As a military force—and an economic engine in the 21st Century—China may have as much impact on this new century as the United States had on the past.

Whether we shop at Wal-Mart or not—whether we are concerned about all the labels that say, “Made in China”—or whether we are in touch with global economics and politics, China is a growing factor in our world.

Does this all matter to us as Christians? Some possible answers:

Inter-Connected World Today

Actually, it does matter! For better or worse, the whole world is now more inter-connected and inter-dependent since the time nations emerged. Europe has dominated the “civilized” world for centuries. America owned this past century. But now China and India have awakened from the sleep of centuries. Previously, where the Judeo-Christian Bible had been dominant, the people have been generally the freest, the most enlightened, usually most educated and materially advantaged. But now we may be nearing the end of the this fast lane of prosperity. China and India—after being excellent customers for the manufacturers of Europe and the United states—are now generally utilizing their own labor. Not only are they utilizing their own labor, but they are flooding the US markets with their products. China’s trade surplus with the United States this year is expected to approach US$200 billion (Business Week, Nov. 14, ‘05).

Christian Missionaries & the Opium Wars

Back in the 19^th century missionaries from Christian nations were sent to “save the heathen” of China and other countries. But at the same time, Opium Wars waged by “Christian governments” weakened China. Following the Opium War of 1840-42 China declined to a semi-feudal and semi-colonial country. During this phenomenon, Western Protestantism and Catholicism were used as tools of aggressive colonial and imperial policy against China. Sadly, even a number of Western missionaries played an inglorious part in this effort. Finally, after Christianity made some inroads into China, Western Catholicism and Protestantism manipulated and controlled Chinese churches—not allowing self-management.

Ironically, however, with the ascent of Communism and the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the Christian churches in China, forced underground, became more independent! Still, out of China’s population of 1.3 billion—only 30 million are believed to be Christians. When Jesus commissioned us, “Go and make disciples of all nations….”(Matt 28:19)—did he only have the Western World in mind? Has God’s plan been to actually convert “all nations” of the world to Christianity before Christ would return?

Population Growth of China

The population growth in China has been called “the people bomb” (MSNBC, Kari Huus). God’s original commission to our parents in Eden was to populate and fill the earth.

Are we nearing the point at which the earth cannot support the world’s population? Even with China’s legendary “One Child Policy,” China grows by an estimated 14 million people each year. With about 350 million women of childbearing years, controlling growth at this point is like bringing a runaway freight train to rest. As a result, not only are China’s farmland and water resources in short supply and its ecosystems imperiled, but the nation’s growing consumption is measurably straining resources and environments even outside its borders. Although China had been doing remarkably well at producing large amounts of food on comparably little land, its agricultural productivity leveled off in the 1980s. Most of the country is made up of mountains or desert. Growing industrial areas too have gobbled up vast amounts of farmland. Although Beijing is alarmed, power and wealth lie in the hands of industrial leaders—not with the farmers! Can the earth that God created feed earth’s billions?

The Unemployed, the Poor of China—and the World

Although China’s economic growth seems miraculous, there are apparently some serious “Fault Lines in China’s Economic Terrain” (“Eight Threats to China’s Economic Miracle,” Charles Wolf, RAND Corporation). First, unemployment, poverty and social unrest are on the increase. Total unemployment amounts to more than 20 per cent of China’s workforce. Other problems include: corruption, HIV/AIDS on the increase, pollution of water resources and the fragility of their financial system. China is also seen as a potential flashpoint for a feared global pandemic of bird flu because it has the world's biggest poultry population and is part of three major global routes taken for migratory birds. But China is only one nation—typical of many other countries.

According to “The State of the World’s Children 2005,” a UNICEF report shows that half the world’s children are devastated by poverty, conflict and AIDS. Nearly half of the 3.6 million people killed in war since 1990 have been children! The impact of HIV/AIDS on children is seen most dramatically in the wave of AIDS orphans that has now actually grown to 15 million worldwide.

Four decades after a US president declared war on poverty, more than 37 million people in the world's richest country are officially classified as poor—and their number in the US has been on the rise for years. Last year, according to government statistics, 1.1 million Americans fell below the poverty line (Common Dreams, Oct. 5, ‘05). The minimum wage, which rose by 15 cents to $6.35 an hour on October 1, 2005, is not enough to keep one above the poverty line. Yet minimum wage jobs, without health insurance, are the only jobs available to millions of people.

God will Deal with the Oppressors

The Scriptures are clear that God is not deaf! He will not only help the poor and the needy, but he will deal with those who have oppressed them. “He will defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy; he will crush the oppressor” (Psalm 72:4). How long must the poor wait? How long must the farmers of the world wait? The Apostle James says that just as a farmer waits for his crop, so the oppressed must wait for the judgment of their oppressors:

Although there have been efforts at reform (Banking, Tariff and Anti-Trust Laws) and attempts to help the common people (Unions, Social Security, Open Public Records, etc.)—the remedies have been insufficient and merely temporary. They are all “Band-Aid” remedies! The heart of the problem is the heart—the selfish human heart! Even if the poor became rich, chances are they would take advantage of those yet poor. So within nations, the powerful have taken advantage of the weak. Internationally, stronger nations have often taken advantage of poorer nations. But because of “greater light,” the “Christian nations” are held more responsible. —therefore we should expect God to deal with them accordingly.

Gathered for Global Judgment

The nations of earth are being gathered globally. While the newly independent Third World countries—like China—are achieving global significance in commerce, the masses of the people of China are not really benefiting. The World Trade Organization’s purpose is to govern trade between countries. Globalization, the increasing interaction and ties among nations, can be desirable. Too frequently corporate globalization, however, seeks to continually adapt those ties on behalf of the rich and powerful at the expense of the poor and weak. Even in a “rich” nation like the US, the gap between the rich and poor is widening. Discontent is rising as the stable “middle class” is being squeezed. China’s Minister for Public Security officially reported that 74,000 protests involving 3.76 million people had occurred in China in the past year (Bangkok Post, Dec. 10, '05). Could this growing discontent lead to anarchy?

Prophecy speaks of God gathering the nations for the very purpose of pouring out the “fire” of God’s indignation. But the “fire” is not and cannot be literal. Why? Because God finally gives the people—who did not know Him before—the pure language of His Truth! “Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy. For then will I turn to the people [who felt his wrath] a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent [shoulder to shoulder]” (Zephaniah 3:8, 9). The “fire” of anarchy will first destroy the present governments of earth—but then the people’s desperate extremity will become God’s opportunity to bless.

“The Desire of All Nations”

When Christ sets up his Kingdom for God, it will be global. It will be what everybody has been waiting for—and did not know.

They are actually waiting for the revealing of the Church who will bless the poor groaning creation. “For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God” (Rom 8:19).

There will be not only enough room—but dignity—for everybody! And plenty of food! (Psalm 145:12-16) The nations will be healed and the earth which was “cursed” (Gen. 3:17) will no longer be cursed with limited agricultural production. In the Kingdom there will be “the tree of life…for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse” (Rev. 22:2-3).

Not only will earth’s unsaved billions—China and the rest of the world—have an opportunity to live in this new order, but also all those who have died! Buddhists, Taoists or Confucians, Hindus—will awake from their graves. They will learn about Jesus in a Kingdom where Satan, who tricked the nations, will be bound and not able to deceive any more (Rev. 20:3). It is then that “the desire of all nations will come” (Haggai 2:6-9). This awakening will be the most important one not only for China—but all the peoples of the earth!