We’re starting to get an idea of what the “post-American world” looks like.

That’s the term author Fareed Zakaria introduced earlier this year to describe the rise of several nations to the level of what was once the world’s lone superpower. It’s a new geopolitical reality that Zakaria called “the ultimate win-win”—a world that contains “more power centers,” one in which “nearly all are invested in order, stability and progress.”

That’s a nice thought. Trouble is, different “power centers” have different ideas of what that “order, stability and progress” should look like. Case in point: Russia.

Now we know that the post-American world is one where a strong ally of America, one that Washington has promoted heavily for membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (nato), can be the target of a crushing Russian military invasion.

In this world, Russia demolishes Western efforts to access Caspian and Central Asian energy without Russian interference—and simultaneously exposes the fecklessness of nato, all in a stroke.

As recently as nine years ago, nato ignored Russian interests and backed Kosovo by waging war against Serbia, Russia’s ally. Russia was unable to fight back at the time. Today, in the post-American world, the tables are turned. A militarily diminished nato ignores Russian interests and backs Georgia with words. Russia, politically and militarily revived, responds by waging war against America’s ally and bringing it to heel.

If other budding democracies had been looking to America for support, the Georgia affair has surely wounded their faith. It was a sobering illustration of the post-American order of things: a promising nato candidate getting routed—and Washington simply looking on uncomfortably.

Nine years ago, Russia could only watch as nato helped break Yugoslavia into a collection of independent states ready to be consumed by Europe. This year, in February, America and nato tried to complete that process by recognizing Kosovo’s independence from Serbia. But in this post-American world, that’s not the end of the story. In this world, Russia responds by demanding the recognition of South Ossetia’s and Abkhazia’s independence from Georgia. And the U.S. secretary of state counterpunches in this post-American era by calling that provocative declaration “regrettable.”

In this world, the vaunted levers of “soft power”—the only power America allows itself to use anymore—are proving useless. nato threatens to break ties with Russia; Russian President Dmitri Medvedev responds by saying that would be just fine. Amid talk of excluding Moscow from the World Trade Organization, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin preempts the discussion by announcing that Russia isn’t interested in joining anymore.

The post-American world is one where Russia threatens Poland with a nuclear strike if it deigns to allow America to plant an anti-missile system on its soil.

Make no mistake: This is definitely a world with “more power centers.” But “win-win”? Sure, it’s a win for Russia. The Russians are ecstatic right now at their nation’s restoration to greatness. But it’s hardly a win for America.

In fact, while the Russia-Georgia situation is certainly the most dramatic, it is only one of several that show just how post-American our world has become.

The post-American world is one where North Korea, taking advantage of a U.S. distracted by Russia, announces it will suspend denuclearization efforts—and threatens to rebuild and restart the Yongbyon nuclear reactor if America doesn’t remove it from its list of state sponsors of terrorism.

The post-American world is one where Azerbaijan responds to Russia’s Georgia invasion by ignoring U.S. efforts to isolate Iran and starting to send oil shipments through that country.

It’s a place where Iran successfully circumvents all U.S. efforts to freeze its nuclear program over a period of years and suffers virtually no consequences.

Where Iran and Syria strangle the government of Lebanon, another U.S. ally, without fear and without punishment.

This world is one where Iraq’s Shiite-dominated government goes after Sunni fighters despite their alliance with the Americans.

Where Iraqi leaders tell American leaders when to leave their country, and American leaders, in principle, obey.

It’s a world where the Taliban unravels the first “victory” in the “war on terror,” advancing unrelentingly against U.S. and allied troops in its bid to reclaim Afghanistan. (The mother country of the former Soviet empire has to be watching America’s trials in Afghanistan with a certain smugness.)

It’s a place where Afghani terrorists find safe haven in neighboring Pakistan—a nation that just forced a one-time U.S. ally from office.

Where the U.S. president’s vociferously stated goal to conclude an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal in the waning months of his administration doesn’t even get off the ground.

Where Saudi Arabia laughs off the president’s earnest request to increase oil production.

Where Venezuela routinely spouts hatred against America and redirects crucial oil supplies to other, competing nations.

Where South American nations band together economically and politically, largely driven by anti-Americanism.

Where European regulatory bodies dictate terms to American industries.

Where America is held economically hostage by China, which holds hundreds of billions of dollars in U.S. debt.

Where the reputation of America’s economy is irreparably damaged and the dollar is rapidly losing its status as the world’s reserve currency.

Where U.S. companies are regularly bought out by foreign interests at fire sale prices.

Where American businesses recruit foreigners because U.S. universities don’t produce enough scientists and engineers.

Where the United Nations is routinely used as a weapon against the U.S.

Where the U.S. is tied up militarily to the point that it poses no significant threat to an invading empire, and presents no credible challenge to up-and-comers.

In this post-American world, in arena after arena, America is ignored, sidelined, surpassed, shoved aside, shut out, shut down.

Step back and look at it. It has undeniably fallen back from its position as global leader.

Among nations today, America is running in the middle of the pack.

In Zakaria’s view, as other countries grow, “the pie expands and everyone wins.” This idea hinges on a fundamental trust in these foreign powers to play fair, to embrace America in its diminished global role and essentially commit to a new peaceful, global equilibrium.

But that’s not what is happening. In the post-American world, other powers are gearing up to compete for supremacy. Sadly, it is human nature to do so. All history testifies of it. And the signs are already there.

Today, as America declines in strength, three significant power blocs have emerged: an integrating Asia led by Russia and China, a uniting Europe anchored by Germany, and a radical Islamic resurgence driven by Iran. Efforts to dethrone the U.S. are visible in all three. Just as important, the seeds of future competition among the three have already begun to sprout.

And that competition, history shows, is destined to get increasingly violent. Russia’s invasion of Georgia was the aggressive move of a great power securing ground and positioning itself for the future. Expect more such moves, from more great powers.

This world is hurtling toward a time when American influence will be not just eclipsed by these three power blocs, but eliminated from global politics. Then these three superpowers-in-waiting will scramble for the lead.

Believe it or not, that competition among them was specifically prophesied by Jesus Christ.

He warned of a period, to grip this world just before His Second Coming, called “the times of the Gentiles”—a time of suffering “such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time [the end time—our day today], no, nor ever shall be” (Luke 21:24; Matthew 24:21).

That is the post-American world we are entering. The Bible says unequivocally that if God Himself did not intervene to stop it, mankind would annihilate itself! (verse 22). The fact that God will intervene is the only hope for a world bent on its own destruction. But it is a sure hope!

This seismic shift in geopolitical momentum—away from America and toward a clutch of non-Israelite, or Gentile, powers, accompanied by an escalation in brutal violence and war—is actually one of the visible signs Jesus Christ gave of His imminent return!

You must not ignore these momentous global shifts, nor should you fail to understand them. The Trumpet is your guide. Your early-warning news source.

The inexorable march of end-time events is happening. The years ahead will be full of horrifying shocks to a world asleep. We urge you to prepare yourself by taking the Trumpet seriously—and acting upon what you read.