turkey, Iran and Russia. Historically, each of these countries enjoyed grand imperial pasts. All are ambitious. All are making a move to achieve a measure of their previous success.

True they have tried, but their efforts have been cast in the pattern of an outworn tradition. Faced by failure of credit they have proposed only the lending of more money. Stripped of the lure of profit by which to induce our people to follow their false leadership, they have resorted to exhortations, pleading tearfully for restored confidence. They know only the rules of a generation of self-seekers. They have no vision, and when there is no vision the people perish.

The shifting geopolitical winds during the past few months have once again raised the specter of Ezekiel’s “Magog” invasion of Israel.

While watching the media coverage of bus loads of angry Americans protesting in front of AIG headquarters and executives’ homes, another historical political diversion came to mind—Nero feeding Christians to the lions in giant public spectacles as the unwitting victims of Nero’s accusations.

We conclude our three-part China series this month with an exploration of the affects of Communism and the struggles facing the current regime.

We are in the middle of a series covering China in depth—we will not bring you the latest “flash in the pan” news about China but rather reveal the undercurrents that have dictated the path of China’s meteoric rise. With that in mind, we continue with part two of our series in which we will explore how capitalism has changed China and what its future holds.