During a recent podcast interview with Sean Hannity making the rounds on social media—including a wide range of topics from AI and the midterm elections to Israel and End-Times prophecy—Franklin Graham repeatedly pointed to Jesus Christ as the ultimate answer for a world longing for lasting peace and hope.
Citing news headlines about the creators of the leading artificial intelligence platforms warning that AI could pose an existential threat to humanity, the president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan’s Purse, told the Fox News Channel host, “My hope is in Jesus Christ.”
“My hope is not in the Republican Party or the Democrats or some other future political system.,” Franklin said during the nearly 90-minute episode of “Hangout with Sean Hannity.” “It’s not in the UN. It’s not in the Communist Party of China. It’s in Jesus Christ and Him alone.”
Signs of the Times
“And here’s another thing,” Franklin continued, “Jesus is coming back. He is going to come back, and He’s going to establish His throne here. And there’s going to be a new Jerusalem, and He’s coming down, and He’s going to reign, and that’s going to take place. When that is going to take place, I don’t know, but it’s not going to be that far down the road.”
When Hannity asked Franklin what made him think that Christ’s return is imminent, the evangelist said that today’s world seems to mirror the New Testament’s description of how Jesus’ return will be preceded by a season of war among nations, false prophets, lawlessness and hatred that divides families and communities alike.
“Jesus told us to look for signs,” Franklin said. “He said nobody knows the day or the time, not even the Son. But look for signs and so when you see the leaves are getting tender on the tree, you know that spring is on the way and summer is coming. And He’s given us signs to be watching and looking for. In Matthew, chapter 24, He gives us great examples of what’s coming and what we ought to be looking for.”
Franklin said that pastors around the world are increasingly preaching about the Second Coming of Christ with a sense of urgency that he hasn’t observed before. “I believe the time is near,” he said, “and that’s why we all need to examine our hearts and our own lives and just say God are we ready? Is there any sin in my life that I need to confess?”
Another sign that Jesus’ return is drawing closer, Franklin said, is the increasing globalization of the world’s economic and financial systems.
“John wrote the Book of Revelation, … he speaks about a one-world system,” Franklin asserted. “One world. In the last 30 years, I think it was George H.W. Bush who talked about a new world order. And both Republicans and Democrats have been focused on this path toward globalization, one world system. Thirty years ago, it was how is that going to happen? Today, with AI, with super computers and this push for globalization and it’s coming when you see socialism being accepted in this country and communism and Mamdani in New York.”
God Is Still in Control
Franklin said that despite the global unrest and political division of our day, he still believes God is sovereignly working out His plan of redemption.
“I believe, Sean, what’s happening is we’re seeing God has a big chess board moving the players and the pieces on this big chess board to come to the return of His Son,” he said. “And there is going to be a one-world system. There is going to be the antichrist. You won’t be able to buy, sell or trade without his mark. You have to have a mark and it’s going to be on the forehead or the right hand. And if you don’t have that mark, you can’t buy, you can’t go to the hospital, you can’t go the grocery store, you can’t buy gasoline, you can’t pay rent [without] the mark of the beast, and the Bible says its 666. It’s numerical.”
Franklin said that reports of today’s technology in Europe enabling scannable microchips to be embedded under human skin for digital banking purposes could be prophetic in nature. “We know that in the End Times, the monetary system of the world is going to be controlled by one entity, one source, one person,” he said.
And with the midterm elections approaching, Franklin suggested that socialism’s rise in popularity is the fruit of communist-leaning educators indoctrinating a generation of students on university campuses.
“Now here we are [80] years past World War II, and now segments of our country, the Democratic Party, many of them are embracing socialism,” Franklin said.
Acknowledging Islam’s advance across Europe and the rise of antisemitism in America, Franklin said there’s only one religion whose God died and rose again so people’s sins could be forgiven.
“The Bible is God’s Word,” Franklin said. “Yes, there are other religions in this world. There’s always been other religions. But not one leader of any religion has ever died for you. Muhammad didn’t die for your sins. Buddha didn’t die for your sins. Krishna didn’t die for your sins. No other religion has that hope that we have in a Savior. God coming in the form of a man to save us. And that’s where I put my faith and trust and hope.”
And that message of hope, Franklin said, is for everyone.
“Can a Muslim be saved, yes, but he has to repent of his sin,” Franklin continued. “He has to acknowledge Jesus Christ and accept Christ and make Him the Lord of his life and trust Him as Savior. Can a Buddhist be saved, yes, but a Buddhist has to come to Christ, confessing and repenting and by faith believing and trusting Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord.
“So, regardless of what your background is, it doesn’t matter. We’re all sinners and we have to come to the foot of the cross, and that’s the only way to God. And there’s only one God. There’s not multiple gods. Only one God. He created the Heavens. He created the Earth. He created each and every one of us Sean, He created us. He made us and we have a unique design. No one else has your DNA. No one else has your fingerprint.”
