“Paper Tiger” is an ancient Chinese expression that refers to something that appears to be strong, but is really weak. It appears to be very dangerous, but it is not dangerous at all. For many years, Communist China was called a “Paper Tiger,” but the expression no longer fits.
In November 2013, China got the world’s attention by announcing that it was establishing an Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) over a large area of the East China Sea. This ADIZ included a tiny group of islands that are thought to have rich mineral deposits, and that are surrounded by good fishing waters, and that have long been claimed by Japan and Taiwan as well as China. It is causing a really big problem, but the thing that I want to call to everyone’s attention is the assertiveness and belligerence of China.
In December 2013, China announced that it had landed a rover on the moon to explore its surface by taking pictures and soil samples and probing the ground with radar. Although the rover quickly ran into trouble, it should be noted that everything worked at first and China is one of only three nations to accomplish a soft landing on the moon. Doing this on her very first try was a great achievement and it clearly shows that China has made tremendous strides in science and technology.
In January 2014, China announced that it had successfully tested a hypersonic missile. Several nations got the jitters and some members of Congress even speculated that China has surpassed the U.S. in the development of this kind of weapon. That remains to be seen, but there is no doubt that former “Paper Tiger” has become stronger and more dangerous.
It was also announced in January 2014 that China is now the largest trading nation in the world. China traded more goods in 2013 than the U.S. This demonstrated China’s rising wealth, power and influence, and it alarmed some in the U.S. who said China now has money to build and modernize her military.
Having said this, I want to come to the real purpose of this article. Not everyone agrees, but many believe that China will lead a 200 million man army in an invasion of the Middle East during the Tribulation Period (Rev. 9:16). There were fewer than 200 million men on earth when this prophecy was written so fulfilling it in those days was impossible.
But in 1964, China shook the world of Bible prophecy by announcing that it could field a 200 million man armed and organized militia. The fact that the population of the earth had reached the point where one nation could field a Tribulation period size militia was seen by some as both significant and frightening. But others said China is a “Paper Tiger.” They said China doesn’t have the resources to move an army of this size into the Middle East. They said China’s army would have to cross some of the world’s highest mountains or China would have to build many ships to get to the Middle East.
Well guess what? A few weeks ago, it was reported that China has already signed a number of contracts worth billions of dollars with Pakistan to build a port on the eastern approach of the Persian Gulf near Iran and Saudi Arabia. The report said China is already in the early stages of building a network of roads, rail lines and pipelines from China to that port and these roads will shorten the distance for moving supplies from China to the Gulf.
Surprise! Surprise! When John the Revelator was in prison on the Isle of Patmos the earth didn’t have 200 million men. Now, China says she can come up with 200 million men; she is becoming assertive; technologically, militarily and financially capable; and she is building roads and railroads to move things to the Middle East. World leaders should be concerned, but they don’t know or believe Bible prophecy so they are unprepared.
FYI: God Has Spoken (And We Know It) by Daymond Duck is available, (linked to my publisher @ https://www.raptureready.com/terry/book17.html). Books and a Kindle version are available at amazon.com. A Nook version is available at bn.com. Check out what it says about Syria, Russia, Iran, Egypt, natural disasters, the Two-State Solution, etc.
Prophecy Plus Ministries
Daymond & Rachel Duck