What is it about conspiracies? What attracts people to them? Is it the thrill of solving mysteries or exposing the shadowy systems that threaten the world? Is it saving the world from all sorts of treacherous plots, in the matrix of such heroes as James Bond or the warriors of The X-Files?

Personally, my biggest concern is that of television commercials. I’ve been known to mutter “conspiracy” when flipping channels during a commercial and finding commercials on other stations, simultaneously. Especially disturbing is when the same commercial is aired at the same time on different channels with what appears to be a synchronizing of T.V. sponsor’s watches.

Seriously, many believe that many other people belong to a certain group of people who want to do more than merely promote their own agenda. That they conspire with others of similar beliefs to disregard, disrespect, denigrate, dominate, displace, and even destroy (their character or even their person … death) those who disagree with them. We see this in all walks of life: family, ethnic groups, race, (man-made) religions, business, associations, politics, governments at all levels—city, state, national, and international.

By very definition a conspiracy is secretive, at least to begin with.

Webster’s Definition defines conspiracy as: “the act of conspiring together, an agreement among conspirators, a group of conspirators.”

Conspire: “to join in a secret agreement to an unlawful or wrongful act or to use such means to accomplish a lawful end…”

Conspiracies and conspiracy theories can be small or large, real or imaginary. All the way from those in a Homeowners Association that perceive their HO board is secretly serving its own interests at the expense of and detriment to individual owners; to a plot of conspirators to overthrow one government and replace it with another. However, invariably and inevitably, what began in (actual conspiracies) secrecy materializes into real-life situations, usually in a fairly short period of time. For example: Lenin’s communism that in short order resulted in the overthrow of the Russian Czar monarchy. Likewise, Hitler’s Third Reich fascism—a dramatically different and opposing ideology—caused a radical change in Germany’s government that affected the entire world.

This also applies to good ones like the American Revolution. The fact that the colonists “conspired” against Great Britain was predicated on the longing to govern themselves … free of tyrannical suppression, including religious persecution. This conspiratorial plan soon conceived a Declaration of Independence which gave birth to what many consider the greatest republic democracy of all time.

(The first/original Bill of Rights that amended the U.S. Constitution)

Subsequently, entire nations adopted at least in principle the American ideal of government and society. One in which kings and queens yielded their absolute or near absolute power to people-represented democracies, whether a republic or parliamentary system. However, North America and especially the United States of America was considered and called, The New World—minus the Order.

New World Order

I think most would agree: The biggest conspiracy that has captivated humanity’s attention, particularly in the 19^th, 20^th, and 21^st centuries, is that of a New World Order. However, this new world (order) is not the beneficially desirable kind that the United States modeled. Rather, it is sinister; borne from one or more menacing conspiracies. Those that allegedly will produce a One World Government and/or One World Religion.

Several Eye of Prophecy articles have mentioned these (perceived) threats in passing; two articles in their entirety have been dedicated to these subjects. See One World Government? & One World Religion? (posted 2-28-15 & 8-15-15, respectively).

What you will find is evidence and rationale to demonstrate that there never has been and never will be a (man-made) World Government or World Religion. Not until Messiah Jesus returns to judge the world and bring mankind full circle back to where we began in the Garden of Eden, will there be a One World Government. One with NO RELIGIONS. Rather, one that is based on God’s original design—perfect Father/child family relationship and face-to-face fellowship with and loving obedience to our Creator.

It is evident (true): conspiracies have been conceived to create a new world order. Here the emphasis is on “a” (new order), as opposed to what will be “The” New World Order—The Kingdom of God on earth.

There has been a succession of different world orders throughout history; one replacing and sometimes overlapping another. Even then, a truly global government has never been realized. God has seen to it that this won’t happen. The Lord has supernaturally intervened, whether humanity had rebelled against him on a global scale without or with governments (the Great Flood and the Tower of Babel). Then the rise and fall of world kingdoms like Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome, and Egypt. Each of these empires exerted extensive power in much of the known world, but never over the entire earth. Several nations and cultures did not come under the thumb of these mega-nations.

(Depiction of the Tower of Babel, supernaturally preempted by God, which led to multiple languages, nations, and national boundaries)

For sake of argument and explanation we can also use the term New World Order to identify significant changes down through the ages, which affected much of the earth’s population. Furthermore, we can place these epic events in one of two categories: Governments and Societies.

Obviously, the following is an oversimplification but nevertheless a summary categorization of epic periods of human history, with each (substantial) successive change constituting in theory and practice the idea of a New World Order. New in the sense that it would replace the previous dynamics of governments and societies on a sweeping scale.

Government:

– Tribes or city states that developed into nations when they united together in (for the most part) geographical boundaries.

– Nations that expanded (by force or by diplomacy) into uncharted land and/or into the domain of other nations.

– After the fall of Rome, it was back to mostly tribal life in those nations that had been dominated by Rome (with indigenous peoples still living in the conquered empire nations of Egypt, Assyria, Persia and Greece).

– The repeated merger of ethnic groups resulting in the emergence of nations (mostly in Europe) that were ruled by monarchies in some fashion or another. This also included African, Asian, and what is now South America countries.

– Sometimes unity, more often clashes between the Roman Catholic Church and European monarchies that produced Church States or State Churches, depending on whether the Pope or King/Queen prevailed in those nations.

– The discovery and then migration to the New World. Which gave rise to democracy; and, in turn, led to similar forms of government in Europe and westernized nations such as Canada and Australia.

Society:

– Beginning with one nation (Israel) selected by God himself, inhabited by the descendants of Abraham chosen by God to both preach and practice that which God had intended from the beginning—the truth that there is only One God, who is the Sovereign Lord over all nations. As opposed to the belief in a non-existent man-made god or gods, which was a direct product of the original rebellion against God by Satan. Although people inherently know that (only one) God exists (Romans 1), much of mankind copied Satan’s conspiratorial agenda and created gods in their image, rather than acknowledging that God created them in his image. They worshipped the creation, not the Creator.

– The First Advent of the Messiah, whose very existence and coming was first and foremost presented in Scripture (Genesis 3:15). This Messiah was clearly shown to be the Son of God (Psalm 2 & 110, Micah 5, Isaiah 7, Isaiah 9, Isaiah 53—and other passages) in the Hebrew Scriptures. Then the New Testament (Covenant) prophesied by Jeremiah recorded the miraculous Virgin birth of Jesus of Nazareth, followed by his mighty miracles. The most magnificent of which was his resurrection from the dead to prove that he is the Messiah, the Savior. And he will return as King of all kings and Lord of all lords.

(One of several passages showing Messiah would be of divine origin)

– The spread of Christianity (the true Christian faith) has impacted the world like nothing else in history. It is the only faith that has truly influenced (changed) people from every nation, language, race, and tribe. For the most part, all man-made religions are indigenous to countries and peoples of those nations, i.e. Islam mostly for Arabs and Arab nations (also including Indonesia); Hinduism for India; Buddhism or Shintoism for Asian countries; and Judaism for Jews. In fact, Messiah Jesus altered the very measurement of time itself … before (B.C.) and after (A.D.) he came to earth.

– Epic periods that have been given designations to describe (new) world developments such as: The Middle Ages (considered to be the darkest age in terms of spiritual subjugation and economic poverty); The Renaissance; the Age of Enlightenment; the Industrial Age (Revolution); the Age of Romanticism and Realism; the Age of Communication (mass media of radio, television, motion pictures); and now the Information Age (computers and digital messaging).

Each of these monumental changes in governments and transformation of societies conceivably constituted the onset of New World Orders

Major New World Order Conspiracies & Common Threads

Since we have space and time to address this only in thumbnail fashion, Wikipedia is as good a summary source as any. Beginning with Wikipedia’s article entitled, New World Order (conspiracy theory), we read:

“The New World Order or NWO is claimed to be an emerging clandestine totalitarian world government by various conspiracy theories.

“The common theme in conspiracy theories about a New World Order is that a secretive power elite with a globalist agenda is conspiring to eventually rule the world through an authoritarian world government—which will replace sovereign nation-states—and an all-encompassing propaganda whose ideology hails the establishment of a New World Order as the culmination of history’s progress. Many influential historical and contemporary figures have therefore been purported to be part of a cabal that operates through many front organizations to orchestrate significant political and financial events … to achieve world domination” (bold print in the text).

In the following section entitled, History of the term, the article goes on to say:

“During the 20^th century many politicians, such as Woodrow Wilson and Winston Churchill, used the term ‘new world order’ to refer to a new period of history characterized by a dramatic change in world political thought and in the balance of power after World War I and World War II. They all saw the period as an opportunity to implement idealistic proposals for global government … to address worldwide problems that go beyond the capacity of individual nations-states to solve, while always respecting the right of nations to self-determination. These proposals led to the formation of international organizations (such as the UN in 1945 and NATO in 1949) ….”

*Note: Former U.S. President George W. Bush also used the term new world order in a 2002 speech.

There are other 20^th century developments considered to be part of or indicative of a world-government conspiracy, such as: U.S. Federal Reserve System; International Monetary Fund; the World Bank; World Health Organization; European Union; Euro Currency; and the World Trade Organization.

(Many are under the impression that all EU counties use EURO currency … not so)

Even before the 20^th century and especially continuing into the 21^st century, conspiracy theorists have pointed to several organizations or ideologies whose purpose they say is to create a new-world order with malevolent goals in contrast to the benevolent, noble aspirations of the Winston Churchill’s of the world. As indicated in the first part of Wikipedia’s article quoted above: A common denominator of conspiracy theories is that of a One-World Government shaped in secrecy and operated by the “elites” of society. In the 21^st century the most prevalent expression of this dichotomy has been condensed to Globalism vs. Populism.

(See Eye of Prophecy article, Globalism or Populism … Which Will Antichrist Prefer? Posted 9-16-17).

Populists vs. Globalists probably depict the conspiratorial threat of a New World Order better than any other paradigm of opposing world views. However, both alleged conspirators and those claiming to be conspired against span the entire gamut of belief systems. Liberals accuse conservatives of fascism conspiracies, and conservatives rail against liberals who seek socialistic or communistic world control. There are left-wing and right-wing ideologies found among both Globalists and Populists. However, there remains one basic distinction: Populists consider Globalists to be the so-called elite, whose sinister goal is to by persuasion or by power assume the “rightful” supremacy of the informed over the uniformed. Thus, creating an intelligentsia utopia as the pinnacle of human progress on this earth, mostly by dissolving nation-states into an international (multi-national) régime.

Although there are several conspiratorial groups cited in the Wikipedia article (not an exhaustive list), the most well-known in today’s world are: Illuminati, Freemasonry, Fourth Reich, Brave New World, and New Age. With these and others supposedly working through frontrunner groups like Skull and Bones, the Bohemian Club, Trilateral Commission, and the more well-known Bilderberg Group.

Organizations like the John Birch Society both accuse and are accused by rival organizations of being conspiratorial in their existence and function.

The varying theories as to how the conspiratorial groups will accomplish their objectives are: Coup d’etat (forced takeover); mass surveillance; population control; mind control; financial systems control, and occultism. With the most common method (theory) that of: Gradualism—a systematic takeover of universities, cities, states, nations, and international organizations … that may include all the above listed strategies.

However, two common threads can be found in conspiracy theories, no matter what world-view or belief system is held by the conspirators and those conspired against:

1. Secrecy. This component is quite evident in conspiracy theories: conspiratorial groups allegedly function in some form or to some extent in secrecy, whether through clandestine operations (such as the Illuminati) or mystical occult belief systems (such as the New Age).
2. A Dictatorial Leader (a messiah-type figure): This second feature of a new world order (conspiracy) is not given as much weight as the secrecy factor, except by Christians. There is much more emphasis on an oligarchy elite who will progressively revamp the financial and political systems of nations to achieve their global goal of supremacy. From within that group or from without as supported by the elite, a strong autocrat will gradually arise. However, the theory (plan) is that a select few will control the rise of this man and the man himself, with the elites ultimately in charge.

Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon was the first messiah-like world leader. Followed by Alexander the Great of Greece and Antiochus Epiphanes IV of Syria. Although the ancient Persian and Roman Empires consisted more of a succession of autocratic rulers, they nevertheless created and carried on dynasties for hundreds of years.

Then in more modern history: Beginning with Napoleon (France); then Stalin (Russia), Hitler (Germany), Mussolini (Italy), and the Emperor (State) of Japan, humanity witnessed the rise of dictators with global ambitions beyond their own country. None of these empires (new world orders) would have arisen without one man whom the people followed, to the point of worship. In other words, the man was the empire, and the empire was (represented) the man.

They were prototype messiahs of the Antichrist, who Scripture clearly indicates will conspire against God and the true Messiah with a treacherous goal to set up Satan’s kingdom on earth.

Therefore, I would like to propose a thesis based on Scripture that is contrary to the prevailing emphasis on conspiratorial secrecy and deemphasis on one man leading such a conspiracy as opposed to an elite group of people seeking control. This is not to say that there are currently no “elites” brandishing such authority or that they don’t operate in secrecy. But that is NOT what will transpire during the last days of the end times, to which this generation belongs.

Premise: There will be no secrecy whatsoever, nor any “gradual” rise of a world-dictator (Antichrist) from within one or more of these elitist conspiratorial groups; or from a national leader (Prime Minister or President) or international organizations that might be visible realities of these conspiracies, i.e. the United Nations or European Union.

A Summary of Eye of Prophecy Articles in the Category of Antichrist

Because time/space doesn’t permit in this week’s article, but also to encourage you to read at least some of those (48 of the 244 total posts to date) articles, we’ll examine just the flashpoints.

Beginning with the identity of the Antichrist, which was and still is (even by students of Bible prophecy) considered to be a secret until the Tribulation begins. This despite the clear challenge in Revelation 13:18 and 17:9 for the believer to (with wisdom and understanding) solve the number of the beast and, therefore—with many more clues given in Revelation 17 and other Bible passages—to know the identity of the beast of Revelation … the Antichrist.

If you’ve read Out of the Abyss or even a few Eye of Prophecy articles in the category of Antichrist; you’ll know that I’ve identified this evil despot, via an abundance of Scriptural and historical evidence.

The king and little horn of Daniel 7; the treaty-maker then treaty-breaker with Israel of Daniel 9; the (Armageddon) King of the North in Daniel 11; the evil shepherd of Zechariah 11; the man of lawlessness of II Thessalonians 2; the beast-king of Revelation; and the Antichrist of I John (the only place in Scripture where this man is labeled Antichrist) is none other than: The Roman Emperor Nero!

Suddenly & Openly, Not Gradually & Secretively:

“As I was looking at the horns, suddenly another small horn appeared among them. Three of the horns were torn out by the roots to make room for it. This little horn … was boasting arrogantly” (Daniel 7:8, italics for emphasis).

“…Then another king will arise, different from the other ten, who will subdue three of them. He will defy the Most High and oppress the holy people of the Most High. He will try to change their sacred festivals and laws, and they will be placed under his control for a time, times, and half a time (3 ½ years)” (Verses 24-25, italics for emphasis).

The following is an excerpt from Out of the Abyss to explain how and why Antichrist (Nero) will be so different (in italics):

The one thing that makes Antichrist different from the other ten kings is that he is a living miracle, and they are not. He has arisen from the underworld, and they have not. The ten kings have a birth certificate, but the Antichrist does not. Nor will anyone, including crime scene forensic investigators be able to prove that he had died a short time before he arose, as there will be no autopsy or death certificate; nor any fingerprint records or dental records, nor any evidence of a crime scene, nor a coroner’s report, nor a coffin or a grave (Page 185).

“Then I saw a beast rising up out of the sea … And the dragon gave the beast his own power and throne and great authority” (Revelation 13:1-2, parenthesis mine).

Commentary: The Antichrist will not gradually be promoted and pushed to power by any elitist national or international organization or government. Nor will his dominion be politically or militarily global. He will rule over ten nations (also see Revelation 17) which is not a world government. His compelling influence over tribes, people, languages, and nations (Revelation 13:7) will be mostly spiritual (of the mystical kind). Meaning people all over the world will give him total allegiance, adoration, and worship. Which is a counterfeit replication of Messiah Jesus’s world-wide influence that is not based on a physical global government (not yet … that will come later when Christ returns to establish the Kingdom of God—a royal reign of righteousness, justice, and true peace).

Only One Reason That a Large Cross-Section of People Will Yield to Antichrist Nero:

“I saw that one of the heads of the beast seemed wounded beyond recovery—but the fatal would was healed! The whole world marveled at this miracle and gave allegiance to the beast. They worshipped the dragon for giving the beast such power, and they also worshipped the beast. ‘Who is as great as the beast?’ they exclaimed. ‘Who is able to fight against him?’” (Revelation 13:3-4, italics and bold font to emphasize the one reason [this miracle] a cross-section of people from many nations will give their loyalty to Antichrist).

Commentary: These verses are crystal clear in refuting the prevailing hypothesis. Which is the Antichrist will be a super statesman, a powerful orator, a consummate economic, political, and military genius who will exceed all tyrants before him; thus, persuading people all over the planet to follow him. He is arrogant and boastful but not an eloquent, mesmerizing speaker in the mold of Adolph Hitler.

The False Prophet will do most of the speaking and will also cause a monstrous monument to be erected of Nero. “…He ordered the people to make a great statue of the first beast, who was fatally wounded and then came back to life. He was then permitted to give life to this statue so that it could speak. Then the statue of the beast commanded that anyone refusing to worship it must die” (Revelation 13:14-15)

What is it that causes the world to “marvel” at him and “worship” him and Satan? Answer: his (miraculous in the eyes of the world) return from the dead … “the fatal wound was healed” and “he came back to life.”

From Where Does Antichrist Directly Come (Return) to Earth?

“…And yet he will soon (meaning abruptly) come up out of the bottomless pit…” (Revelation 17:8). Also see Revelation 11:7.

Commentary: Referring again to Revelation 13, John’s (first) vision of he Antichrist beast clearly conveys the fact that when John initially saw the beast, the beast has already recovered from his fatal wound … returned from the dead. This deadly wound will not be inflicted during the Tribulation. Soon after the Rapture, the Tribulation will begin with the reappearance of the beast from the Abyss (bottomless pit), not from the grave. When people die without Christ they go immediately to Hades. But Hades (hell) is not the Abyss; they are separate (and literal) places.

Only extremely wicked angels are imprisoned in the Abyss (book of Jude and II Peter 2, also see Revelation 9). There is only one man in all of history who has been confined (deposited in) the Abyss: the Antichrist (Nero), when the Lord struck him down (II Thessalonians 2:8a). To arise/appear from the Abyss, the beast-king would have had to be placed there. This is part of God’s plan to give people, who have rejected the truth of His Son’s redemptive sacrifice, an ostensible reason to choose a false messiah. It’s because they, “…refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them” (II Thessalonians 2:10).

So much so that, “…God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies. Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth” (Verses 11-12).

Yes, you read that right. God himself will assist those (who he already knows have and will continue to defy and deny him and His Son, Messiah Jesus). How will God do this? Answer: By allowing (notice in Revelation 13 that everything Satan, Antichrist, and the False Prophet do is permitted), Nero to return from the Abyss where the Lord has imprisoned him in Nero’s original body after reviving him from the dead. However, the world will see it as a return from the grave (resurrection) exclusively by Satan’s and Nero’s own power to do so. That’s why so many people will marvel at this miracle.

Only the Lord has ultimate power over life and death, including resurrection.

Antichrist—A Modern Day (Born) Man?

At face value, most contemporary portrayals and theories about the Antichrist are plausible, including his purported statesmanship qualities, and his gradual preparation and promotion to the most feared world leader of all time. They are logical if, in fact, the Antichrist will be a modern-day man who has already risen to a position of world prominence, which is the natural order or progression of all past tyrants. None of them suddenly appeared on the scene “out of nowhere.”

Not so the Antichrist, as we’ve already seen in Daniel and Revelation. There is much more evidence as I’ve disclosed in past articles and in my book Out of the Abyss. But I’m going to focus on the passage that “revolutionized” (not as a conspiracy!) my understanding and discernment of the Antichrist—which formerly fit with the prevailing notions of what the Antichrist would be. But not who he is; that was supposed to be unknown until after the Rapture!

There is one passage that launched my exciting and exhaustive journey on the road to accurate identification of the beast-king. It is a passage that preemptively disproves that the Antichrist will be a modern-day man. It is a passage that propelled me on an unforgettable voyage to the ancient Roman world, to the very origin and lair of the beast, to the first-century church, to the abyss and back again, to the pre-emptive death and eternal destruction (yet to come) of Antichrist, to the mesmerizing visions of John, Daniel, and Zechariah.

In Out of the Abyss and most of the articles in the category of Antichrist, I have (discernment from the Lord) exposed and declassified that which has been concealed and classified: the secret of the beast presumed to be confidential until the body of Christ is taken from the earth. Saying it with utmost love and respect for fellow believers in Christ (especially the students of Bible prophecy) and using the term somewhat facetiously, the “conspiracy” which claims the identity of the Antichrist cannot be known until after the Rapture, has been uncovered. Including a long-forgotten fact that 1^st-4^th century believers believed Nero was the Antichrist; that he would return (from the Abyss) soon after the Rapture. (See Eye of Prophecy article, The Legendary Return of Nero, published 4-4-15).

(Actual Gold Coin of Nero Caesar. The legend of his return believed by both early Christians and secular Romans was called the Nero Redivivus Legend)

Here is the passage that removes the mysterious veil of the beast. Then, when compared to all other passages about the Antichrist and use of Hebrew Gematria to “solve” the number of the beast (six hundred, sixty-six), leads to the convincing conclusion that Nero Caesar was and will return as the beast of Revelation. Thus, the Antichrist CANNOT be a modern-day born man. The angel is explaining John’s vision of the woman and the beast:

“…I will tell you the mystery of this woman and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns on which she sits. The beast you saw was once alive but isn’t now…” (Revelation 17:7).

Let’s pause here before quoting the rest of the passage. In just these ten words, we have the incredible fact that when John saw the Antichrist (in the image of a beast) in the present tense on a Sunday from the Isle of Patmos, the angel revealed the mystery by stating something that most Bible scholars (including me at one time) missed or conveniently ignored; because the otherwise natural foregone conclusion is that Antichrist must be a modern man when he arrives on the scene.

The italicized words above unequivocally state that when (at that point in time of the 1^st century) John saw the beast, the beast (a man) had already lived and died, but that… well, let’s finish the passage.

“…And yet he will soon come up out of the bottomless pit and go to eternal destruction (in the lake of fire … Revelation 19). And the people who belong to this world … will be amazed at the reappearance of this beast who had died” (Revelation 17:8, italics for emphasis, parenthesis mine).

Here is an excerpt from Out of the Abyss:

“Not until the Holy Spirit riveted my attention on that pivotal verse in Revelation did I remotely consider that anyone could or would determine the identity of the beast. The beast you saw was once alive but isn’t now…

“There is no question; the meaning of the verse is as irrefutable as anything can be. The beast had already died before John received this revelation. How else can this passage be understood? … If some can’t let go of a contemporary Antichrist, then what will they do with this verse … and all the other passages that help refit the prophetic puzzle?

“John didn’t see the vision in the future; he saw it in the present—that hour of that day. The beast is past tense … no longer alive when John saw the vision. The beast isn’t born and doesn’t die in the future; he’s already dead. When will the beast become future tense? Correct: When he reappears from the Abyss. At the beginning of the Tribulation, the world will be amazed at the reappearance of the beast that had died. Will the beast die during the Tribulation? No, he died even before John saw him from Patmos….

“However, when I discovered that many of our first, second, third, and fourth century brothers and sisters in Christ also tagged Nero as the man of lawlessness, the beast, and the Antichrist … well it’s like underlining, italicizing, and using bold print on a sentence that already has three exclamation marks!!!

“Invoking a comparison from a popular television program, we have refitted the prophetic puzzle and solved the mystery of the beast in the fashion of Cold Case files” (Pages 271-272).

Mystery solved! Conspiracy cancelled and closed! No need to wonder about some elite secret organization that will prepare for and produce a utopian world dictator. No need for us or those (Tribulation saints who will even on pain of death choose Messiah Jesus) remaining after the Rapture to be amazed at the sudden reappearance of a man 2,000 later. It was all foretold in Scripture!

(One of several alleged Illuminati and/or Masonic symbols … So stop worrying already!)

Things to Ponder

For all practical purposes, it’s irrelevant whether clandestine conspiracy groups exist or not.

Concerning a World Government, the only truly global government will be the Kingdom of God.

Stay tuned … it’s coming soon!

The original conspiracy that overrides and produces copy-cat conspiracies was Satan’s rebellion against God; one based on a blatant lie.

Satan’s lie to Adam and Eve was two-fold: (1) God had lied to them; they wouldn’t die if they disobeyed his one and only command of what not to do. (An instruction given because they had been created with the tremendous freedom of choice, rather than a puppet-like existence).

(2) They would be equal to God by knowing both good and (by experiencing) evil. Therefore, they would be able to take God or leave him, listen to or ignore him as they wished. They could be their own god.

Satan’s (not so secret) conspiracy against God would spread to all generations, because Adam and Eve’s original sin infected humanity (Romans 5:12).

Said Lucifer: “…I will ascend to heaven and set my throne above God’s stars. I will preside on the mountain of the gods far away in the north. I will climb to the highest heavens and be like the Most High” (Isaiah 14:13-14). Also see Ezekiel Chapter 28.

Throughout the ages, that has been the underlying rebellious intent of people and nations. To prove to God and themselves that they don’t need him or even want him. No matter that Father Knows Best. That we can, independently of our Creator, establish governments and systems that will allow us to indulge our every whim without regard for consequences of sinning against a holy God. The historical ash heap of cultures and nations have proven us wrong. Despite spectacular technological advancements and new world orders of all kinds, have people (as a whole) improved ethically, morally, spiritually? That is as rhetorical a question as ever will be.

The real issue is not the best political persuasion or economic example or societal style or religious representation. The core issue is spiritual.

It’s a matter of the heart and will. Do we believe God (of the Bible) or not?

(Treasures are both tangible and intangible, i.e. ideologies and beliefs)

The choice before us is abundantly clear: Will we participate in Satan’s conspiracy by rejecting God’s Messiah, the Savior of the world? Or will we put our trust and eternal destiny in the hands of the true Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth; the God/Man who arose from the dead to validate so great a salvation? For those who miss the Rapture, will they choose Satan’s messiah? Ever so tragically, most will. This choice will not come gradually or secretively. There will be no hidden or gray areas during the Great Tribulation. There will be black and white, night and day decisions to make. No more fence-riding.

Listen to the words of Jesus:

“But don’t be afraid of those who threaten you. For the time is coming when everything that is covered will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all … Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:26 & 28).

Governments have changed, cultures have rearranged, nations and boundaries have come and gone, conspiracies have been inflated and deflated. But the age-old problem of sin and rebellion against God remains. There is a solution, but only one.

“For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ” (II Corinthians 5:21).

For those who believe and receive Jesus as Lord and Savior, one day soon our God and His Messiah’s “…home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people … He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever. And the one sitting on the throne said, ‘Look, I am making everything new!’” (Revelation 21:3-5).

Now that’s: THE New World (of) Order!!