We enjoy living โquiet and peaceableโ lives in Christ. Yet we know that the earth is headed for dark times. Christians will miss the worst if it, but until the rapture, we will see bad stuff. Chaos and fear will fuel Antichristโs rise to power. The bedlam preparing the world for those times of chaos and fear, seems to have already begun. People have a deep sense of dissatisfaction. And that spells trouble for political incumbents worldwide
In the United Kingdom, conservatives are out and liberals in. In France, conservatives are rising and liberals diminishing. In fact, most of Europe has taken a turn to the right this year, including the EU itself. People everywhere are expressing frustration with their present leadershipย โ whichever direction it leans. Dissatisfaction with incumbents is now a global phenomenon.
Zachary Basu and Dave Lawler wrote in Axios on June 6, โIndian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been described as the most popular leader in the world, but even he was humbled by election results this week. He’ll keep his job, but without an outright majority. Last week in South Africa, the long-ruling African National Congress suffered its worst performance since the end of Apartheid. Ruling parties from South Korea to Senegal have suffered recent defeats.โ
In just the last few days there have been increasing calls for the resignation of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. In Iran, where choices are greatly limited, people just elected the most reformist candidate available to them. The world over, people want change.
Then there is the United States. Here, the incumbent president faces a growing rebellion among leaders of his own party. Some have openly questioned his competence to run for reelection. That raises a devastating question. If the most powerful man on earth is incompetent to run for office, then how can he be competent to currently serve in that office?
Perception matters. 74% of voters think Mr. Biden is too old. That raises the question of fitness to a point of crisis. If world leaders or terror groups see him as โtoo old,โ โunfit,โ or โweak,โ it puts the whole world in peril. President Biden recently told George Stephanopoulos, โI don’t think anybody’s more qualified to be President or win this race than me.โ But at some point, right or wrong, perception itself can be disqualifying.
Israel is not exempt from the growing global chaos. Historically, a war tends to unite a nation behind its leaders. But in Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu faces unprecedented levels of criticism across the political spectrum. Either heโs prosecuting the war with too much vigor or not enough. Every peace plan is a political minefield, but so is every plan to continue the war. In recent weeks, the military has publicly disagreed with the Prime Ministerโs war aims. Israelโs Supreme Court ruled in June that ultra-Orthodox Jews are not exempt from military service. The resulting tumult threatens to wreck Netanyahuโs governing coalition. Thatโs only part of the internal mayhem confronting the present Israeli government. External pressures are even worse.
The book of Daniel says that the seven years of tribulation will begin when Israel confirms a treaty with Antichrist. Of course, he wonโt go by the name Antichrist. He will seem to be a great peacemaker. And Israel, like the rest of the world, will be in distress. I believe the present wave of global desperation will grow to a point of global anguish. And that anguish will call forth the most terrible villain of human history.
But remember. If you are a follower of Jesus, youโre not looking for Antichrist. Youโre looking for the real Christ. Before the brief time of Antichristโs reign, Jesus will snatch His people away from this world at the rapture. So, keep looking up!
