My Dad and I were chatting on email about the book of Revelation. My last response to him was long so I figured I would add it to substack, in case anyone else might be encouraged. Here it is:
Reading Revelation? This is the right time for it. I find it hard to image that mankind can continue like this without entering into the territory and conditions of what is described as the "last days."
Here is a list of the reasons why I say this:
> globalism combined with secularism is the context for the "Beast." The beast, anti-christ, man of lawlessness. These three terms refer to a man who, fully in the hands of satan, seeks to exalt himself above all religions and all gods (including false gods as well as the true God). His efforts require the ability to control people all over the planet. Historically, people have thought this would require a "one world government." We are seeing that such a government may be unnecessary since corporations + elites + governments + banks can use technology to track every person and coerce compliance from every citizen of the planet. The Covid clamp-down on the populations of the nations is an obvious proto-type of this kind of tyranny. People can be "marked" and prohibited from buying and selling without the need for only one government. Likewise, likeminded elitists from all nations can force their own citizens to comply in similar ways (for example, forcing all people to wear masks, forcing all to be injected, etc).
> food shortages that could cause the starvation talked about in Revelation is also easier to imagine now than even a few years ago. Currently, hunger is at an all-time low, thanks to progress in agriculture. But the environmental movement is putting that in jeopardy. Right now, with the energy crisis that is happening before our eyes, food prices are not only spiking, but the breadbasket of Europe is at war. Americans have been insulated from starvation because of our freedoms, but high prices for food seem to be what we can expect in the future, and poorer nations can expect to have real shortages.
> Nukes, which were mostly in check in the cold-war error, and now more likely to be used. Putin is threatening, and why should we not believe him? And if he lofts them, what will stop others? Even the US? Islamic radical nations, like Iran, still speed their way to nukes, and they will certainly use them. Prophecies that tell of much of the water being poisoned or huge fractions of land being destroyed, can easily be the results of nuclear attacks.
> Currency? I don't even have to mention that currencies all over the world, including the dollar, are on life-support. Global currency would allow unified control of the money system to elitists, etc. So, the Beast has that situation practically available right now (if not very soon).
> World wide re-defining of the self, the nature of reality, belief systems are also happening at breakneck speed. The rise of belief systems (or unbelief systems, if that is a thing) can happen very quickly. Combined with the speed of human communication, it is easy to imagine the type of mass conversions to Christ that are prophesied to happen, including among the Jews (I believe the mass-conversion of Jews will be a true indicator of the end), as well as a mass conversion to anti-Christ (though he will be called a savior).
> So where is the hope? It is not in this world. It is not in gearing up to fight the beast or his forces through conventional warfare, for war will soon end and the Judge will appear. Rather, the hope is that if the last days are near, that the end of pain and death and injustice are also near.
Consider the words God told us to think about if we believe we are in the end times:
Luke 21:28 28“But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
And Paul's words for those who survive till the last moment (and many who believe will survive and see the King open the sky):
Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory. --1 Corinthians 15: 51ff
And for those faithful ones who must give up their lives during this brief but terrible time, there is a promise of blessing too:
Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, “Write, ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’ ” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them.”--Revelations 14:12-13
So what do we do now? Straighten up and lift our heads. Live faithful and good lives. Love others. Spread the truth. Do not despair. Why? We are of the generation described at the end of the book of Daniel:
Daniel 11:33–35
33“Those who have insight among the people will give understanding to the many; yet they will fall by sword and by flame, by captivity and by plunder for many days.
34“Now when they fall they will be granted a little help, and many will join with them in hypocrisy.
35“Some of those who have insight will fall, in order to refine, purge and make them pure until the end time; because it is still to come at the appointed time. ...
And,
“Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued. “Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt. “Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. --Daniel 12:1-3
This is not a time for fear and panic. Those who know Jesus should be the more confident ones. We have a shelter in this storm.