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Globalization and
Prophecy: America's Role in the End
Times Globalization
- the 'growing interconnectedness reflected in the expanded flows of
information, technology, capital, goods, services and people throughout the
world' "Mapping the Global Future",
a report of the National Intelligence Council's 2020 Project for the CIA (NIC
2004-13 December 2004) 'Globalization
is a condition defined by mutually assured dependence.' Thomas P. M. Barnett "The
Pentagon's New Map", Berkley Books, 2004, pg. 122 Globalization. Humanity has always dreamed of it and
striven for it, from Babel (Genesis 11: 1 – 9) through the Age of Empires,
and even to the end of the age. The
One-World ethos is ingrained in us, was perverted by sin and denied us by
God, will feature prominently in the End Times, and will be restored to us as
it was in the beginning - - a world united under the authority and lordship
of God - - in the Millennial Kingdom. Most
interpretations of prophecy suggest the creation of an End Times one-world
government and economy. Such
interpretations could be validated not by empire (the traditional view), but
through the globalization process - - not by conquest, but by global
integration of the nations through expanded flows of information, technology,
capital, goods, services and people. If
this is the correct interpretation, then the End Times one-world government
and economy will be messy and somewhat convoluted. There will be no One-World Emperor governing from the top down
in the historical, imperial sense.
Instead there will arise an Antichrist who exercises power and
influence through a voluntary (and sometimes not-so-voluntary) acceptance, by
globalized and globalizing societies, of an evolving rule set for
international connectedness. Antichrist's
rule will be fragile and brief, and not without dissention and
challenges. His coalition will be a
coalition of convenience motivated by a common hubris (men will not give up
their rebellion against God) and, in the end, by a common threat (the second
coming of Christ, who will conquer rebellious humanity). Much of Bible prophecy regarding the End
Times supports this view. Nothing in
prophecy refutes it. Should
America then champion globalization?
Do we sin as a nation by facilitating integration of nations into a
global community? Such integration
will occur with or without our help.
God foresaw it and prophesied it in the Bible. Prophecy is prophecy, and would not be if
it did not come true. In the end
great evil will come of globalization, but need not. It
is good and right that Americans promote world peace, international security
and cooperation, fairness and prosperity among the nations, and freedom of
choice for all the world's people.
Globalization, with its generally accepted and evolving rule set for
international cooperation and connectedness has been, since World War II, and
is today, for good or ill, the observed outcome of America's efforts in these
endeavors. Two-thirds of the world's
people are now part of the growing global community that America champions,
and this despite our many mistakes and failures along the way, our missteps
that have drawn us much criticism from within the global community we have
helped to create. What people and
nations do with this global community - - that is their choice and their
responsibility. The golden rule and
all the rest apply. God's rule set
never changes. He compels us to want
for our neighbor what we want for ourselves (peace, security, cooperation,
fairness, prosperity, freedom). He
compels us to ease our neighbor's pain and uplift our neighbor's spirit
whenever and wherever we can. Blessed
are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God (Matthew 5:
9). The Devil take the rest. |
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