Tribulation or Escape?
It all depends upon your relationship with Christ
Your Future: Summary
The drive to World Government and total government control of your life is relentless. It will essentially be achieved once cash is eliminated. At that point your complete lifestyle, including all financial transactions, can be monitored and controlled via your computer ID (your digital signature). Today, PINs, passwords, and biometrics are the forerunners of the ultimate number-based ID system mentioned in the book of Revelation.
Individuals in the EU (see Estonia), India and China already use their personal ID in order to access essential public and financial services. Such systems control your freedom and lifestyle, even your survival.
But there is good news – a way of escape. It is seldom mentioned by the church, but it is clearly seen in straight interpretations of Bible prophecy. Individuals, whether Jew or Gentile, can escape the ultimate control system mentioned in Revelation 13. It simply requires a step of faith, but you must make it soon. Hundreds of millions have already made this step!
See also Christ’s Second Coming
Lifestyles on the Brink
A straight reading of the Bible, coupled with observation of world events, suggests that life for everyone (Jew or Gentile) will soon change. In fact, lifestyles are already changing, from Canada to Europe to India to China. What’s changing? Essentially, your privacy and freedom – as in your buying and your selling, your personal activities, your political and religious views, your access to medical and social services, etc.. Much of what you do is already monitored and controlled by third parties.
Government monitoring and control of virtually everything you do is just the beginning of the end of your present lifestyle. It gets much worse – or much better, depending upon your relationship with the risen Christ. End-time prophecies suggest two paths for your future: you either go through increasing world mayhem, or you are counted worthy to escape these events through your faith and trust in the risen Christ.
What will Happen? A Timeline
Let’s consider a very plausible timeline of end-time events drawn from scripture. It points to a dramatic future for the world. The exact sequence and detail of events is of course unknown, but many accept the general theme of the timeline since it aligns many prophecies, and is supported by observation – some of these prophesied events are already observed. Here it is:
- Increasing persecution of Christians (loss of free-speech, unbiblical laws, political correctness, media bias, loss of employment, loss of life from adherents of other faiths … (Mat 10: 16-23, Mat 24:9-14, Lk 21:12-19)
- The regathering of the scattered people of Israel back into their own land, and the rebirth of the nation Israel as God’s end-time witness (Ezek 37:21, Isa 66:8, Isa 43:10, Rev 7:1-8)
- Supernatural removal of true believers (the true church) from the earth. This is the first resurrection (Mat 24:36-44, Lk 21:34-36, 1 Cor 15:50-54, Rev 3:10, Rev: 20:5-6)
- The rise of a brutal world government and a satanically inspired secular world dictator (Dan 7:15-25, Dan 11:29-39, 2 Thes 2:3-9, Rev 13:1-10 Rev 19:17-21)
- The end of cash. Worldwide computer-based monitoring and control of all personal financial transactions. Individuals will need a personal ID embedded on their body (Rev 13: 16-18)
- Severe persecution of the nation of Israel through several major invasions (Jacob’s trouble or The Great Tribulation) (Jer 30:7, Mat 24:15-28, Mk 13:14-19, Dan 7:21, Dan 9:27, Rev 12:13 )
- Tribulation: God’s judgment on godless, rebellious nations. This involves warning signs in the heavens, climate change (drought, extreme heat and storms), increased lawlessness, enforced computer ID, millions killed through war and famine and water pollution, sudden global economic collapse, demonic activity (Isa 24, Mat 24, Lk 21, Rev 6-12, Rev 18 )
- The Return of Christ to Mount Zion, Jerusalem, followed by the Millennial reign of Christ (Zech 14:3-10, 14:16-21, Ezek 43: 1-12, Isa 66:18-23, Rev 20:4-6)
As mentioned, some of these events are evident in today’s world. Christians are consistently one of the most persecuted religious groups in the world, link. Some one in seven Christians in the world live in a country where they face violence, arrest and human rights violations. And, as prophesied, the nation of Israel was born in a day (May 14, 1948), and in just 100 years (1915-2015) the Jewish population of Israel rose by an amazing 7,700 percent! Jews call this mass immigration Aliyah.
Government Control of your Life
H.G.Wells, Winston Churchill, Jimmy Carter, Robert Kennedy, Richard Nixon, David Rockefeller, Mikhail Gorbachev, George Bush, George W. Bush, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown – and many others – have all called for a “New World Order” or “World Government”, link, link, link. See also The 2030 Agenda. So how imminent is this?
The rapid increase in computer-based on-line activities suggests world government is virtually here! This provides a mechanism for government monitoring and control of all your personal details and activities (shopping, healthcare, invoice payments, tax returns, residency, lifestyle preferences, travel, beliefs etc.). Online transactions are now increasingly essential for most aspects of our lives. In 2018, UK cash payments accounted for just 22% of purchases, and the UK was the third most cashless society in the world, pipped to the post by Canada and Sweden. But such online activity is only the tip of the iceberg.
Estonia, a member of the EU, is a small Baltic state with a population of just 1.3 million. But Estonia is highly significant since it is the most digitally advanced society in the world and is being used as a live social experiment on how we are all going to live. The EU is set to adopt this standard social model. So what is it?
Estonia has built up a technological hub with a universal database for its citizens. Everyone uses their mandatory ID card to provide a digital signature so they can use the e-services. Some 5,000 separate e-services (which include 99% of the public services) enable people to pursue their daily tasks without even leaving home! Services span banking, tax payments, healthcare, voting, travel, residency etc.. Access to all this (i.e. your lifestyle) depends upon a personal ID card issued by the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board!
Similar mass computer-control of citizens has been developed elsewhere:
India: India’s Aadhaar system is the world’s largest biometric ID database, covering some 1.2 billion residents. Individuals receive a unique 12-digit identification number (similar to a social security number) after submitting their fingerprints and iris scans. Initially the scheme covered welfare and tax payments and access to social services and government benefits. It is likely to be extended to other services. Aadhaar is controversial since some argue it infringes personal privacy, and it has already had security issues, link, link, link.
China: it is claimed that China’s Social Credit System is important for the perfection of the Socialist market economy and the building of a harmonious Socialist society, link. Each of China’s 1.4 billion citizens are assigned a ‘social score’ which rewards those who have the “right opinions” (according to the state), and punishes those who do not. Typical punishments span from a ban on flying and train travel, lowering your internet speed, restrictions on good education, restrictions on securing top jobs, public defamation etc.. Big Brother has arrived in China!
Implication for You: Given today’s widespread use of large government databases, World Government and its total control of your lifestyle must be imminent. There is only a small technological step from the use of passwords, contact-less credit cards and biometrics to the mark of the beast (Rev 13:16-17).
According to Bible prophecy, such total control of individuals happens during the dark, chaotic last few years of this age (see End-time Events). But you can escape such terrible times. Your future will follow one of two paths – it’s up to you! Please read on …
If you do not know Christ as your Lord and Saviour …
then, according to the Bible, you will suffer the end-time mayhem or “hour of trial” soon to come upon the whole world (Rev 3:10). You will be outside the kingdom of God and outside the true church. You will not be part of the true church – the Philadelphia-type church that Jesus loves and commends (Rev 3:7-13). You may be part of the ‘comfortable’ Laodicean-type church; a church that is lukewarm and has lost its zeal; a church where Jesus stands outside and knocks on the door to see if anyone hears (Rev 3:14-22). Or you may have simply ignored Jesus all your life.
If you are not sure you are reconciled to God through the sacrifice of Jesus, God’s Son, then you probably aren’t! Jesus said that in order to enter the kingdom of God each of us must be “born again” by simply believing all He said and putting our future in His hands (Jn 3:5-8). Jesus’ painful sacrifice shows how much God loves us. But, as we have shown, time is short. Complete government control of your finances and lifestyle is virtually here, and the door to God’s kingdom will soon close. Jesus makes it quite clear in the parable of the wise virgins: near the end of the age “the door will shut” (Mat 25:10) and the so-called ‘age of grace’ or ‘church age’ will end.
If you do know Christ as Lord and Saviour …
then, according to a common interpretation of Bible prophecy, your future is secured. You can hope in God’s mercy and that through your faith in Jesus you will be able to escape all the end-time calamities and chaos coming upon the earth. Jesus said:
Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man (Lk 21.36, NKJV)
How will believers escape? Jesus indicated that, near the end of the age, and whilst life seems relatively normal (just before the coming calamities), believers will be supernaturally protected:
Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken (the believer) and the other left (to face the calamities) (Mat 24.40)
It will be like the days of Noah before the Flood (Mat 24:36-44). As in the days of Noah, life seemed relatively normal and people scoffed at Noah – but then the Flood brought worldwide calamity upon a Godless world. Jesus said it will be like that; those who love Christ will be taken to Himself (the so-called ‘rapture’) and the rest left behind. In the book of Revelation Jesus again promises that the true church will be “kept from the hour of trial coming upon the whole world” (Rev 3:10). Who is in this true church? It comprises all who faithfully follow the risen Christ, be they Messianic Jew or Gentile. Remember:
God did not appoint us to (God’s) wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thes 5:8-9)
Lifestyle Priorities: Given the imminent dramatic events, Jesus warns believers not to get weighed down with the cares of this world (Lk 21:34). Rather, He told us to “watch and pray” (Lk 21.36). It is all too easy to get choked like good seed amongst thorns as we concentrate on the cares and riches and pleasures of life. It is all too easy to not bear fruit for the kingdom (Lk 8:14,15). Can we break free from loving the things of the world in order to serve the LORD with zeal and urgency? After all, we will soon be leaving the things of the world behind!
When Jesus returns for His true church our mortality is replaced by immortality, and it all happens “in the twinkling of an eye” (1 Cor 15:50-53). Then follows a time for rewards as believers are rewarded for how they have served Jesus – how they have used their God-given talents (Mat 25:14-30, Rev 22:12).
Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth … God will reward each one according to the work each has done (Col 3:2, 1 Cor 3:8-15)