One of the amazing things about the Bible is the accurate predictions it makes about the future. This is not surprising because the Bible is written by God, and God knows everything about the future. He can tell people what will happen.
Daniel was a prophet who lived during the 500s BC. He prophesied about the destruction of Babylon, the rise of Medo-Persia, the rise of Greece, and the rise of Rome. Greece did not rise until 340 BC.. Rome did not become an empire until after 100 BC. How did Daniel know about these future events? Because the Holy Spirit revealed them to him. Daniel explains in his book about how angels came and told him what the future would be.
If someone understood these prophecies of Daniel in those days, he could have easily understood what would happen in world politics.
100 years ago, liberal scholars did not believe that Daniel could make such predictions. They did not believe in prophecy, and many of them did not believe in God. So they theorized that Daniel was written much later that 500 BC by someone other than Daniel (even though the book claimed to be written by Daniel). These faulty conjectures were disproved when an early copy of Daniel was discovered along with the Dead Sea Scrolls. This manuscript was dated at 150 BC. At this time Daniel was already accepted as Scripture. The the fact that it must have taken many years for the book of Daniel to be copied and reach that location and become widely accepted as Scripture, is one strong evidence that Daniel was written around 500 BC. Archeological evidence and true scientific inquiry and discovery will always support and prove the Bible. But people didn’t need to wait for the Dead Sea Scrolls to be discovered in order to believe Daniel. Jesus talked about how Daniel wrote the book of Daniel (Matthew 24:15). Jesus believed the book of Daniel. If people don’t believe in Jesus, they won’t believe Daniel either. Daniel is an important book, and it reveals important things.
Daniel not only prophesied about the Greek and Roman empires, but he also prophesied about the end of the age. He told what the political situation of the world would be like at the end of time right before the return of Christ.
Daniel said that at the end of the age, there would be a world government. Daniel described this global government in this way: “A fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all other kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, trample it and break it in pieces'” (Daniel 7:23). This government will be violent. It will be evil. It will dominate the entire world.
Daniel said this global government is “different from all the others, exceedingly dreadful, with its teeth of iron and its nails of bronze, which devoured, broke in pieces, and trampled the residue with its feet” (Daniel 7:19).
This final global government will be led by the Antichrist. It’s not going to be pleasant.
We can read about this final global government in Revelation. “It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Rev. 13:7-8).
This global government will dominate the entire world. It will demand political and religious authority over everyone. It will also unite the world economically using advanced technology. “He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name” (Rev. 13:16-17).
The Antichrist along with the final global government will turn against God’s people. Revelation says this government will make “war with the saints” (Rev. 13:7). Daniel says it will “make war against the saints and prevail against them” (Daniel 7:21).
The Bible is clear. This is not a wild-eyed conspiracy theory. At the end of the age there will be a government that will rule over the entire world. It will be a strong global government that will dominate all peoples and nations. It will be Satanic. This government will demand political and religious allegiance from everyone. It will institute a new economic system of control, with a mark in each person’s head or hand. Without this mark, people will be unable to buy or sell or participate in the economic system.
There is a movement now toward globalization. The nations of the world are joining together at the United Nations and in other places in order to create more political unity. Economic unity is also racing ahead as trade deals are signed and economic barriers fall. Organizations like the World Economic Forum are promoting ideas like the “Great Reset” and “Build Back Better.” These slogans have been adopted by politicians around the world, proving that they are guided by a political power greater than themselves. These leaders envision building a new world order, in which a single global government controls the destiny of the world and enforces peace and safety for all the inhabitants of the world.
We can see these movements happening now, before our eyes. We should not be surprised. The Bible tells us where all of this is headed. A strong global government will be created. The Antichrist will emerge and dominate this government. This government will turn against God’s people.
We should not be afraid. God has a plan for his people. God’s kingdom is stronger, and it will ultimately destroy this evil global government. At the end of the age there will be spiritual victory for God’s people.
“But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.” (Dan. 7:18 KJV)
“Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.” (Daniel 7:22 KJV)
“But the court shall be seated, and they [saints] shall take away his [Antichrist’s] dominion, to consume and destroy it forever” (Daniel 7:26).
“The saints will judge the world.” (1 Corinthians 6:2).
These verses speak of the final victory of God’s people over Satan and all the forces of darkness. We have nothing to fear. Greater is he who is in us, than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4).
We will look more into these things next week. We will learn about how we should respond to these imminent developments. The rise of this global government is ultimately a spiritual problem, and spiritual problems require spiritual solutions. To get ready for next Sunday, please read Daniel chapters 2 and 7, and Revelation.
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