Global Upheaval

August 10th, 2020 Global Upheaval By Hal Lindsey The world changes. Sometimes it changes quickly. The two world wars of the 20th century created massive upheavals, as did the Black Death pestilence of the 14th century. Some upheavals are caused by new technologies, such as the printing press, the internalcombustion engine, the telephone, or gunpowder. Sometimes political revolutions cause fast and massive change, and sometimes big changes come from simple ideas, including bad ones. Today, several of those things are happening at once. With Covid-19 as a trigger, we see revolutions all around us. Technical revolutions that should have been for our good have been subverted. Ideas that history has repeatedly proven wrong and dangerous, arerising with a new sense of inevitability. One of the unique things about this year is that these massive societal upheavals are global. Most of history's revolutions have been localized, but the changes going on now are going on everywhere. And they are all moving in a specific direction - the directionlaid out in the Bible thousands of years ago. For decades now, government and corporate surveillance of citizens has been growing, but mostly hidden. The pandemic has made the invasion of privacy suddenly seem laudable. To keep the virus in check, the world is rapidly building the infrastructure of theAntichrist. That means building a surveillance infrastructure that will allow governments to watch every move their citizens make, and be able to use Artificial Intelligence to interpret those moves. Covid's economic destruction is wreaking havoc on capitalism everywhere, making citizens of all nations increasingly dependent on government. That's what antichrist will need - a population full of people depending on government rather than their own hard workand creativity. To bring new benefits and more relief to the public, governments are printing money hand over fist. This can only go on so long before it brings its own disaster. The mark of the beast as described in Revelation 13:16-18 means that, in the future, world leaderswill give control of the entire global economy to the Antichrist and his cohort, the False Prophet. They will do that either because of a global economic collapse or their fear of one. (But it won't work for long because the Bible describes at least two moreeconomic disasters after Antichrist comes to power.) Bible prophecies also say that near the time of Christ's return, there will be increased levels of anti-Semitism and of the persecution of Christians. Back in the 1960s and 70s, ideas like free speech and inclusiveness were primary tenets of campus liberalism.Not anymore. Today we have something popularly known as "cancel culture." And if you want to be canceled fast, just quote one of the Bible's less popular passages - Old Testament or New. Another way to do it is to identify with Israel, or tell the real story of Israel's formation. People are losing their jobs because of Sunday Schoollessons taught 20 years ago. How should we respond to these things? Like Christians. In Matthew 5:44, Jesus said, "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." But you will not respond in love if you are hysterical with fear. So, follow an instruction given in the Bible hundredsof times - "Fear not." In John 14:27, Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful." Live in His peace. Love your neighbor. Pray with expectation. He's coming soon! God Bless, Hal Lindsey