Will There Really Be a One-World Government?

Contrary to what has been a recurring theme for several decades promoted even by the best of Biblical scholars and teachers, I firmly believe there will be no such thing as a One-World Government, until Jesus Christ returns and establishes the majestic Kingdom of God on this earth. THEN there will be a divinely unified system of truth, justice, and peace never before experienced on this earth … the Millennial Reign of Messiah Jesus.

If you recognized this introductory paragraph, then thank you for reading the Eye of Prophecy article published just two weeks ago (2-14-15) entitled, A Sleeping Giant. This statement can be found in the last part of the article under the heading of, Things to Ponder. With some concluding remarks in that article which centered primarily on China and the Kings of the East taking on Antichrist during the Tribulation, the following questions were also posed:

How can there be a One-World Government (economically and militarily) unless ALL nations (at least the powerful ones) are part of that Government? Bible prophecy unequivocally tells us that the Antichrist and his ten-nation kingdom will have enemies, i.e. the king of the south and even more dangerous foes—the Eastern kings (and their kingdoms) who are giants awakened from international neutrality by a man who wants to conquer the Middle East and then the whole world.

If you have one multi-national force opposing another multi-national force, does that sound like a global world government or military to you? To me it sounds exactly like what happened before and during World War I and World War II; one bloc of nations conspiring and warring against another bloc of nations. Prior to the last day when Christ utterly vanquishes ALL the forces and armies of evil, Armageddon—by Biblical prophecy and historical precedence—will become World War III. With West pitted against East.

One more quote from that article: Notice the plural significance of the following passage when it comes to kings and nations contrasted to the typically taught premise of a one-world single unity type of government. Also take note that the only reference to a world-wide kingdom is none other than the Kingdom of God:

“During the reigns of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed or conquered. It will crush all these kingdoms into nothingness, and it will stand forever” (Daniel 2:44).

To reinforce the clear-cut Biblical evidence that many nations will still wield great power and prestige (as opposed to one giant conglomeration of countries belonging to a central government) upon the magnificent return of Christ to rescue Israel from annihilation and the world itself from total destruction, let’s look at another passage in Daniel.

Referring first to Antichrist at the end of the Great Tribulation, then the true Christ who will crush his antithesis, we read: “But then the court will pass judgment, and all his power will be taken away and completely destroyed. Then the sovereignty, power, and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be given to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will last forever, and all rulers will serve and obey him” (Daniel 7:26-27).

I’m not sure how much clearer this passage, and others like it, could be. Once again notice that all kingdoms (plural … many … all) will still be (individually) powerful and sovereign right up to the time that the rulers (plural) of those nations yield their self-governing empires to Jesus Christ who establishes the Kingdom of the Most High God. With the clear connotation that the vast majority of nations will not merely be absorbed into a global governmental melting pot, in which they lose their identity and influence. However, individuals from races all over the world will (as we shall soon see) submit with blind loyalty to and worship of the one whose, “power will be taken away and completely destroyed.”

Christ will conquer all of the kingdoms (nations) of the earth that would dare do battle against the King of all kings. At the time of the final battle of Armageddon, these nations will consist of two main world alliances which will initially war against each other: the kings of the east versus the ten-nation confederation directed by Antichrist. Then these huge coalitions will join forces to do, “…battle against the Lord on that great judgment day of God the Almighty” (Revelation 16:14). But they are alliances, no different from the Allies of World War II (including the USA) doing battle against the Axis nations, headed by Hitler’s Germany. Even the three most prominent Allied leaders, Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin, had major differences during execution of various battle campaigns against the Axis powers; as well as disposition of Germany after the defeat of the Third Reich.

According to Daniel 7 and Revelation 17, during the Great Tribulation ten kings will yield their kingdoms to the little horn (Daniel) and the king-beast (Revelation), respective titles for the one called Antichrist. Naturally, this ten-nation league will be a formidable military and political union, but it will NOT be a global, world-wide kingdom as such. Once again, for emphasis: How could it be a one-world government when the King of the south and the Kings of the East will oppose it and set out to destroy Antichrist and his ten-nation coalition?

Future World Dictatorship/Dictator … Theory or Realty?

Question: Other than promoting a sensational conspiracy theory that so many people love to contemplate and investigate; from where, then, does the notion of an end time’s prophetic one-world political and/or religious system originate? Why has this idea been so predominate among even the best of prophecy scholars for several decades? To include the assumption that this global organization will be a Revived Roman Empire; or the fairly recent presumption of a Muslim (Imam) Antichrist and Islamic Caliphate ruling the world.

Answer: Almost exclusively from an inference based on the wording found in Revelation Chapter 13. But when we closely examine some critical verses in this chapter, we’ll see that the language describing those who give their allegiance to the beast (Antichrist) to the point of worship is actually, in form and substance, a counterfeit replica of the current Kingdom of Heaven—the true church comprised of people all over the world who have believed and received Messiah Jesus. That, in reality, the perceived global authority of the beast (Antichrist) is politically, militarily and economically limited to a ten-nation coalition, not a centralized universal government. In actuality, the beast largely exerts his influence on and through his followers from all races and ethnic groups who are sealed with the visible mark of the Beast much like the Holy Spirit invisibly seals all those in the family of God … born again believers.

When we grasp the significance of what is being said in these verses, we will better understand that the “kingdom” of Antichrist will be a federation of ten countries, NOT a duplication of the once mighty Roman Empire. Although (as documented with an abundance of Scriptural and historical evidence in my book, Out of the Abyss and several Eye of Prophecy articles) it will be headed by a Revived Roman Emperor!

The post-Rapture return of a first century Roman Emperor will give this ten-nation union that he leads an ancient Roman flavor and appearance, but only because of the Emperor himself; not because there will be a replication of the ancient Roman Empire. And certainly not a One-World Government. As powerful as the Roman Empire was for several hundred years, it never fully controlled the entire world, civilized or uncivilized.

What the Roman Emperor, Nero, will find upon his reappearance (return to the earth) from the Abyss will be a whole bunch of nations and people in shock from the removal of hundreds of millions from the earth (Rapture). He will not find anything whatsoever resembling the mighty Roman Empire in which he ruled as Emperor for fourteen years (54-68 AD). Nor does Scripture indicate that he will instantly or even gradually “revive” or reassemble or resurrect or reproduce the Roman Empire that he once knew. He simply won’t have time to do that, as he is essentially given only 3 ½ years to try to achieve his Satanic agenda. Instead, he will be given ten kings (Presidents or Prime Ministers in today’s terminology) and their nations over which to rule.

People from all nations will give their total allegiance to the beast, but not to the extent of all countries on earth yielding their national political and military administrations to the beast … with exception of the ten kings and the nations they lead.

A Misapplied or Misunderstood Passage That Led to the Premise of a One-World Government

“And the beast was allowed to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And he was given authority to rule over every tribe and people and language and nation. And all the people who belong to the world worshiped the beast…” (Revelation 13:7-8).

Semantics, syntax, and symmetry (comparing, balancing all passages of Scripture pertaining to a specific subject) are always significant in correctly understanding Scripture. It’s vitally important that we read this verse the way it is written (intended) without immediately jumping to the conclusion that the Antichrist beast will rule the entire world. If he did, then Scripture is essentially contradicting itself, which it never does.

Scripture unequivocally states that Antichrist (little horn in Daniel, beast-king in Revelation) rules over ten kings/kingdoms … not the whole world. The very existence of enemies from the kings/nations of the east is, by itself, enough to refute the idea of world-wide domination by the Antichrist. In fact, as alluded to in the recent article, A Sleeping Giant: by sheer population numbers, the eastern nations will far exceed the people that comprise the Antichrist’s ten-nation alliance.

Or, in the form of a question: If Scripture tells us four different times that Antichrist’s domain will consist of ten nations (Daniel Chapters 2 & 7; Revelation Chapters 13 & 17), then why would we expand that to include worldwide supremacy?

Revelation 13:7 tells us that the beast, “…was given authority to rule over every tribe and people and language and nation.” The preceding and clarifying phrase that is of paramount importance to this ruler ship is that of, “given authority” (to rule); meaning supreme authority if, in fact, he could/would successfully gain control of what we often refer to in modern terms as, the whole world … politically, militarily, and economically. There is a substantial distinction between the beast possessing (potential) authority to rule and actually accomplishing total domination over the entire world. Thus, we should not construe this verse to automatically mean that Antichrist will actually rule the earth through a universal government.

Read the verse again: It doesn’t say, “he will rule over every tribe…” Instead, he was given authority to rule over… Daniel Chapter 11 combined with Revelation 16 & 19 clearly indicate that Antichrist will be stopped cold in his tracks by Messiah Jesus before he (Nero) accomplishes his goal of world conquest.

But there’s even more compelling evidence to support my premise. It is found in the phrase itself, “over every tribe and people and language…” which is identical language ascribed to the true Messiah, Jesus Christ; but, of course, for a different purpose … for salvation of peoples the world over. Whereas, with Antichrist, it will be destruction for those (many but not all) who follow him because they believe in the lie that he is the Messiah and/or God.

Read these magnificent words with me: “You (Christ) are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For you were slaughtered, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation” (Revelation 5:9, italics for emphasis). Does this verse mean that every person on earth will be saved by the blood of Christ? No, it is fundamentally telling us that the sacrificial blood of Christ has ransomed people from all races (tribes, languages, nations) in the world, but certainly not all people from all nations.

By actual results for the last 2000 years and continued throughout the Tribulation, only some (a minority) will experience his salvation; as confirmed by the very words of Jesus: “Enter by the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:13-14, NKJV).

In that same context and with the same parallel meaning and application, there will be those from all over the world who will follow and even worship the beast, but certainly not everyone. There will be many who won’t take the mark of the Beast; who will instead choose (on pain of torture and death) Jesus Christ, the true Messiah.

In other words, there will be a host of Antichrist dissidents from every language and nation… individuals, communities, and entire national governments such as China who will reject Nero’s authority. If virtually all peoples and nations voluntarily surrendered their loyalty and lives to Antichrist, there would be no need for him to order everyone to take his mark for the purpose of separating and distinguishing them from those who oppose him. The mark is his name (Nero) or the number of his name (the Hebrew gematria number 666, which spells Nero). And there would, indeed, then be a One-World Antichrist dynasty.

Why So Many Will Be Amazed at The Beast … The Real Source of His Influence?

What is it exactly that causes people from all languages, tribes, and nations to worship Antichrist and willingly take his mark?

“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 worshiped the dragon (Satan) 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 for emphasis).

You think! Who could possibly kill or even fight against someone who had already died, and came back from the dead after 2000 years in the grave? What is it that the whole world will marvel at? Why will they give their total allegiance to the point of worshiping this man? The text is crystal clear: Because of the miracle recovery from a fatal wound (death). The entire sequence of events from the beginning of Nero’s reign, to his death at the orders of Jesus, himself, (II Thessalonians 2:8), to his revival from the dead and banishment to the abyss, to his reappearance from the Abyss … all this and more is covered in Out of the Abyss … can the number of the beast be solved, 666? Beginning with another astounding revelation of the Beast to John as contained in the following verse:

“The beast you saw was once alive but isn’t now. And yet he will soon come up out of the bottomless pit … And the people who belong to this world … will be amazed at the reappearance of this beast who had died” (Revelation 17:8).

Here is an excerpt from Out of the Abyss that provides a stark contrast to the contemporary notion of a modern-day Antichrist (as opposed to a man—Antichrist—who had already died when John saw the vision of the beast in the 1^st century, but who would return from the Abyss) who is often portrayed as some brilliant mastermind, whose charismatic characteristics charm or compel billions to follow him:

“The Antichrist is not afforded blind worship because he is a superman in terms of being an accomplished statesman, orator, or leader. The False Prophet does that for him. The superhuman qualities accorded him will literally lie in his mystical return from death. Neither in Revelation Chapter 13 nor in Chapter 17 is there a direct description of the beast with regard to personality traits normally ascribed to anyone who can sway a lot of people to follow him.” (Page 182).

After referencing Daniel Chapter 7, I go on to say in my book: “We have additional language similar to Revelation, in that the beast arrives on the scene with arrogant boasting against God himself. Like Revelation 13 and 17, this passage in Daniel is also conspicuous for what it lacks, i.e. no hard evidence (statesmanship qualities) that the beast is other than an arrogant boastful tyrant who opposes God right out of the starting blocks. That is, right after he negotiates a treaty with Israel.” (Page 183).

Thus, the striking and predominant feature of Antichrist’s influence over the world will be exactly the same as the persuasive reason that millions down through the ages (and also during the tribulation) have accepted Jesus Christ … resurrection from the dead.

Restating the premise based on correlation of all Biblical passages relating to the subject: The Antichrist will not rule and reign over every person, or city, or state, or nation of the earth. There will not be a one-world government. Not even close. He will command a ten-nation coalition; albeit, one that will vainly seek control of the entire world. He will, however, exercise god-like influence over billions of people on the earth, who will willingly (some unwillingly due to threat of death) follow him; in the same vein (a false, counterfeit anti-Christ parallel) that millions love and follow Jesus Christ.

Just as the Kingdom of Heaven currently exists in the hearts and minds of those who have believed and received Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, so will the kingdom of Antichrist Nero be primarily in the minds, hearts, and skin (literally from the mark of the beast) of all those who are utterly amazed at his return from the grave. (Actually the abyss, but the world will think only in terms of resurrection from the dead that they believe Nero, himself, accomplished—when in reality it is Christ who releases him from the Abyss to join Satan in this great end-times rebellion against God).

More Evidence from Similar Bible Passages

Let’s look at another verse that uses this same descriptive phrase: “And I saw another angel flying through the sky, carrying the eternal Good News to proclaim to the people who belong to this world—to every nation, tribe, language, and people. ‘Fear God,’ he shouted. ‘Give glory to him. For the time has come when he will sit as judge. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and all the springs of water” (Revelation 14:6-7, italics for emphasis).

This is incredible. The time is so short and the need so great, that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is now (after the seal and trumpet judgments and just prior to the final devastating seven bowl judgments) proclaimed by an angel flying throughout the entire earth. In addition to salvation, the angel is imploring the same people whom the Antichrist will seek to rule to acknowledge the one true living God. It would seem that the angel is especially targeting evolutionists and agnostics, when he reminds the world who actually made the heavens, the earth and everything in/on the earth!

But we reach the same logical result with the same reasonable conclusion: The unmistakable meaning in this passage and others that reference all or every people, language, tribe, or nation is that Scripture is referring to a cross-section of people from virtually every nation on earth. This is true of Jesus’s ransom price of his very blood in which some, but certainly not all, will be redeemed. It’s also true of Antichrist Nero’s granted authority to rule. Whereas, he will have a substantial following of individuals all over the globe because of his miraculous reappearance from the Abyss (Revelation 17:8) and will be given power to rule over ten nations and their leaders, it certainly doesn’t mean global dominance.

The One-World Government will be reserved for The Alpha and Omega, The Lion from the Tribe of Judah, the King of all kings, and Lord of all lords … Christ Jesus the Son of God, Son of David, and Son of Man! And what a glorious government it will be!

The true church of Messiah Jesus is composed of people from all races on earth, but it does not consist of a localized or regionalized or nationalized seat of government found in a specific location on the planet. The Roman Catholic Church headquartered in the Vatican, in Rome, is NOT the true Christian church, the body of Christ. Although the ten-nation confederation headed by the beast will undoubtedly have a strategic headquarters (most likely in Rome), there will still be in existence many national capitals, as well as international headquarters for the United Nations (New York) and the European Union (Brussels) plus other powerful groups such as the World Trade Organization, OPEC, and NATO.

One other passage with identical language: “And for three and a half days, all peoples, tribes, languages, and nations will stare at their bodies…” (Revelation 11:9, italics for emphasis). This is referring to the two witnesses (Elijah and Moses) who will be killed by Antichrist at the end of 3 ½ years of testifying for the true Messiah. Many people will still not have access to television or the internet and will not actually look at the dead bodies, though they probably will be told what has happened. However, if just one person on earth didn’t view the bodies of the two witnesses, then the word, all, is erroneous. But not if we correctly comprehend the intended meaning of passages that refer to all or every in the context of many end-times Day of the Lord prophecies up to and including the Millennium. Not until after the Millennial Reign of Messiah will ALL always mean ALL.

For example, “All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous deeds have been revealed” (Revelation 15:4). But in Zechariah we find that some nations won’t always obey God and Messiah’s commands to, for example, travel to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles during the Millennium. There really is no conflict between these passages, not if we understand the pattern throughout Scripture wherein the context of the passage plus comparing the passage with others like it, clarifies whether ALL means ALL or whether it means a representative cross-section (some or many) of ALL or EVERYONE.

In fact, we use the same kind of expressive language in our modern age. For example, you might relay to a friend that you had just seen on television the best basketball game ever played in the Olympics finals by beginning with, “It was great. The whole world was watching!” When, in fact, the reason you’re telling your friend about this sensational game is because he didn’t see it; nor did maybe ½ of the world’s population.

Conversely, when we read a verse like John 3:16 (“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life”), we clearly understand that it is, in fact, the whole world—every man, woman, and child that God loves—because the passage then says that whosoever … meaning just those who believe and receive Jesus Christ as Savior … will not perish but live forever.

Summary

If some are going to assert that Antichrist will establish a One-World government with total control over all the nations and people on earth, then they will need to draw on another portion of Scripture other than Revelation Chapter 13 … every tribe and people and language and nation. But, in fact, there are no other Scripture passages to support the supposition of a Global government during the Tribulation, headed by the Antichrist or any other world ruler. Yet there are Biblical references to world leaders and nations (Kings of the East and King of the South) that will oppose Antichrist and his ten-nation confederation.

In this same Chapter 13 of Revelation, another passage is used to support the idea of the Antichrist as a World Dictator, with total control over ALL people and ALL nations.

“He (the False Prophet) required everyone—small and great, rich and poor, free and slave—to be given a mark on the right hand or on the forehead. And no one could buy or sell anything without that mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing his name” (Revelation 13:16-17).

Notice that Antichrist through the False Prophet “requires” everyone to take his mark. That certainly doesn’t mean all people on earth will (voluntarily) let themselves be branded. Requirement is one thing; successful enforcement is quite another thing. Two groups of people will reject this decree and refuse to comply: (1) the national leaders of the eastern nations (oriental) and millions upon millions of people living in those nations; (2) millions more from all races, languages, and ethnic groups who choose the true Messiah, Jesus Christ, over Antichrist.

Likewise, some will find ways and means to buy and sell (black market) that will circumvent the False Prophet’s “requirement” of buying and selling only through the mark. For sure, it won’t be business as usual; meaning that without the embedded name or number of the Beast, many won’t be able to buy or sell food and all sorts of other products in a normal transaction that we are accustomed to in today’s high-tech world. And that will have a profound impact on their daily lives to the point of extreme deprivation, possibly even starvation or death from lack of urgent medical care. However, though it will be difficult; some will figure out a way to live and conduct life-sustaining deals without the handy implant in their right hand or (laser) inserted mark on their forehead.

Things to Ponder

Several times Revelation also refers to, “All the people who belong to this world.” Each time that means all those who have privately and publicly sworn their loyalty to the beast … by taking his mark, worshiping him, or worshiping the statue of the beast. Once they actually take the mark of the beast, it is absolutely too late for them to recant or repent. They have literally sealed themselves for destruction.

Returning to a verse quoted early in this article: “His kingdom will last forever, and all rulers will serve and obey him” (Daniel 7:27). Now that kingdom (the Kingdom of God on earth) will be a magnificent universal Government to end all governments. Moreover, the all rulers that will serve and obey him (here in this passage as it pertains to the Post-millennial reign of Christ in an eternal kingdom) means just that—ALL RULERS.