The Signs of the Times (41): World Empire

‘All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world…He also forced all people, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name.’
Revelation 13:8, 16-17 (NIV)

The European Union is already beginning to show as its boundaries the same ones that were also the boundaries of the ancient Roman Empire. Scotland and Wales were hardly part of it, then and now. Some Eastern European countries were in it, or partially and North Africa was in some way connected to it, as were Turkey and the countries of the Middle East. The European Union (EU) is a group of 28 nations / member states in Europe, formed in the aftermath of World War II. The first batch of countries joined in 1957, which included Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg and The Netherlands. In 1973, Denmark, Ireland and the UK joined. Greece joined in 1981, followed by Spain and Portugal in 1986 and Austria, Finland and Sweden in 1995. In 2004, 9 countries were added, 2 more in 2007, and finally Croatia in 2013 to bring the total to 28.

It’s not just the powerhouse of Europe that is on the rise – with ‘extensions’ such as North America, Australia/New Zealand and other European communities elsewhere in the world – Africa is also trying to unite, in the Pan-African Congress. The Pan-African Congress gained the reputation as a peace maker for decolonization in Africa and in the West Indies. It made significant advance for the Pan-African cause. One of the demands was to end colonial rule and end racial discrimination, against imperialism and it demanded human rights and equality of economic opportunity. The manifesto given by the Pan-African Congress included the political and economic demands of the Congress for a new world context of international cooperation.

The same attempts to come to unity – economically and politically – can be said of the countries of Latin and South America, the Middle East, India, China and Japan, Southeast Asia, etc.

More and more our world consists of a number of united power-blocks – ultimately 10 blocks, see Revelation 13:1. It begins with ‘free-trade zones’, but the nations involved are increasingly consulting about political issues as well. And next thing, they look for militarily cooperation. The big meeting-place of all peoples and nations is the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The world is becoming one big global village.

Divine glory for man himself, dictatorial power over life and death (Babylon), iron laws (Medes and Persians), a mixture of democracy and dictatorship (Greek Empire), and an iron military fist (Roman Empire).

The only way to get one’s fingerprint card, your microchip implant, or your iris recognition is that you have to be politically and religiously correct. That you are part of the new world order, and member of the right political party. The digital computer-systems keep everyone and everything under control. Cash money will become a thing of the past. Escaping from this is hardly possible. ‘Resistance is futile’: in Star Trek – a very popular science fiction series that was seen on TV all over the world – this expression was part of the standard message used by the Borg when they encountered an alien race they intended to assimilate into their collective.  When you’re not an integral part of this, you’re out. You cannot play any longer a part in public and/or economic life.

The ten toes are a mixture of iron and clay. Baked clay, probably porcelain that will shatter in thousand pieces when hit. Absolute authority and power to the people – democracy. And Christianity in these final days – maybe portrayed in the Book of Revelation in the 7^th Church, the church of Laodicea, looks like a mirror image of the same. The Greek word ‘Laodicea’ means ‘laos dikè’: power to the people. It’s the equivalent of the word ‘democracy’: ‘dèmos kratein’: the people rule. It spreads the humanistic gospel of man who thinks himself to be like god in the depths of his mind.

Equal and fair distribution of the (scarce) energy sources. Medical and social services for all. Worldwide sufficient food and a level of prosperity that is only slightly below that of Western Europe. National armies become part of the international peacekeeping forces, police forces that can act globally and can be deployed everywhere. Entertainment and mass media as never before. A propaganda machine (the 2^nd beast, the false prophet, Revelation 13:11-17) that is unprecedented. But its source of inspiration is from below, from the powers of darkness.

Resistance is futile. Maybe a number of Jews and/or Bible-believing Christians can survive somewhere at the edge of society. But buying or selling without the sign on your hand or your forehead is practically impossible, especially when cash money is hardly used anymore.

Great wealth and prosperity, refined culture and vulgar pleasure, sophistication of philosophy, religion, culture, science and technology. Everything entirely at the service of the Empire, as a service to all and under the rule of the best of all: the anti-Christ, the false messiah instead of the true Christ.