Coming: The New World Order
By Ernest L. Martin, Ph.D., 1990
Edited by David Sielaff, April 2007
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A new world order is about to emerge on the political and economic scene. Nothing like it has occurred on earth for the past 3000 years. It will be a system of government that is based on different concepts than the ones we have been used to over the past three millennia. What kind of world order will this be? This Prophetic Report will explain in detail what the Bible shows will develop throughout the world in the years ahead of us. The prophecies may be surprising to all.
There is a new world order coming on the political horizon in the not too distant future. In this research report, we will put into perspective the political trend that has already started in Europe and will soon be sweeping the world. It is time to understand what the prophecies show will develop in the world within the next few years ahead of us. It will affect every person on earth and it is essential for Christians to be aware of what is now developing.
This “New World Order” will be very different from the teachings that are being given by most prophetic interpreters today. In no way will there be a “new Roman Empire” in Europe which will raise up a gigantic army to conquer the rest of Europe or the United States (as some people are stating today). In no way will Japan raise up another army like they did in World War II and militarily attempt to take over eastern Asia. Neither will China do any such thing. And though many prophetic interpreters are still insisting that the Soviet Union will soon invade the Middle East (or certainly Israel), there is not a chance in the world of such a thing happening if one will closely read the teachings of the Bible.
Indeed, the “New World Order” will not use huge military forces at all for its creation or for its preservation. Something very different is developing. Within the next ten to twenty years many armies will actually be diminished in size (this is prophesied) and in some political states they will even be abandoned — certainly in the sense of using them to invade foreign nations. The main role of “armies” in the future will be for “police actions” (either for domestic employment within the boundaries of nations or for cooperative international actions backed up by the governments of various nations). Armies are destined to be quite different from those in the past. And though wars are prophesied, they will take on a new dimension than what we have been formerly used to. Only with the gathering of the world’s armies at Armageddon will we see a return to the type of warfare to which we are now accustomed.
The Bible actually shows (to those who really understand its simple words) that many “armies” and “wars” before the time of Armageddon will become different from those of previous times. The Fourth Beast of Daniel 7:7–8 (which has not yet appeared on earth) is destined to be “diverse from all the beasts that were before it” (verse 7). The three beasts that precede it are described as being normal kingdoms (or empires) that have conducted wars and intrigues as most political states from the beginning of the world. But this Fourth Beast (the one just on the horizon to us) will be “diverse from all the others” (verse 19). This diversity and its uniqueness is again repeated in verse 23:
“The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.”
Daniel 7:23
This Fourth Beast will be so diverse or different that it will eventually take over world control in such a deceptive way that most people will not even realize that it is “warring” to conquer the world. Interestingly, this “beast power” will exercise its dominion with very little military action being shown in the traditional sense. Indeed, many military establishments (posts, camps, forts, etc.) will be dismantled in the development of this “beast power” taking over control of the world. And though this “beast power” will use “armies” to accomplish its purposes, those “armies” will not be made up of soldiers in uniform using weapons of war that characterize the armed forces of today.
People in the world will actually encourage the accomplishments of this new political and economic system of authority that is soon to emerge. This will principally occur because this conquering of the world will be done within an environment of “peace.” The Bible shows that this Fourth Beast will perform its task with a new method for gaining dominance, at least it will be new in modern times. It will be a new thing to conquer the world through “peace,” and not through military action or brute force.
The last time this method was used was when King Solomon of Israel adopted it to create his control over the nations of the world. Solomon, the son of King David, was a genius in learning how to control nations and he did it without “firing a shot” so to speak. While King David had an army of 1,570,000 soldiers near the end of his life (1 Chronicles 21:5), these were dismissed and Solomon was able to control all Israel with only 1400 chariots and 12,000 cavalry for the whole period of his 40 years reign (2 Chronicles 1:14). The final ruler of the Fourth Beast of Daniel will use the same tactics as King Solomon to secure control over the world, and this is spelled out in the Bible.
People of the world will actually approve of the methods that this end-time power will use (and some nations are already adopting them). The conquering of the world will come through the actions of peace and security which will be principally accomplished by negotiations between all political nations, religious brotherhoods, and racial groups located throughout the world. Universal dominion will come to the final ruler of Daniel’s Fourth Beast when he establishes human covenants of peace between all the groups who are presently at odds with one another. He will do it through wise persuasions and outstanding psychological maneuvers in which he will display a shrewdness of negotiating power that hardly anyone can counter his suggestions. And he will perform his tasks without an outward belligerence or hostile physical force.
The final ruler of this Fourth Empire will be like a Solomon for wisdom, for intelligence, for sheer understanding of human nature and for showing a profound brilliance at comprehending the secrets of the physical sciences. Prosperity and stability will come to the world in a grand way. People will even consider that the rule of this man as being like the “Golden Age” that the prophets in the Bible talked about. It will indeed be a glorious rule.
In a word, the final ruler will be considered by the world a genius of all geniuses, and he will bring in his rule over the world through peaceful and reasonable means, not by the application of brute force.
From now on, the world will be programming itself to adopt the rule of this final Fourth Kingdom of Daniel. Steps are already under way to reduce the size of armies, to negotiate over disputes rather than wage physical war, and to pool the world’s economic resources so that all in the world will benefit and prosper. In actual fact, there is nothing wrong with any of these procedures (and the world desperately needs them being put into action), but the question is: Will it be man and his ways that bring the world a proper peace and security, or will it be Christ, and His ways as shown in the Holy Scriptures? This is the dilemma that now faces mankind.
The Bible shows that for a short time just in advance of us the world will finally decide to adopt man’s ways (and those accomplishments of man will be glorious indeed). A time of great peace and an appearance of complete safety are destined to occur on earth just before the Second Advent of Christ. But let us beware. The apostle Paul warned all Christians:
“For yourselves know perfectly that the Day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, ‘peace and safety’; then sudden destruction comes upon them. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.”
1 Thessalonians 5:2–4
To prevent the Day of the Lord coming on Christians as a thief in the night is why the Holy Scriptures have given us the teaching of what the coming “peace and safety” actually signifies. This time of prosperity and world economic progress will be a very deceptive thing and it will result in a disastrous conclusion according to the Bible. If there was ever a time to be aware of what the Scriptures teach about these matters, it is now. Christ said to watch world events.
Let us turn our attention to those events which will help bring to pass the “New World Order.”It will be easy to see what kind of world civilization is destined to come on the Scene.
The Holy Scriptures plainly tell us that before the true Kingdom of God appears on earth with Jesus Christ at its head, there will come the rule of the Antichrist (1 John 2:18, 22; 1 John 4:3; 2 John 7). What will this empire of the Antichrist be like? It is not difficult to determine if one will pay close attention to the biblical teaching.
Let us first understand what the prefix “anti” signifies. It is often thought by many people to mean “against” or “contrary to” the ways of Christ. While the result of the Antichrist’s rule will certainly be against the principles of Christ, this is not what the prefix actually intends as its prime meaning. It really means “in the place of” Christ. It signifies that the Antichrist’s rule will be a dominion that will resemble in so many ways the actual Kingdom of God prophesied throughout the Scripture, and that most people will come to believe it is the very Kingdom of Christ. The prefix means that the last ruler of the Fourth Beast of Daniel will rule “in the place of” Christ — he will “replace” Christ as ruler of the world!
This man’s rule is going to look so much like the prophesied Kingdom of Christ that even the original apostles themselves would be within an ace of believing it if they did not know better. Even the “very elect” would be close to accepting its legitimacy. Christ warned the apostles (and also all of us):
“Then if any man shall say unto you, ‘Lo, here is Christ or there’; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders: insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Therefore if they shall say unto you [the apostles], ‘Behold he [Christ] is in the desert’; go not forth [to rally to him]: ‘behold, he [Christ] is in the secret chambers’ [in the holy temple]; believe it not. For as the lightning [the Sun] comes out of the east, and shines even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be”
Matthew 24:23–27
What Christ was telling the apostles (and ourselves) is that this man will look so good on the surface, and his kingdom will resemble so much the prophesied Kingdom of God on earth, that even the apostles themselves and the very elect people of God would be close to accepting it as genuine. This man will actually claim to be God, just as Christ does (2 Thessalonians 2:1–11), and he will establish the same secular laws and religious commandments for the control of man that will be inaugurated when Christ returns from heaven. The true Christ will use these laws and commandments for good, but the Antichrist will use them to control all people on earth.
This human ruler called the Antichrist will not come looking like some Babylonian priest with a mitre of Dagon the fish-god on his head, demanding Sunday worship, the observance of pagan holy days associated with the Vernal Equinox or the Winter Solstice, and teaching that all should come under the authority of a Gentile capital city in Europe. In no way. Such a thing could hardly deceive an apostle of Jesus Christ into believing that the man was the true Christ returned from heaven.
This man, however, will look so much like the prophesied Christ that he will put into force Sabbath observance, along with the biblical holy days, and he will make his capital at Jerusalem. The prophecies of the Scriptures show that this Kingdom of the Antichrist will look so much like that of Christ on the surface that even the apostles themselves would be close to accepting it. This man will inaugurate such strict Sabbath laws (and other social regulations established by Moses and even by some of the apostles) that anyone fleeing from his domination on the Sabbath day will instantly be spotted as a violator of his rules and regulations and be rounded up for punishment (Matthew 24:20–21).
The Antichrist will force into action (in a wrong way) the very laws of God in order to put yokes of subservience on the people just as the Jewish authorities demanded of the Jews in the time of the apostles (e.g., Acts 15:10). Whereas Paul shows that Christians no longer need to observe as a religious duty any days, times, seasons or years (Romans 14:5–6; Galatians 4:10; Colossians 2:16–17).
This ruler of Daniel’s Fourth Kingdom will “think to change times and laws” (Daniel 7:25, just as God does, see Daniel 2:21) and overthrow all calendars of the world which are governed solely by motions of the Sun (or for Islam by the Moon). He will force the Mosaic calendar (a Lunar/Solar calendar) with its days and seasons on the world. All the commerce and business will be governed by the Mosaic calendar — with Friday sunset to Saturday sunset enforced as a rest day. The observance of this Mosaic calendar system represents the “mark of the Beast.” 1
But how can all of us who live at the end-time know for certain that this Sabbath keeping and Holyday keeping Kingdom of the Antichrist is not that of the true Christ? There are three simple tests that can give all of us assurance.
(1) The Bible shows the first world kingdom with its capital at Jerusalem is that of the Antichrist and NOT that of the returned Christ, no matter how good it looks.
(2) And note this. If the Mount of Olives has not split in two at the beginning of that Kingdom (Zechariah 14:3–11, particularly verse 4), then one can reasonably dispute the legitimacy of any world kingdom from Jerusalem, no matter how good it looks.
(3) But far and away the best proof (and a certain one without doubt) is the fact that at the coming of Christ from heaven ALL the true saints of God (such as you) will be changed into immortality and meet Christ in the clouds of heaven (1 Thessalonians 4:15–17).
The simple fact is, if Christians have not been transformed into glorious spirit beings and have not yet met Christ in the clouds of heaven, each Christian can be assured that such a world kingdom ruling from Jerusalem is NOT that of the real Christ Jesus, no matter how good it looks. If you want biblical proof that you are a real 100% Christian, read my work “The Way to Salvation in the Christian Gospel” (http://www.askelm.com/doctrine/d890101.htm) which makes this matter clear.
In concluding this first point in recognizing the Kingdom of the Antichrist, it should be understood that the Fourth Kingdom of Daniel which will lead directly to the Antichrist is a kingdom diverse from all the kingdoms that precede it. It will change the direction of influence from that of being belligerent and prone to military action into that of emphasizing peace and safety. It will resemble Solomon’s kingdom. The biblical teachings that Christ is the Prince of Peace, and that Christ’s ways of peace should be put into action, will be the theme that world leaders will begin advocating. In itself this will be good, but it will result in the wrong person finally being accepted as Christ Jesus.
One should pay close attention to the texts of Daniel in his visions about this end-time king and his kingdom which will be diverse from all former kingdoms. Daniel said:
“And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power [he will be energized by Satan], and he shall destroy [Hebrew: corrupt] wonderfully, and shall prosper and practice, and shall destroy [corrupt] the mighty and the holy people [Israel]. And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by PEACE shall destroy [corrupt] many.”
Daniel 8:24–25
He will bring in peace and an abundance of prosperity. Speaking of the same person, Daniel said:
“He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his father’s fathers [diverse from others]; he shall scatter among them the prey and spoil and riches: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time.”
Daniel 11:24
He will do something unheard of in previous times. He will be against strong holds (forts and military installations).
Here is wisdom for those who can understand: while almost all interpreters today view Daniel 11:2 through 11:35 (called in Daniel 10:21 “the Book of Truth”) as describing the historical activities of early Persia, Greece and the Syrian Kingdom of the Seleucids with the Egyptian Kingdom of the Ptolemies, and that Daniel 11:21 through 11:35 is referring to Antiochus Epiphanes in the 2nd century B.C.E., the apostle John interpreted this section of Daniel as applying to the future and he described it precisely in Revelation 17:9–18.
One of the greatest mistakes of modern prophetic interpreters is to reckon the “Book of Truth” up to Daniel 11:35 being historical and the rest prophetic. The truth is, it is ALL prophetic and (as the apostle John said) it can only be correctly understood by “the mind which has wisdom” (Revelation 17:9). See my Prophetic Report “New Discoveries in Chronology and Prophecy” (http://www.askelm.com/prophecy/p021102.htm) where this is fully explained.
The simple fact is, the type of warfare that is being described in what Daniel called the “Book of Truth” is a very diverse type of warfare from what the world has been used to. Oh yes, the Antichrist will conduct many “wars” and ‘battles,” and they are going to be accomplished within a different environment than people have been accustomed to in the past. This is what the Books of Daniel and Revelation are trying to show those who have “the mind which has wisdom” (Revelation 17:9). But since most people in the world have read ordinary warfare into these verses, they will not understand what the Bible is revealing. And as we get closer to the time of the end, the details of these ‘battles” and “wars” will be made clearer to us all. Let us keep our eyes on world events and these biblical teachings.
What we find in Scripture is that a different type of “warfare” will be emphasized in the future. The condition that will develop in the land of Israel and the Middle East (which presently has the most concentrated assembly of armaments per capita anywhere in the world) is described in Ezekiel 38:11. (This scene may also have a repetition at the end of the Millennium — Revelation 20:7–8.) When the final Man of Sin assembles his army at Armageddon (in the traditional sense), the prophet Ezekiel has been saying:
“I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, and dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates.”
Ezekiel 38:11
Note that there are no military strongholds here.
A time of “peace and safety” is coming to the troubled Middle East before the Second Advent of Christ. But the apostle Paul warned that “when they shall say, peace and safety: then sudden destruction comes upon them” (1 Thessalonians 5:3). The rest of Ezekiel 38 and 39 shows an utter destruction coming upon the powers of evil that make the final onslaught against the Land of Israel and Jerusalem just before Christ’s Second Advent.
The ruler of this Fourth Kingdom of Daniel will finally bring in a prosperity and abundance for the world that people will stand back in admiration and wonder at his accomplishments.
“And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace [Hebrew: prosperity] shall destroy [corrupt] many.”
Daniel 8:25
How will this prosperity be produced? Daniel also said that “he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver” (11:43). The control of world economics will be in his hand. Solomon dominated all economic matters throughout the world during his forty years of reign. Solomon set the prices that were charged for commodities that were traded (1 Kings 10:28–29). So too will the Antichrist dominate economic matters when he sets up his kingdom that will much resemble Solomon’s rule.
Indeed, all trade and commerce, arts and crafts, manufacturing and farming, education and services, banking and economic institutions will be under the direct control and supervision of this Antichrist who rules the final Fourth Kingdom of Daniel (read all of Revelation 18 which describes these matters in detail).
Now notice carefully the professionals who are singled out as the dominant ones in this Kingdom of the Antichrist. They will be the rulers of the people along with the merchants and business people of the world when this evil system is finally destroyed at Christ’s Second Advent, it is the kings of the earth who are said to have lived “deliciously with her” (Revelation 18:9). Also
The whole of the economic system of the world will come under the supervision of this Fourth Kingdom. There will be world peace and prosperity, but at a price. People will have to give in to the dictates of this system or they will not be able buy or sell any product or service whatever.
“And he causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.”
Revelation 13:16–17
This description adequately describes what kind of “army” or “force” the Fourth Kingdom of Daniel will use to make “warfare” on people in the world — including the saints of God. It is called “the Beast” in the Book of Revelation and he is one that makes
“war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names were not written in the book of life.”
Revelation 13:7–8
Thankfully, those whose names are written in the Book of Life will not have to worship him. It will be explained shortly why we will not have to be subjected to this.
The Fourth Kingdom, however, will be as Daniel said because among other things its “army” will be made up of bankers, merchants, managers of services, educators, and all people who control the economic institutions in local, national, and international affairs. As a matter of fact, the new “army” that controls all economic affairs throughout the world will be not in military uniforms but in business suits. It is just that simple.
We can see examples of this new type of “army” already beginning to take shape. Let me give you an illustration that is easy to understand. Look at modern Japan. As a preliminary remark let me say that I have nothing against Japan because the people are normally hard working, industrious, law-abiding, and friendly, but I will use the example of Japan because of the dominant role and high profile they now have in world economic affairs.
Look at this. Some 60 years ago Japan went to war with China using the traditional type of armed intervention with soldiers, etc. They did this to provide (so they stated) a proper economic base on which they could operate in eastern Asia. To rid the area of American and European colonialism (as they viewed it), they felt justified in attacking Pearl Harbor. Within months they secured much of the western Pacific to their dominance. However, within five years Japan lay prostrate when the United States and allies militarily defeated them and Japan’s plans for controlling the western Pacific were thwarted.
But what a change has taken place in the last 30 years. Without firing a shot so to speak, the Japanese have taken over through trade and banking practically the very regions they wanted to capture through war. Indeed, they even have more than what Tojo and the military command of Japan wanted to secure. And look at this. Without a single soldier from Japan invading Hawaii, the Japanese now have the greatest investments in those islands and it is getting to where they can control much of their economics. But this is also seen in many other areas of the world including the control of major industries and real estate in the United States itself.
Now, if all the Japanese businessmen and bankers that have secured these possessions for their home country were dressed in Japanese military uniforms with their executive officers reckoned as top brass generals (like Tojo and his general staff in the Second World War), most Americans would object strenuously and go to war (I mean traditional war) to drive them out of our land. But because they are playing the game of business, we not only let them get away with it, but we encourage them to come and invest their money and manpower in American industries in order to save some of them from mediocrity or from bankruptcy.
The new “army” of the Japanese is composed of businessmen and bankers, and they have been successfully winning most of the battles. They have been winning because Japan has a better education system than most other nations. They work hard and long hours at their jobs. They produce quality products that are highly competitive in world markets. And the world has come to respect them highly for their professional and business-like competitiveness.
Is there anything wrong in the way Japan is conducting its business affairs? Why, we Americans are the very ones in modern times who have been the most vigorous of peoples in advocating these principles and procedures. These ideals represented to our American forefathers the epitome of proper commercial conduct and they are the hallmark of “the American way of life.” We have long treasured the value of the hard work ethic and the maintenance of the free enterprise system — and we should continue to do so. But now, other nations are seeing the advantages of such economic competition and success in business. They see this as a far better way of waging “war” than a traditional military intervention.
The whole world is fast becoming a globalized economic institution. What happens in an economic way in one part of the world can have great repercussions in other areas. People are now beginning to realize this. And though Japan has played the game much to their advantage over the past 30 years, they will soon find that they will not be able to dominate the world through their economic actions. They are not as invincible as some may think. And though Europe will become a strong economic center in the near future, it will not be able to control the world either. Neither can the United States on its own.
In fact, the Fourth Kingdom of Daniel will finally emerge in the Middle East, not in the other areas mentioned above. There will be some major geographical adjustments in economic influence in the years just ahead of us and some of them may not be pleasant for people in the world.
But peace and security with economic stability will finally come to the world. The final world kingdom will be diverse from kingdoms of the past. It will occupy itself almost solely with the control of world economic affairs. Their “generals” will not be dressed in military uniforms; they will be clothed in dignified and neat business suits. They will advocate world economic security and prosperity. And they will get it. It will be global economic control that the final world order will be implementing.
When the Fourth Beast of Daniel is ruled by its last king, the world will then come into what mankind will call a “Golden Age.” The Bible calls it the ultimate kingdom of man for glory and civilization. It will become a 666 type of civilization (Revelation 13:18). This number is not as ominous as some people might imagine. The number 6 is the number that characterizes man — or mankind and his social environment.
Recall that man was created at the end of God’s sixth day (Genesis 1:26–31). God’s day in association with the earth is the seventh day — the Sabbath. But Christ became the Savior of the world and sat down next to the Father in heaven on the eighth day. It was also noticed in very early times that the name “Jesus” (when its letters are added together) comes to 888. This means that “Jesus” is even better than 7 — or even 777. But man can only be reckoned as 666.
The significance of these numbers is this. For the 6000 years of man’s existence on this earth in which his ways predominate (note the number 6 associated with 6000), we find man’s greatest achievement in civilization arriving at the very end of that 6000 years when he will advance to a 666 position of glory. The Millennium, however, is the seventh thousand year period (a Sabbath period) in which Christ will be governing mankind on earth. That phase of time will advance to a 777 position of glory. But Christ will raise us to a state of glory beyond even the 777 stage. The word “Jesus” equals 888. It represents the ultimate glory. It is glory par excellence. This symbolic number signifies being a member of the Royal Family of God. All of us through Christ are destined to become members of the ruling family that controls and sustains the entirety of the universe.
In the meantime however, mankind will finally, at the very end of his 6000 years of influence on earth, achieve a 666 existence of glory, and it will be a “Golden Age” indeed. It will resemble the Kingdom of Solomon and most people on earth will equate it with the prophesied Kingdom of God. The man who heads it will mistakenly be considered as Christ returned from heaven. And there will be a real invasion from heaven that will inspire this man to accomplish the grand achievements that God will allow him to produce. This coming from heaven, that results in fooling the world into believing the Second Advent of Christ has occurred, is described in Revelation 12:7–17.
And look at what this final ruler will accomplish in the sight of men. There will be outstanding miracles that will dazzle the world (Revelation 13:3, 11–15). He will display extraordinary understanding in “dark sentences” (Daniel 8:23). This means he will have a brilliance at solving some of the great mysteries of life and the natural world that have puzzled scientists for centuries. Many breakthroughs in finding medical cures of the serious diseases will be forthcoming. More than that, he will duplicate the feats of Solomon as described in I Kings 4:20–34, and he will proclaim that the glorious condition as shown in Psalm 72 has been fulfilled in his kingdom. In a word, he will state loud and clear to the world that the messianic kingdom of God has now appeared on earth in his person, and the world will believe him.
Interestingly, this prophesied “Golden Age” for mankind is not many years ahead of us. It is beginning to develop already. And though it will be inspired by Satan the Devil, the one in charge of causing it to happen is God Almighty himself. As a gesture of demonstrating God’s divine power and authority, God will allow this final kingdom to appear on earth to teach mankind that our ways (if accomplished on our own and without his help) may bring in a “Golden Age” for a time, but there can be no lasting peace and security unless the true Christ Jesus is at the helm and directing the totality of civilization.
Note that the apostle Paul said that the world will finally accept this last ruler of Daniel’s Fourth Kingdom as the returned Christ from heaven because God puts it in their hearts to do so. “God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie” (2 Thessalonians 2:11, Greek). When one reads the apostle Paul carefully, he said that mankind of themselves would find questionable the claims of this man and his cohorts. But God will step in and send the population of the world a “strong delusion” so that they will accept the miracles, signs and lying wonders as being from God, not Satan (verse 9).
Mankind will indeed “believe the lie.” And what is “the lie”? It is the statement of this man that his kingdom is the prophesied Kingdom of God and that he is Christ returned from heaven or that he is the spirit essence of Christ and the Father. The truth is, he will be coming in the authority and power of no less than Satan the Devil himself (verse 9).
Though all Christians will find themselves within this final economic environment, God promises that the vast majority will be able to live through it and under his protection. Just like the Israelites were sheltered in their homes if the blood of the Passover lambs was found at the entrances, so will God’s people be protected in this period. But they will have to take proper precautions and listen to the teachings of God during this time.
The first thing that Christians must realize is that by allowing all this to occur, God Himself causes this system of man to emerge on the earth (2 Thessalonians 2:11–12). While the Bible shows that Christians should stand firm in keeping proper moral, ethical and doctrinal standards of conduct (Ephesians 6:10–18), they are commanded not to attempt any physical force to thwart the arrival of this prophesied evil kingdom. This fact is stated in the Book of Revelation:
“If any man has an ear, let him hear. He that leads into captivity [during this time] shall go into captivity: he that kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.”
Revelation 13:9–10
In no way is Christ in the Book of Revelation stating that Christians should retreat into utter subservience and wimpishness. The apostle Paul taught: “Be watchful, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13 RSV). But in regard to the establishment of this end-time kingdom, Christians are told to take no outward, physical action to prevent it as we might do in other situations. Let us understand one thing: Christ Jesus does not teach pacifism. He stated most dogmatically:
“My kingdom is not of this world [system]: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.”
John 18:36
There are many examples in the New Testament to show that Christians can stand up and fight for causes that are right and just. As for me, I am willing to defend my family, friends, members of the Body of Christ called the divine ekklesia of God and my country (or other democratic states) if called on to do so for any cause that is just and legal within the bounds of the standards set down in the Holy Scriptures. And indeed, I don’t think that such actions by me should be considered exceptionally praiseworthy because I believe the majority of you reading this Prophetic Report would do the same thing as men and women of principle. The Bible even tells us that if one does not look after the welfare of his family (including the divine family of God), he is not worthy to be called a Christian. “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he has denied the truth, and is worse than an infidel” (1 Timothy 5:8).
While all of this may be proper, what has this to do with the time of the Antichrist and his kingdom? Very much. While one is to stay strong in the faith as always, unlike former times, Christ commands his people not to take up physical force against that particular kingdom (Revelation 13:9–10). He is not asking us to be wimps. He is simply stating that this final kingdom is willed by Him to exist for a short time before his Second Advent, and He commands us not to thwart its progress or its existence. Christ is bringing about an environment for His advent and He tells us not to interfere and try to bring in righteousness on our own ahead of time. If we do, dire consequences are promised in Revelation 13:9–10.
Some Christians, however, will resist (Daniel 11:33–35; Matthew 24:10–14). Others will be persecuted in a severe way (Revelation 6:9–11), but the majority of Christians are promised a sure protection during this period of time.
For those who will live in Judea and around Jerusalem, they are told to flee to the mountains in which they will find God’s protection provided for them (Mark 13:14). This also applies to those described in Revelation 12:13–17. There will be a select group of Israelites numbering 144,000 who will be “sealed” with the mark of God in their foreheads and they will find complete protection from God. God’s mark can override (in a way that God knows) even the mark of the Beast (Revelation 7:3–17; 14:1–5).
As for other Christians, the apostle told the Gentiles who lived in Macedonia (northern Greece) that they would be spared from the major consequences of this period of time. This whole time of evil is described by Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2:1–12. And beginning in verse 13 Paul said that those Gentile Christians from the beginning were chosen to salvation. The word “salvation” in this verse means “physical salvation” from the holocaust that he mentioned in the previous 12 verses. Indeed, going on he said in the same context that they would be “delivered” (2 Thessalonians 3:2) and that “the Lord is faithful, who shall establish you, and keep you from evil [or the evil one]” (verse 3). Protection is promised during this time.
What all Christians need to do is to put on the whole armor of God and all other defensive and offensive “weapons” that Paul spoke of in Ephesians 6:11–18 Those who recognize the real teachings of New Testament Christianity will be in a secure position for a proper defense at that time. Christ said we will not even have to think about any defensive answers because the Holy Spirit will answer for us (Luke 12:12). If we do these things, Paul said in Ephesians 6:13 that we will “be able to stand in the evil day.”
Ernest L. Martin, 1990
Edited by David Sielaff, April 2007
1 See Dr. Martin’s article “Discovering the Mark of the Beast” at http://www.askelm.com/prophecy/p900501.htm. DWS
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