Description
The coming ultimate denial of freedom, liberty, and justice, according to the Bible.
When we speak of endtime events, Israel, the Middle East, Europe, etc., our minds picture the prophecies we have read in our Bible: “For nation shall rise against nation…kingdom against kingdom…famines and pestilences…earthquakes in divers places…abomination of desolation…For then shall be Great Tribulation…there shall arise false Christs…false prophets…great signs and wonders.…” Our minds are filled with these things, yet when Jesus answered His disciple’s questions regarding “The coming of the Son of man,” He made a statement that seems contrary to our expectations: “For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark” (Matthew 24:38). He did not mention the terrible development of sin and wickedness in our day – no mention of families breaking up, public exhibition of lust, sodomy, the horrible murder of the unborn, the AIDS epidemic, or the frightening increase of illegal drugs. He actually told them that the time will be the same as it always was: people will eat, they will drink, they will marry and give in marriage, they will buy and sell, plan and build; just normal day-to-day activities. But He gave one urgent warning: “Take heed that no man deceive you.”
DECEPTION
Deception is something that seems real but is fake, feels good but is wrong, is successful but will end in failure, creates prosperity but leads to destruction. The Bible makes it very plain that the deception of mankind is not limited to one nation but is worldwide. At the height of deception, the Bible tells us the story of a man, inspired by Satan, who will be so successful that “The world wondered after the Beast.” This admiration for the new world ruler will cause “All that dwell upon the earth [to] worship him.”
WORLD DEMOCRACY
Therefore, it bids us to study the Scripture and see which political system meets these Biblical specifications for the endtime deceptive world leadership. Only a hundred years ago, it was impossible for the world to be united. The extreme diversity of the various nations and groups of people did not create peace. This century saw the First and Second World War. After the Second World War, the world was divided into two camps: communism on the left; capitalism on the right. In spite of the tremendous gains communism made throughout the world, democracy has emerged as the undisputed leader the world over. The ultimate communist downfall was vividly demonstrated by the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Thus, for the first time since the fall of the Roman Empire, political unity became possible.
GLOBAL ECONOMY
Parallel to that, we are experiencing a global economic system never known before. When the stock market crashed in October, 1997 in Hong Kong, the entire world felt its repercussions; another sign that, economically, the world has become one. Today, it is difficult to clearly determine the country of origin of a product. We may drive an American car with over 60% of its parts manufactured in foreign countries, but equally, a foreign car may have 60% of its parts manufactured in the United States!
WORLD RELIGION
In order to achieve the predicted world unity, religion must also be united. A great number of movements and organizations are feverishly at work to unite Christendom. The question “How?” is no longer asked, but “When?” The world’s largest and most powerful religious system, headquartered in Rome, is reaching out to all religions of the world for unity. The ecumenical movement, the World Council of Churches, and various movements and organizations that try to unify Christianity are actually working against the will of God, because the Church, the body of believers, is already perfectly united in the Lord Jesus Christ.
THE ANTICHRIST
The Bible tells us that the final democratic system will produce an individual who, through political cunning, will establish world dominion. Scripture states, “He shall destroy wonderfully” and “shall prosper and practice”; “Through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper,” and “by peace he shall destroy many.” How will this new system, led by one successful person, be implemented? “He shall come in peaceably” and “Obtain the kingdom by flatteries”; “He shall work deceitfully,” and “He shall enter peaceably.” The summarizing statement of the Scripture is that: “He shall prosper.” You can’t argue with success! Prosperity will cause the masses of humanity, under the auspices of democracy, to gladly follow the man the world desires: the Antichrist!
