The times feel pretty apocalyptic now.
I sense in my spirit a quickening of time and a convergence of events that are unfolding rapidly and at the same time.
This week, I heard about a movie that the Obamas produced called Leave the World Behind:
Then I also heard about a film called Civil War about an upcoming civil war in America:
We Are Being Pre-Programmed to Prepare for Catastrophic Events
The same thing happened before 9/11 and the subsequent onset of ISIS and the “War on Terror,” where the ‘80s and ‘90s were dotted with movies about terrorists like the Die Hard series. A Muslim terrorist seems so cliche/stereotypical/racist now and would not make it past the desk of a Hollywood executive because of the changing political and cultural landscape. We also had movies about aliens (Men in Black, Independence Day, Contact) and bio attacks (Contagion), which by now have already broken out of the boundary of conspiracy into real live events (2020 Pandemic and congressional testimony about real-life UFO sightings). Don’t forget all the movies about AI (I, Robot, Bicentennial Man, AI, The Matrix, Terminator) and the natural disaster films (Twister, The Day After Tomorrow)
Now, we’re seeing movies about the Civil War in America and division. Before, the “bad guy” was out there and united America and/or the world to fight against him. Now, the bad guy is your neighbor.
Step 1: Consolidation
Thankfully, we have a blueprint in the Bible. As with my previous posts on Joel and Matthew, we’re told to watch for the signs of the times. There are currently many.
A key theme in popular narratives about the end of the world, whether Christian or not, is unification. Most people agree or imagine that a final New World Order will come about and impose a singular ruler with a single set of rules for the whole world to follow. This is what every villain desires, from the cheesiest cartoon animations to TV blockbusters. Even ISIS wants to consolidate the world into an Islamic State. As the song says, Everybody Wants to Rule the World.
The groundwork must be laid to have the ability for a world dictator to:
Speak to everyone in the world at once, check (live stream)
For everyone to immediately respond and share what they have said, check (social media)
For money to be transferred immediately, check (instant money transfers)
For the threat of state-sponsored violence to be real and swift, check (drones, missiles)
We are more connected as a world than ever before. Due to globalization, economic mergers, and the advancement of technology, we are living in that age. You can argue that the military and economic pieces are still catching up with the continuing digitization (cryptocurrencies, CBDCs) of money and the US rushing to upgrade its aging military artillery. However, we are still in the most advanced and connected state we’ve ever been in as humanity. And it’s good enough to start.
Step 2: Division
This step has actually been happening at the same time as Step 1, hence the convergence of events. You don’t need me to show you proof, but most regions in the world have trended towards more division and not less in the last several decades. From Brexit to Progressives vs. Conservatives in the US, Hong Kong/China, Russia/Ukraine, Israel/Hamas, Sudan, the Arab Spring, and even the recent riots in Marseille, there are examples of sharp divisions being drawn within borders.
Step 3: Mind Control
This is the final step. I recently read 1984 and kept putting it down in shock when I realized how eerily close we are to the themes in the book. From groupthink to “Big Brother” surveillance states (and other 1984 terms), cancel culture, and the most crucial flippening, to use a crypto term: what used to be right is now wrong, and what used to be wrong is now right. Assisted by AI tech like deep fake videos and algorithms that can point you in their desired direction, to quote Groucho Marx:
“Who are you going to believe, me or your own eyes?”
So many people are now more likely to believe what they see on TikTok than what they discern in their spirits or minds. Kyla Scanlon has a brilliant piece on how we are all just responding to the “appearance of appearances.” We are all responding to the same memes and gifs, TikToks, reels, posts, stories, and lives. What will happen if there is a really, really big and important one? Instant global eyeballs and a unified response one way or another. There will be two opinions that will fit neatly into a conservative or a liberal interpretation, and the most silenced people are the ones who see nuance. For example, with topics like War in Gaza, transgenderism, gun control, and abortion, the least popular view is the nonaligned/nuanced one. You’ll notice that mind control goes hand in hand with division.
How Should We Then Live?
To quote Francis Schaeffer’s book, what must we do to endure these times and do the right thing? First, it’s recognizing that if you are a Christian, there is the right thing to do. There will be choices you must make that will be unpopular and cause discomfort. This is what always happens in human history during difficult times. There is no reason it would be different now. In fact, it might be much worse because the Christian view will be starkly opposed to the New World Order. Whatever it is in detail, there will be an overwhelming pull towards it by the majority of people. Your job as a believer will be to stand firm and resist this pull. If you are not a believer, you will find this nearly impossible because the battle will be more spiritual than it is physical. The Bible tells us that those who put their hope in Jesus Christ will be saved. It’s the only way:
I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 14:6 (NIV)
Some Closing Questions for You to Ponder and Prepare
Answer these questions in the context of knowing that you only had two years left until an event like the ones depicted in the two movies above happened.
What changes would you make in your life?
Who would you warn, and what would you warn them about?
How would you prepare your finances?
Would you still want to get married and have children?
Would it change what you believed about Jesus?
Would it change your political beliefs?
Who would you feel lied to you the most?
Would you feel prepared?
Would you feel like you “had a feeling” something like this was going to happen?
What would you attribute that feeling to?