God’s News In The News

Week Forty-Three

A One World Government?

We read in the Bible of not one, but two one-world governments. Yes, I said two. When people hear talk of a future global government someone usually mentions the antichrist, the mark of the beast and on it goes. Well, at least we as Christians do. And this is based on what we read in the Old and New Testaments, especially the book of Revelation. But really, there is another one that gets left out and it’s important to mention it because it really does provide a contrast in worldviews when it comes to power offers made by a certain enemy of ours.

A Global Reset

This term seems to be all the rage today both in and out of Christian circles. To some it is a great hope to get things right addressing global needs of social, political, economic, and even spiritual concerns. Such a move would involve giving up a lot of national sovereignty including one United States. It is hard to see how such a move would ever fly when one looks at Brexit and now the rumblings of Texit. But if the current pandemic taught us anything, we’re certainly willing to give up a lot of freedoms for health security.

A True Delusion

Those wanting a one world government know that just forcing such a change will not work, nor has it ever worked in the past. They know that people must want it or, even better demand it. Here is how one author puts it:

The new world order, the global reset, is a long running scheme to centralize power, but in a way that is meant to be sustained for centuries to come. The elites know that it is not enough to achieve global governance by force alone; such an attempt would only lead to resistance and eternal rebellion. No, what the elites want is for the public to ASK, even beg for global governance. If the public is tricked into demanding it as a way to save them from the horrors of global chaos, then they are far less likely to rebel against it later.

Using A Crisis

I will be giving you some quotes by world leaders that will crystalize what this movement is thinking. In their own words, they are telling us exactly what they feel. Here is one from Canada’s leader:

“Canada believes that a strong, coordinated response across the world and across sectors is essential. This pandemic has provided an opportunity for a reset. This is our chance to accelerate our pre-pandemic efforts to reimagine economic systems that actually address global challenges like extreme poverty, inequality and climate change.” – Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

Here is another from someone you may not know, but he’s leading the charge in a lot of this:

“Left unaddressed, these [climate and social] crises, together with COVID-19, will deepen and leave the world even less sustainable, less equal, and more fragile. Incremental measures and ad hoc fixes will not suffice to prevent this scenario. We must build entirely new foundations for our economic and social systems.” – Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum

And another person seeing an opportunity with the pandemic:

“I can see how we could use this opportunity to design a better world,” says Sharan Burrow, General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), “but we need both national and multilateral institutions to make it work.

It Sounds Good On Paper

If you take out all the Biblical evil overtones, talk of ending hunger, poverty and deadly diseases does have some appeal. To many in parts of the globe living under iron-fisted regimes, it is more than a fair trade. To those in free societies it is even a fair trade because it plays on our altruistic feelings of helping others less fortunate than ourselves. Even in Christian circles it seems like a good deal on the surface since governments have more power to get things done than individual churches. Or so we have been taught to believe. But will it work in practice?

The Devil’s In The Details

That phrase is so apropos in this instance. You see, Satan is in the business of trying to setup a world government ever since he tried to setup his own so many, many years ago. And he does know scripture so ever since the book of Daniel was written he knows he gets his turn at actually having that opportunity, but he doesn’t know the exact time. Ever since he got control of the world in the Garden of Eden, he has made a lot of attempts to offer the world to anyone willing to accept his offer. He even tried this gambit with the one person who could pull it off.

Just Deserts?

Then Jesus was led (guided) by the [Holy] Spirit into the wilderness (desert) to be tempted (tested and tried) by the devil. (Matt 4:1, AMPC)

In this well-known portion of scripture, Jesus is led to the desert to meet with the devil himself. If we recall our Sunday School lessons and even sermons on the topic of temptation, Satan does his level best to bring down the Son of God before He even gets out of the gates in His earthly ministry. Well, that was the plan, but we all know how it turned out. It is interesting that one of the three temptations is ruling the world.

Bowing Down

Again, the devil took Him up on a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory (the splendor, magnificence, preeminence, and excellence) of them.

9 And he said to Him, These things, all taken together, I will give You, if You will prostrate Yourself before me and do homage and worship me. (Matt 4:8-9, AMPC)

And there you have it, the great offer of all earthly offers, the same offer the devil made to so many other men throughout history and even men and women today. We know that Jesus turned it down, but will Satan ever be able to fulfill this promise? History shows us that leaders have tried, and some have come close, but in our time, there is a chance that it could happen. The question is, why hasn’t it happened before?

Original Sin

The serpent in the Garden of Eden got Adam to sin and gained control of the world from him, but in introducing sin, he created the very things that make it impossible for world domination to work. Among the sins introduced that fateful day is pride and this makes it impossible to have one leader that all will follow. No matter who the leader is, someone else wants that throne. And no matter who that leader is, someone doesn’t want to relinquish their throne to them. Ah, you say, what of the Antichrist?

A Hollow Offer

You see, even during the reign of the man of iniquity he never has full control over all the earth. He has to deal with those pesky tribulation saints, the two witnesses and the 144,000 Jewish converts who continually fight him all through his brief run at world domination. He has to wage war with Egypt and put down rebellions from the East and North. China could probably be leading the force from the East and a reconstituted Russia from the North. The main reason for the mark of the beast is to get all people to bow down to the Antichrist although many see it as a financial move. In the end, Satan ever gets the one thing he offers to so many, total world domination. Jesus rebuffed the offer partly because He knew Satan couldn’t come through on it. And one other big reason.

Jesus Will Rule And Reign During The Millennium

And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. (Isa 2:4, KJV)

This oft-quoted passage of the Bible is even found on a wall near the United Nations, but it’s not quoted in full which should tell you something right there. But the point is that Jesus will be ruling the word for a thousand years along with the saints and war will be a thing of the past until the end of that reign. Yes, there will be disputes that will have to be settled, but Jesus will settle them fairly, so much so that military training will not be needed, and weapons will be converted into more useful things. Jesus rejected Satan’s offer because He knew it would be His anyway. As always, the devil can only offer a knock off of the real thing and as the father of lies, his offers are never what they appear to be.

What Now?

For the mystery of lawlessness [rebellion against divine authority and the coming reign of lawlessness] is already at work; [but it is restrained] only until he who now restrains it is taken out of the way. (2 Thess 2:7, AMP)

I used to believe that since a one-world government movement is prophesied we just need to accept it and let it happen. But that attitude has changed in recent times. I see that the church should fight this move and resist at every turn. What precipitated this change? My understanding of the who the restrainer is according to 2 Thess 2:7. When I looked at this term in more depth, I realized that it is an active resistance to the spirit of the antichrist. The restraining is not passive, it is a constant, ongoing restraining which means we can actively restrain the Antichrist by letting the Holy Spirit work through us to hold back the things the spirit of the Antichrist promotes.

How Do We Fight Then?

Well, this includes working to reduce lawlessness, spiritual coldness, and disunity. It also means promoting and living a Godly life. This means just being active believers in the world influences it and restrains the spirit and actual presence of the Antichrist. In fact, just allowing Him to be seen and going into places that are currently havens for that unholy spirit weakens the influence that spirit has. It is an amazing thing really and something we need to be constantly cognizant of as we live out our lives. So, believers, let’s get out there and fight!