Navigating Spiritual Implications of Geopolitics
Hello friends, and welcome to the fourth installment of Kathy's Substack. Given a few weeks to consider the direction and theme of these blogs, I have decided that a proper name for these discussions, aimed at believers in Yeshua as Messiah though open to all, should be "The Olive Tree Discourse." This title sounds like the famous sermon recorded in the synoptic gospels, the Olivet Discourse—not entirely accidental. As Yeshua sat with his disciples among the olive trees on the eastern hillside leading out of Jerusalem proper, He expounded upon challenging times ahead. We, too, ponder the signs of the times. Our focus is the work at hand; we mull the continual hope of his return. We don't "hope" for his return in the sense that it might happen, but in its surety, we wait.
Some olive tree members may feel that the tree's sole focus should be the work at hand; bear fruit and leave the end-time details to God. Fair enough, but I ask, "Why should God's people be the last to know?" Did not Yeshua tell us to learn from the fig tree, saying, "As soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know summer is near" (Matt. 24:32)? Within Yeshua's end-time discourse, he tells the disciples to be aware; consider the signs. Accordingly, what signs do we presently see? How should the Olive Tree prepare? This subject covers the next two installments. I hope you will participate by leaving comments below.
Today, we delve into the signs of the end times. Buckle up and open your text to Daniel 7 and Revelation 13, putting a marker in chapters 17 and 18. Maybe keep Matthew 24-25 open, too, because it speaks to the end-time atmosphere, though its literal fulfillment occurred in 70 CE. Many of these signs will relate to the geopolitical development most believers refer to as the New World Order.
What is the New World Order? As with most wooly ideas—wolves dressed for the fare—the government prepared for the lawless one shifts its appellation from time to time to keep olive tree members off balance. Newer, friendlier names include "Global Community" or the UN's "Our Common Agenda," in which there is no mention of "our" co-coordination. In other words, it is their agenda worthy of our compliance. Furthermore, there is nothing "common" about it unless everybody believes that global, centralized governance is healthy. A scriptural investigation offers a chilling prelude to current events. Let's begin.
Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion…. Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon…. He (beast 2) causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads so that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name (emphasis added, Rev. 13:1-2, 11, 16-17).
Figure 1 The UN Unity Statue
The Book of Daniel prophesied a similar beast rising from the sea, having a body like a lion and wings like an eagle (Dan. 7:2-4). In chapters two (2:36-42) and seven (7:3-9), Daniel describes the four rising kingdoms that will dominate the known world and subjugate God's people (Israel), beginning with the first beast, Babylon. Babylon becomes identified with harlotry in Revelation 17. Might the UN associate itself with a cryptic wink and nod to Babylon?
The imagery repeats in Revelation 17, noting that a harlot sits upon a red beast with seven heads and ten horns. Decoding some of the imagery, an angel speaks with John. The seven (7) heads represent seven mountains but also seven kings (rulers). Most theologians consider the mountains a geological structure upon which the harlot city sits, yet I suggest they represent seven global organizations. The harlot, we are told in Revelation 17:18, is a great and lascivious city that reigns over the kings of the earth. She sits upon the seven mountains/kings, but an eighth is added, the beast himself. Further, the angel reveals that this beast comes out of the sea, signifying its dominion over all peoples through a one-world government (cf. Rev. 17:15). These details lend to the notion that perhaps they are a coalition of seven organizations to which they add an eighth. The harlot represents the seat of their authority.
The ten horns with ten crowns are present in Daniel 7:7-8 and Revelation 13:1; 17:3,9,12 texts. Biblical interpreters suggest that ten horns signify ten global regions—a newly structured polity led by ten rulers (crowns). This interpretation assumes that the ten crowned horns, identified by the angel as "ten kings," have kingdoms; however, the angel specified that they had no kingdoms yet (Rev. 17:12.) Still, the regional concept has some merit. We will discuss the proposed "North American Union" next time. To recap, Daniel 3 and 7 and Revelation 13 and 17 speak about this same centralized global government that a lawless man will rule (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4). A city will be the hub of his authority, and perhaps a coalition of seven organizations will implement his dictates through ten global leaders.
As I consider the statue before the UN, a similar image before the EU, and various organizations like the WEF, WHO, G-20, and the IMF, my mind returns to the scriptural passages we briefly discussed. Indeed, these texts deserve much more space, but this is where olive tree members prepare. Study the texts, and leave your thoughts in the comment section. Next week's discussion will focus on these listed organizations, noting their "new world order" vision shared during task force meetings and global summits. Blessings— Leave a comment