Alan Franklin is a conservative British newspaper editor. He has been a friend and contributor to Southwest Radio Ministries for many years. You can learn more about Alan at thefreepressonline.co.uk
For decades I have been expecting the final breakdown of the nations, a world crisis and the creation of a New World Order, with one government and one leader, the man who will become Antichrist. Could the mark of the Beast of Revelation 13, without which no one can buy or sell, in fact be a virus vaccine which is also a tracking device and more?
There are ominous things in the pipeline, just as plans have been announced to use the world’s 3.5 million smartphones for “virus tracking.” Here’s a harbinger in a headline: “Apple and Google to add contact tracing technology to mobile phones to track virus’s spread” (Daily Telegraph, London, April 11, 2020). We are assured they are just being benevolent and that is probably true—for now.
I thought the world debt crisis—staved off by the creation of money out of thin air since 2008—would be the crash catalyst. I did not foresee a virus achieving this … but some did, like Bill Gates. Gates’ foundation is funding the construction of factories for seven possible coronavirus vaccines. He got a head start, though scientists in Britain and America are also fast-tracking vaccine research.
Strangely enough, in October 2019 a “high-level pandemic exercise” was held to prepare for a virus sweeping the world. They called it “coronavirus.” “Event 201” was held in New York City at the John Hopkins Center for Health Security, in conjunction with the World Economic Forum and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Leaders of business, government, and public health simulated a scenario in which a pandemic ravaged the planet.
The programme attendees discussed how to respond to such a virus. According to their publicity: “The exercise illustrated areas where public/private partnerships will be necessary during the response to a severe pandemic in order to diminish large-scale economic and societal consequences.” The virus was actually called “coronavirus” and the pandemic exercise ended up predicting that 65 million people would die. No wonder the Politico website, which is serious, labelled Gates “The World’s Most Powerful Doctor.”
After the USA, Gates is the second largest donor to the World Health Organisation, where he exerts much influence. Gates says the vaccine is “the ultimate solution.”
But he is not the only one on the track of a cure and a vaccine. One impressive firm, biopharma company Stabilitech in Sussex, England, claims to have perfected a vaccine which can be taken as a simple capsule. According to https://www.stabilitech.com/orapro-covid-19, they say they can provide billions of capsules to send out to every person by the end of the year. No injections, no waiting at clinics to get a jab, and no sinister “dot” under the skin.
As for the dot … medical people have referred to a micro-dot that could accompany a vaccine, implanting itself in your body and containing information which could be scanned to confirm that the person has been vaccinated. For anyone who knows the Bible, the alarm bells will be ringing.
Since February medical experts have warned that this coronavirus outbreak could become the global pandemic feared for decades. One said it could “change daily life as we know it.” It certainly has. But no one knows the future; it could suddenly die out—like previous pandemics which ran their course.
Gates has called for a “global approach” to fighting the virus (UK Independent). In 2010 in a TedTalk called “Innovating to Zero” (zero carbon emissions) he also floated the idea of reducing world population by 10 or 15 percent, which he said was possible using new vaccines, health care, and reproductive health services. NWO advocates use crises to justify drastic action. When people panic, you point to “global solutions.”
The reaction to the virus, which many consider an overreaction, fits this purpose well. If many—most?—businesses either go broke or ask for government bailouts as workplaces are shut around the world, that makes you a supplicant, not a free member of society able to run an enterprise without interference.
We are heading for The Greater Depression I have talked about for years unless sanity returns and we quickly return to work. Even large companies cannot run for months without income. The financial crash will be like an earthquake, as we have billions out of work worldwide and unable to pay bills. Banks and insurance companies may be swamped by debt and may not cope.
The St. Louis Fed warns that 47 million workers could be laid off, pushing the unemployment rate to 32 percent. Stress kills. Hopelessness promotes suicides. Home confinement can cause marital discord and divorce. I write as a journalist who covered many inquests and divorce court cases.
Nothing like this was seen during the worst phase of the Great Depression in 1933. It is outside the historical experience of all western democracies. So police clampdowns may get harsher as hungry people get desperate.
As we in England are allowed out for one walk a day, plus an “essential” trip to a food store, you get the picture. In the low-crime town where we live, the police station was shut down years ago to save money, and we had not seen a local policeman in years. But since the lockdown began, we have seen police three times, twice in our road and once in the woods behind us.
Pat and I should be in Israel with our five grandchildren and their parents, but we are not allowed out of Britain or into Israel. Our Israeli family are stuck in their apartment as I write, at Passover. The park outside their block of flats, usually full of children, is shut.
All markets have had big downturns as the flow of goods has been hampered, with more upheaval coming. Countries have severely restricted travel, airline fleets are grounded, and restrictions are becoming more draconian.
It could be worse. In Spain they are using drones to watch for people venturing out, whereas Sweden has adopted a more rational approach, allowing most people to continue with their lives while taking reasonable care.
Meanwhile, world stock markets have fallen. This doesn’t just affect the wealthy—many people have pensions invested in stocks and bonds.
Wild weather is the new normal—and it’s nothing to do with man. We’ve had the wettest start to the year on record in the UK. Even Israel had torrential rain every day we were there in December—the local river burst its banks. Some nations have had extreme heat. Other places have had extreme cold. Temperature swings are not caused by man and will not be controlled by man.
But globalists do not agree, so here comes the global response: global government. For example, 20 years ago, over 150 heads of state moved toward world government at the UN Millennium Summit. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan dedicated himself to “carrying out your [world leaders’] mandate” to create global governance, made possible for the first time thanks to instant global communications.
The world has had many outbreaks of deadly viruses. The coronavirus has had more publicity than most as the world is now interlinked via the web.
What is the significance of these dramatic events to Bible prophecy? The Bible teaches that all of creation has been groaning under God’s curse since the fall of man, and this will become even more pronounced prior to Jesus’ return. Natural disasters will occur with greater severity and frequency as the Day of the Lord draws near.
The “birth pangs” which the Lord Jesus warned of are increasing. He said the signs of the end would be like labor pains before the birth of a baby (Matthew 24:8). Just as these increase in frequency and intensity, so will the predicted signs as the time draws near for His return. In other words, there will be more powerfully destructive earthquakes and more frequent ones, as well as pestilences and more—and that is exactly what is happening today. It is clear major prophetic events are about to be fulfilled. The Lord’s return could be imminent!
Billions of people are having their lives disrupted. I hope they will come to recognize the insignificance of so much that we do to amuse ourselves. Some will grapple with their own mortality and what the Bible describes as the precariousness of this life (Psalm 144:4; James 4:14). When they do, many may turn to Jesus Christ and embrace Him as Saviour and Lord.
God is judging the nations. Throughout the Bible, the Lord God, Creator of all things, blessed people and nations who acknowledged Him and followed His ways, didn’t resort to pagan or ungodly practices, practice dishonesty, or accept decadence and immorality. Through His covenants, the people understood what was expected of them, and followed the “rules”; as a result, He blessed them. He always gave people time to repent, but a time comes when His patience ends and judgment begins. That is where we are now.
We do not acknowledge God as the Creator of the heavens and the earth! We have raced down the broad way, which leads to destruction, not realizing that we have been living in the afterglow of the faith that created our civilization. The signs of the times we are witnessing were foretold in Bible prophecy. God’s Word reminds us to:
Recognize that the Lord told us the world will deteriorate.
Realize that the timing of His return will be at the perfect moment in history.
Christians are the only people with real hope. As hymn writer Robert Critchley wrote:
My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
Some globalists aim for a world population of 500 million, according to the Georgia Guidestones. This would mean the death of 12 out of every 13 people.
Actually, Bible prophecy tells us in Revelation and elsewhere, that their wish may come true! God will pour a series of devastating judgements on this sin-sick world to the point where He will have to cut things short lest all—ALL—flesh is destroyed.
But there is good news: “Behold, I come quickly [suddenly]: blessed [happy] is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book” (Revelation 22:7).
We cannot believe all that governments tell us, however well-intentioned they may be, from the Y2K alarm to the great global warming lie propaganda. Goebbels would have been proud …
We cannot trust mega billionaires who think their plans will save the world. They are wrong. One Man is coming, the Son of Man, the Lord Jesus Christ. He alone will save the world and He could come for believers at the Rapture any time now.
Proverbs 3:5–6: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
Maranatha—Come, Lord Jesus.