North Korea's missile 'test' on Wednesday, China's currency deal with Australia

A news update for you. News from the last few days--

North Korea may be preparing to test missile
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A top South Korean national security official said North Korea may be setting the stage for a missile test or another provocative act with its warning that it soon will be unable to guarantee diplomats' safety in Pyongyang. But he added that the North's clearest objective is to extract concessions from Washington and Seoul. North Korea's warning last week followed weeks of war threats and other efforts to punish South Korea and the U.S. for ongoing joint military drills, and for their support of U.N. sanctions over Pyongyang's Feb. 12 nuclear test."

They beleive this to be an upcoming test, not an attack. All indications point to Wednseday for a launch. They expect the missiles to arc over Japan. Hence...

Japan deploys missile-defense batteries
"Japan deployed missile-defense systems at three sites around Tokyo early Tuesday ahead of a possible missile launch by North Korea, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said. The Patriot missile batteries were set up in the central district of Ichigaya and in the suburbs of Asaka and Narashino, Suga told reporters Tuesday. The deployments come as U.S. and South Korean officials warn Pyongyang could be preparing for another provocative move after weeks of belligerent rhetoric. Monday, Suga had said the government would not publicize any missile-defense deployment, saying "It would show our strategy to North Korea."

China seemed to get irritated with Korea's antics this week, sparking a plethora of articles speculating on China's relationship with their little brother.

Is China ready to abandon North Korea?
"China's new President Xi Jinping appeared to be in sociable mood at the BOAO economic forum in the southern Chinese island of Hainan. China's state media has published dozens of photos showing Mr Xi glad-handing his counterparts from Australia, Cambodia and even Algeria. In contrast, China's supposed ally, North Korea, received the rhetorical equivalent of a rap on the knuckles. "No one should be allowed to throw a region and even the whole world into chaos for selfish gains," Mr Xi warned during a speech at the opening of the forum. The Chinese president did not mention any country by name, but it is widely believed that his words were aimed at Pyongyang."

Or, is China's seeming irritation with their lesser ally actually subterfuge for its grander plan to conquer the US? An Op-Ed in Forbes three days ago:

China Helped North Korea Target American Cities
"Today, Kim Jang-soo, South Korea’s new national security director, said North Korea may fire off a missile as soon as Wednesday. The launch will undoubtedly be a test of an intermediate-range missile, not an attack. North Korea last week moved two missiles, which were subsequently loaded onto mobile launchers, to its east coast. Many expect the missiles, which have been subsequently moved to hidden locations, will be fired in trajectories arcing over Japan."

"The Pentagon is not at the moment especially concerned about Pyongyang’s longest-range missile, the Taepodong-2, a variant of the successfully tested Unha-3 rocket. It takes weeks to transport, assemble, fuel, and prepare the Taepodong-2, giving U.S. forces many opportunities to destroy the missile on its large launch pad. The Pentagon, however, is worried about Pyongyang’s mobile missiles, even though they have shorter ranges. It is telling that Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on March 15 cited the North’s newest launcher, the KN-08, as a reason for the administration’s decision to deploy 14 additional interceptor missiles in Alaska."

"The KN-08 sits on an eight-axle mobile vehicle—a transporter-erector-launcher in military lingo—that can hide and shoot, so America’s costly missile defense system is considered necessary because of the hard-to-find KN-08s. China transferred to North Korea at least six of those mobile launchers, a clear violation of Security Council sanctions.Washington policymakers have been reluctant to confront the implications of the Chinese effectively using the North Koreans to target U.S. cities. Beijing, by supplying the mobile launchers, substantially increased the North’s ability to attack the American homeland."

China has been aggressive in incrementally chipping away at the US in various spheres, including financial and economic. Over the last 20 years, they have bought up much US property. Now this:

Sorry, Mates, Strictly Business: Australia Wants To Cut Out US Dollar In Trade With China
"Australia is seeking to bypass trading in U.S. dollars with China in an effort to avoid the commercial uncertainties that come with the recent fluctuations in the greenback. For example, just a half a year ago, the dollar traded at about $1.20 to the euro; by February, it had weakened to $1.34 per euro and now it is going for $1.27. Eliminating the dollar in trade will be the focus of Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s trip to Beijing next week. Trade with China, Australia’s primary trading partner, totaled $120 billion in the last fiscal year. China buys nearly one-third of Australian exports."

The deal was successful!

Westpac, ANZ secure deal to trade Australian dollar and Chinese Yuan
"WESTPAC and ANZ have been granted the rights to directly trade Australian dollars and Chinese Yuan as part of an agreement to directly trade the two currencies on the Chinese mainland. The currency deal, which will be formally announced tomorrow, will make the Australian dollar only the third major currency to be directly traded with the Yuan on the Chinese mainland."

The other two currencies which trade directly with the Chinese yuan after the new deal with the Australian dollar are the U.S. dollar and the Japanese yen. This direct trade begins next week.

It is hard to know what they are all up to.

In the last days during the Tribulation, there are three sets of verses which depict a ten-nation confederacy which the antichrist overthrows, and he ends up ruling the world alone. Revelation 17:12, Revelation 13:1, Daniel 7:16-24, and Daniel 2:41-42. Here they are:

“And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast.” (Revelation 17:12)

“And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads.” (Revelation 13:1)

“I approached one of those who stood there and asked him the truth concerning all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of the things. ‘These four great beasts are four kings who shall arise out of the earth. But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever.’

1“Then I desired to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the rest, exceedingly terrifying, with its teeth of iron and claws of bronze, and which devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet, and about the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn that came up and before which three of them fell, the horn that had eyes and a mouth that spoke great things, and that seemed greater than its companions. As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them, until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom. “Thus he said: ‘As for the fourth beast, There shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all the kingdoms, and it shall devour the whole earth, and trample it down, and break it to pieces. As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise, and another shall arise after them; he shall be different from the former ones, and shall put down three kings. (Daniel 7:16-24).

“And as you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter's clay and partly of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom, but some of the firmness of iron shall be in it, just as you saw iron mixed with the soft clay. And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly brittle.” (Daniel 2:41-42). (It is interpreted that the ten toes are the ten nation confederacy.)

It stands to reason that one or more of the "Kings" is from the geo-political area of the Orient, particularly since a call is made in Revelation16:12 to make way for them. MacArthur explains,

"There needs to be access for the oriental leaders who will come to the land of Palestine. The millions of Asia, literally the Greek says here, "The kings of the rising of the sun," anatole, the kings of the rising...the sun rising in the east. God dries up the Euphrates River so these kings from the great empires, India, China, Japan, whatever great empires will be at that time, can come to Palestine."

It seems to me, a person aged 52, that the world has been moving toward authoritarian control for a long time. The world has been made to accept more and more authoritarian intrusion into our lives, while dismissing their own egregious excesses. That the bible states that by the end of the end the world will be gathered into ten geo-political arenas so it will be. That we can see the trend so vividly in these present days does not astound me, either.

I can't predict how the LORD will bring these things about, the details are left blank in the bible. We read only of the broad strokes on this particular prophecy. But I am daily watching in wonder and breathless expectation of the LORD'S work in the world. The signs are unmistakable.