Did the Hurricane Distract You From This Major Sign of the End Times?
As Christians, we know how the story ends. We understand there will be a day when a one-world government will lead us into the end times. As His people and believers in God’s Word, we certainly understand that God reminds us in His Word of where the world is headed.
While many have tried to place some sort of timeline on these events, I am not one of those people. Back in 2009, I did write about what I believed would usher in the end times. However, I wrote this as an economist, not as a theologian. The question now is: are we seeing indications of an end-times scenario?
The 2008 financial crisis helped drive home the reality of the end times a bit. It prompted many to think that the one-world government would arrive during their lifetime.
Global Monetary System
I believe that one of the signs of the end-times will come from the economic side and involve a global monetary system. I believe that a one-world currency will propel a one-world government and usher in the end times. My reason for believing this is not because of some deep theological reflection, but simply logic.
We seem to be moving ever closer toward a currency—whether it be electronic or virtual paper—that will be widely accepted by most developed nations. Certainly, we are on the brink of what the International Monetary Fund has been pushing for the past six years. Once again, we see the arguments for moving to a one-world currency grow even louder.
So, how do we get from a one-world currency to a one-world government? The leap from one to the other will be extremely logical and a very easy step for those who support this kind of system.
A reminder of this came on Tuesday, as we saw the German constitutional court express reservations about the authority of the European Central Bank (ECB) imposing its form of quantitative easing (QE, or continued bond buying). The court said “it is doubtful whether the QE decision is compatible with the prohibition of monetary financing.”
Under European law, the ECB is not allowed to buy bonds directly from governments. However, it is allowed to purchase them on the secondary market, which is how they get around the law.
Common Currency
My thought is that even though 19 of 28 countries in the European Union (EU) are on the road to using the Euro as their common currency, it’s a failed experiment. Nineteen countries means blending 19 different parliaments and 19 different cultures, with the ECB hoping they will agree on the same monetary policy.
In other words, they must agree that the wealthier, stronger and more stable countries should bail out the weaker. Of course, they have to make this decision without any regard for how it could hurt their own economy or their own people.
Back on June 1, 1998, the primary objective of the ECB was to maintain price stability within the Euro zone and the then-11 EU members. The union also believed that the ECB would implement monetary policy for its currency bloc members.
Without going into too much additional detail, it’s rather simple: the argument will be that we have learned from the European Union that you cannot have a unified currency without a governing party to set monetary policies, rules and regulations—and without that party controlling the system or needing any other governments’ authorities or approval.
The further argument will go like this: “Yes, it would be beneficial for all of the great economies and emerging markets of the world to use the same currency. Because that is our desire, obviously we must begin to draft some kind of constitution for the governing authority.” Today’s EU confusion is an example of why they must create this overriding document.
Certain Course Ahead
This will be an easy argument to make. Inevitably, the one-world government will enter in; I suspect the “mark of the beast” will accompany it. Hyperbole? Maybe, but certainly from a logical economic perspective, it almost seems like a certain course of action.
We certainly don’t know God’s will for America and for the world. Obviously, as much as we would like to see the return of our Lord soon, that will take place in His good timing. In the meantime, we shouldn’t get hung up on any signs or thoughts about how near we are to the end—or, at the other end of the spectrum, speculation that it is a long off into the future.
We must simply follow God’s Word and be aware that He tells us in Matthew 24 that His return will be like a thief in the night, when people least expect it. But it certainly would seem that more and more people, just this week alone, are jumping on the notion that we need to look more like Europe, as capitalism once again is being touted as a nasty, failed system.
I must admit that I believed God had given us a stay with the election of Donald Trump. But one thing we now know is that this world seems to be pulling out all the stops to make sure that—if President Trump is indeed God’s man—he will fall dramatically off course.
Can we lose the battle for America? Indeed, that is possible. Fortunately, we don’t place any faith or confidence in any man, woman or system of government. We keep our hope in God. As I said at the beginning of this article, we know how the story ends: in victory! {eoa}
Dan Celia is president and CEO of Financial Issues Stewardship Ministries, Inc., and host of the nationally syndicated radio and television program “Financial Issues,” heard daily on more than 630 stations across the country and reaching millions of households on the National Religious Broadcasters Network, BizTV, Dove-TV and others. Visit www.financialissues.org.