A
group of most interesting individuals gathered in the early evening at a lodge
south of Chicago in the beautiful Starved Rock area. Numbering less than
50,
mostly men, they appeared to be on an important mission. They quickly moved
into their rooms and prepared for the meeting of the evening. The meal
on
that occasion was hardly a banquet, but it was definitely above average. It was
as if the meal was of modest importance whereas the purpose of the gathering
was
of primary importance. That small crowd began to sense some anticipation as
they gathered in the nicely prepared meeting room.
A
short time was allowed for appropriate greetings to one another, leaving any
onlooker with the impression that these people had at least some level of
knowledge
of one another. As they moved to their chairs, the leader took the time to
greet them all. All listened carefully as he spoke.
"Ladies
and gentlemen, I extend my greetings to each one of you. You are here on
relatively short notice, but you are already taking part in a mission of
great
importance. We hope that the recognition of the importance of this meeting will
grow as we commune together on this occasion.
"As
we all know, the world is in the midst of a growing set of very serious
problems. Dealing with them is already beyond the natural ability of any of
us.
These problems may, however, be amenable to the mutual, corporate activity of
knowledgeable individuals-like those who are here this evening.
"Notice
first of all the global economy. The nations of the world that once bore most
of the weight of the economies of the world are themselves in serious
straits.
The economy of Asia, with Japan in the lead, has just broken down to the point
that it will represent less than half of its economic capability
and,
therefore, its global prestige.
"It
is inevitable that the other nations of southeast Asia will follow suit, as in
fact they are. The Philippines is in serious trouble and Thailand, South
Vietnam,
Laos and Cambodia are all on the ropes. The financial condition translates into
severe individual poverty for the millions of people who live
in
these areas. That poverty could soon become so strained as to trigger
revolution in the entire Asian situation. China seems to be the probable
exception,
but
that nation retains a questionable stability-one sustained by its constant
reign of terror on its one-billion people population.
"Because
of the involvement of the United States, these nations are able to operate
while flirting with a disaster mode of potential revolution. An Asian
explosion
could not be contained and certainly could be expected to ignite the world
military scene.
"We
must also consider the European situation. Europe is even now the object of a
unity movement, a common currency and a ready involvement in a whole set
of
new sciences. In fact, Europe is approaching a point of unity that could put
together a new nation of 350 million people. Germany is in the middle of
this,
and we must not forget that Germany lost two wars in this century and does not
intend to lose another one. A unity of all of the nations that participated
in
World War 11 would be a powerful force indeed-maybe the greatest on earth.
"Southeast
Europe cannot be ignored. The recent nuclear demonstrations between India and
Pakistan illustrate the absurdity of the nuclear nonproliferation
treaty.
That nuclear capability could turn any of the banana republics of South Europe
and Africa into contending nations in the inevitable event of another
war.
"
Looking at the former Bulgarian nations, we note that all-out war between
Serbia and the related nations is not merely a possibility; it is even now a
reality.
"Think
with me about the United States for just a moment. Many an optimistic
conversation is carried on here about how great the economy is and how
wonderful
are
our future possibilities. The facts are the opposite. We are a debtor nation
living off the unearned incomes of our grandchildren. Our national debt
is
a trillion dollars and growing every day. The global economy indeed is very
shaky. So serious is the problem that I think we can say we are being held
together
by some kind of mysterious force, by faith rather than merely an archaic love
of country.
"Ladies
and gentlemen, you know all of these things, but I say them to remind us of the
need for action that is now upon us. We have all lived lives of
relative
wealth and convenience, conditions we do not want to discontinue. They will be
discontinued, however, unless we move with a new plan to vouchsafe
our
future. Virtually the same precarious conditions exist in every aspect of life
in America and in the world. It is imperative that we produce a new
form
of world influence, of world control, before our whole elite culture slips away
from us. We must find a way to reestablish that pinnacle of power
from
which we have operated for three or four generations.
"Now,
I would like to suggest something we all need to think about. This is a time in
which the world is weak and very confused. Our earth has been put
upon
by all kinds of theories about government, money, the future and so on. The
trouble is that the people and the nations of the world agree on almost
nothing.
There has been much talk about unity but very little of the real thing has come
to pass.
"But
right now it is different. The people of Europe, leaders of Latin America, the
masses of Asia and others are making attempts at unity. It's hard to
believe
that the United States has often been named by these nations as the best
possible entity to bring together the otherwise confused nations of the
world.
Believe me, if someone were to speak to the nations of the world and bring what
even sounds like an answer to the problems of money, expanding population,
new
age ideas and the like the response could be tremendous. Potentially millions
would follow such a leader and envision a bright, new, non-confused world
as
a result of his inspiring plan for the future. Right now the world is dreaming
rather vaguely about what the future could bring. It wouldn't take much
in
the midst of today's confusions to electrify the people of earth with a great
plan. A single voice, before which many others would say amen, is needed
today.
"The
first step toward such unity is not primarily the unity of the masses. Rather,
it must be the higher unity of the elite, the brilliant, the courageous
leaders
who could bring together a relatively small committee to initiate the great
plan.
"That
relatively small committee is very much like the one that is here with us tonight.
Let's face it, most of you have sufficient money to handle the
future.
You are, however, looking for something different. You're bored with
intellectual inactivity. Although you are relatively happy, you view today
and
tomorrow with ennui. You are ready for some new excitement. You are ready to
enroll in the cause that will bring a bright new pathway to the future.
"I
am here to point out that pathway and the bright possibilities that start here.
If in these very days we could forge a phalanx, the possibilities would
be
truly sensational. Society is like a pyramid, broad at its base but narrowing
as it reaches higher. There is room near the top for only a few, and perhaps
for
only one as we reach the very top. I am sure that none of you want to slip down
to the gross, muddy bottom of that pyramid. Rather, each one of us
suspects
that this will happen unless we can reestablish our status in the culture and
put our influence and our leader on the top of that pyramid structure.
"I
am ready to commit myself to be a part of the leadership of this elite set of
leaders that we need to put together very soon. After that we can go for
the
masses."
"But
how can we do this?" asked one of the guests. "How can we reestablish
this shaky pyramid in order to guarantee the future for ourselves and our
children?"
"I
am glad you asked that question," said the leader. "I think the best
answer was given to us by Joseph Goebbels back in the days that were a prelude
to
World
War 11. He announced that the accomplishment of anything in the world depended
on a five-stage program. The five stages are: 1. ideology; 2. propaganda;
3.
followers; 4. members;
and
5. leaders. He claimed that the basis of any effective movement and commanding
leadership within that movement was the belief in a powerful ideology.
You
must believe in what you are doing. The absence of ideology soon leads to fatal
weakness in an organization or endeavor and its consequent collapse.
Many
institutions in the world are already suffering from the lack of a great truth
to believe in. As a result, the vision is lost and the organization
slowly
sinks down to nothing."
The
leader then reminded his attentive listeners that "ideology must be
followed by spreading a hopeful message that declares the benefits of our
program.
Articulate
people must be the speakers, the teachers, the voices of the ideology of the
leader. In these days, the use of propaganda media is imperative.
However,
even that will be ineffective without a commanding spokesperson who can inspire
and motivate. Following this comes the call for followers. People
must
be willing to change their plans and pursue the new design. Then come the
members, individuals who will sign up and say 'count on me.' Choosing
mid-ranking
leaders
from out of followers and members is the only way to guarantee a future
generation.
"The
most important choice any entity ever makes is its leadership. The nations of
our time are covered with the remains of lost causes in which the necessity
of
leadership was forgotten."
The
people in the meeting by this time were leaning forward, listening most
intently. They could not take their eyes off of this man when, with carefully
articulated
words, he said,
"I
have called us together to recommend a course of action. The time for our program
has come upon us, and if we do not act in these days, we will lose
our
opportunity to touch the world-yes, to lead it. We are at the place that was
well-described by Shakespeare when he said, 'There is a tide in the affairs
of
men, Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; Omitted, all the voyage of
their life is lived in shallows and in miseries.' Ladies and gentlemen,
I
promise you fortunes, but if we do not act in these days, it will be shallows
and miseries.
"Are
you willing to be part of a new, improved world?"
A
roaring ovation filled the room. The people stood to their feet and broke into
a sustained cheer for the man who had just delivered his soul. Their minds
had
been moved by the speech that said, "The world needs to be changed, and we
can change it. If we do there are rich rewards." Each one of those minds,
at
least for that moment, dismissed alternative thoughts and said, "I must be
a part of this exciting, powerful movement."
The
speaker continued. "We ought not to ignore the fact that society is at the
place of the beginning of global organization already. A sentiment going
in
our time is that our present leadership either needs help or needs to resign.
Despite our boast about modern times and miraculous knowledge, we have
an
ever-mounting number of diseases, disorganizations and despair-producers going
in our society. Our culture appears to be willing to listen to a new
program.
If today's leaders can be converted into a cooperative frame of mind, there
will be no effective resistance to such a program. The future will
be
ours. We have lived on tiny ideas about religion, money and the future up until
now. We have the opportunity in these very days to expand our thinking
and
rise to the great occasions that are before us."
The
speaker did not know how close his speech was coming to the place where it
sounded like the advent of the anti-God, anti-Christ movement. Speaking about
the
Antichrist, the Scripture says that he is one "who opposeth and exalteth
himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as
God
sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God" (2
Thessalonians 2:4).
A
scenario such as this must be the case sometime in the days to come. The
Scripture predicts astonishing expansion of human knowledge coming to pass
toward
the
end of the age. "Knowledge shall be increased," says the prophetic
Word, which certainly implies a vast amount of technical progress in a culture
that
increasingly
tells itself that it needs no God to live a happy and successful life. At the
same time, however, the Scripture predicts that "perilous times
shall
come" (2 Timothy 3:1), then it lists 15 corrosive
additives
that will dwell in the lives of man as the consummation of history draws
closer. The Scripture informs us that men shall be lovers of their own
selves,
covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful,
unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent,
fierce,
despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high minded, lovers of
pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying
the
power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into
houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with
divers
lusts, ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now
as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the
truth:
men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no
further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs
also
was (2 Timothy 3:2-9).
Therefore,
we can expect to exist concomitantly in that interesting era of earth two great
conditions. The first is the vast expansion of human knowledge
and
the second is the rise of perilous conditions across the world.
When
we read the prophetic Word, we are certainly supposed to ask, "Does that
prediction resemble anything that I see on earth today?" We can quickly
agree
with
the close resemblance between the condition of our external world and the
teaching of the Word of God. Dozens of other comparisons and individual
passages
tell us detail after detail of the rise of Antichrist. Of importance to us
here, however, is that the elite people will be in positions of control.
We
are told in the Scriptures that society will be brought to the place where the
whole world will accept the person of the Antichrist and will see no
way
of resisting Him: "Who is able to make war with him?" (Revelation
13:4). In order to have such a wide and total influence, the "man of
sin" will need
to
have many passionate compatriots who will idolize his person and swear to carry
out his will to the ends of the earth. It is, therefore, fair to suggest
that
the passionate followers of the Antichrist will not just be ordinary people.
Rather, they will be what many call "globalist elite." They will be
men
and
women of convincing speech and most attractive personalities who will promise
an utterly marvelous future and who will have a reasonable-sounding plan
by
which to bring it all to pass. They will surely promise that they can create a
new world order and bring to pass the dawn of a new day. Their plans
for
the future will not be merely business as usual; their plans will hinge on an
exciting dimension that touches every life.
Again,
as we are thinking of the convincing messages that they will bring, we cannot
help but compare the associates of the Antichrist with today's politicians.
Hundreds
upon hundreds, of such men and women live in Washington, D.C., and thousands
more populate the major cities of the world. They are convincing
in
the presentation of global plans. When needed, they will be able to bring in an
army to back up their convincing displays of the organization of the
Antichrist.
Out
of this group of followers and from the will of the people at large in the
world, there must come a decision. The optimists must take the time to answer
the
question: "What is able to bring us to a changed world and produce the
beautiful future we must have?" This attitude will produce first curiosity
and
then
conviction. Curiosity will cause the people of the world to wonder about this
person and that one. About many, they will ask the question, "Who is
he
and what can he do?" Within a short time, however, that curiosity must
turn-and it will-to conviction, to joy, to a vote for a leader. The world, and
especially
the world's elite, will watch with detailed interest that program of joy. Soon
will emerge a man thought to have brilliance and capability beyond
what
the world has ever seen.
The
Word of God tells us much about him. From God's point of view, the coming of
the Antichrist will not be viewed so benignly. The Bible says, "For the
devil
is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but
a short time" (Revelation 12:12). This brilliant, pleasing man will
then
institute a number of programs. The Scripture lists those of which we should be
aware. He will produce a religion that will be provocative indeed.
The
people will worship the dragon (the devil) who gave power to the beast (the
Antichrist), and they will worship the beast saying, "Who is like the
beast?
Who
is able to make war with him?" His true nature will begin to show itself
as he opens his mouth in blasphemy against God, His name and His tabernacle,
and
them that dwell in heaven (Revelation 13:6). All that dwell on the earth shall
worship him and will pursue the miracle-working power which he has:
"he
doeth great wonders" (Revelation 13:13). Finally, he will produce a religion
that is both pagan and inexpressibly cruel, as many as would not worship
the
image of the beast are killed (Revelation 13:15).
(It
is interesting that we are invited to think carefully about the beast. The
Scripture says, "Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the
number
of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred
threescore and six" [Revelation 13:18].)
What
a picture this is. Finally, through the genius of the beast, the world, nation
by nation, will be organized into a great universal political system,
religious
arrangement and financial organization. We need not wonder long to guess the
attitude of the existing leaders of the world (the elite) toward
the
emergence of the Antichrist. Being materialists, they will rejoice in this
development. In cooperation with the program of the Antichrist, the elite
will
take the throttle of the world system. At long last they will promise that the
dawn of a new age will indeed come to pass. Aspiring young men and
women
in great numbers who would like to be the controllers of the world tomorrow
will be counted on to join his cause. For a short time, it will look
as
though the plans of the Antichrist for a world overturned and reconstituted in
his favor are indeed taking hold of the world's youth. The Scripture
says
that the Antichrist will stay in power for 42 months, or three-and-a-half years
(Revelation 13:5).
From
the Word of God on this particular subject, we can answer the pressing
questions: "How long can power last?" and "Is it worth it
all?" Scripture gives
us
a pointed answer:
And
I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and
a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent,
who
is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, and cast him into the
bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should
deceive
the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after
that he must be loosed a little season (Revelation 20:1-3).
Is
this the final picture of the activity of Satan? No. For the Scripture says,
"And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and
brimstone,
where
the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for
ever and ever" (Revelation 20:10). What a picture that is of the terrible
fate
of the great enemy of God.
What
can we discover about leadership from all of this? We can learn that leadership
may be proud, boastful and temporarily successful. However, time marches
on
to bring the future into the present. So today's leaders will become archaic
and irrelevant by tomorrow; by the day after that, they'll be gone. This
is
true even of Satan, who will end up in the lake of fire and brimstone as a
consequence of his evil.
Here
we have answered forever the question of the outcome of satanic activity.
Surely the lesson should be clear to each one of us. A person who believes
that
the prestige, honor and acceptance that comes from a satanic blessing are worthwhile
is a fool. The Scripture says, "Resist the devil, and he will
flee
from you" (James 4:7). We are never, no matter what the scene, supposed to
be a part of Satan's cause. Whatever may be the medals and the medallions
we
receive, associating with Satan is the activity of a proud fool.
Scripture
presents us with the temporary victories of Satan and his henchmen, but they
are not presented as the final picture. The final picture is that
the
God who made the universe will triumph over all. Jesus Christ is the victor,
and He will be crowned before the wondering eyes of the world as King
of
kings and Lord of lords. This is the picture we should keep in mind as the
object of our anticipation.
When
we read of the vast difficulties that will come upon the world in the days of
the great tribulation, we should also rejoice because we will not be
a
part of those difficult days. No indeed! We will be looking on from heaven,
having been caught up to be with Jesus Christ before the days of the
tribulation.
To
know this is to have great assurance within the soul. The promise that Jesus
Christ is coming for His own is given to us in the Word of God. It is to
be
the source of comfort, assurance and anticipation of heaven. We can trust that
will be the case as we think of the defeat of the elite and arrogant
and
the victory of the humble and childlike-the children of God. To be a Christian
is the greatest experience in all of life. It is an infinitely wonderful
promise
for this world and also for the world to come. Let us newly commit ourselves to
serve Christ and to be the channels of blessing whereby others
are
invited to know Him as well. Always bear in mind the greatest prophetic verse
in the Scripture: "Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved,
what
manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness?"
(2 Peter 3:11).
With
the full authority of Scripture, we can announce that society is not going to
be an easy place to live or even a predictable situation in the days
to
come. God has specifically taken the time to warn the world of the coming of an
individual called "the man of sin, the son of perdition." This man
will
oppose
everything godly, everything that honors the Word of God and everyone who
aspires to live for Christ. For a brief hour, Antichrist will be the master
of
earth and impose his wicked will upon everyone.
This
being the prediction of Scripture, we should not fail to remind ourselves of
the alternative plan that God has for Christians. About the Christian,
the
Bible says, "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet
appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be
like
him; for we shall see him as he is" (I John 3:2). Announcing a special
destiny for Christians, the Scripture also says, "The Lord himself shall
descend
from
heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of
God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive
and
remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in
the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 4:16,17).
How
wonderful it is that "God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain
salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thessalonians 5:9). It is so
encouraging
that
God has spoken to the church with this promise: "Because thou has kept the
word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation,
which
shall come upon all the world" (Revelation 3: 10).
Yes,
there will be that brief hour in which the arrogant and wicked will attempt to
take over from God. However, there will follow that eternity in which
we
will live in the beautiful, ever fulfilling presence of the Lord Jesus. The
rapture of the church is a wonderful promise God makes to His own. Our assurance
does
not come from observing the competence of man but from the promise of Jesus
Christ. Man's best plans will ultimately fail, but, thank God, we will
be
merely onlookers to that failure.
God's
great plan is for His own, and this we brightly anticipate.