We focus on Bible prophecy each week, calling it a “Prophecy Update.”
We are considered futurists. It’s a good thing. We interpret the unfulfilled prophetic portions of the Book of the Revelation and the Book of Daniel, and all other unfulfilled prophecies, as future events in a literal, physical, apocalyptic, and global context.
We ought to see the world trending in the directions predicted by the Bible. Biometrics, Artificial Intelligence, contactless transactions, the manipulation of human DNA, increased surveillance, global government, and the exponential growth of human knowledge are all areas we see corroborating the prophecies of the Bible.
The Mark of the Beast is presented in the Revelation as a means by which the governments of the future will control every aspect of a person’s life.
With this “mark” you will be able to participate in society. Without it you will be severely restricted or cut off entirely.
Communist China is showing us what this looks like.
Their Social Credit System controls the lives of Chinese citizens. The system intends to monitor, rate, and regulate the social, financial, moral, and political behaviors of citizens and companies using rewards and punishments. They will provide those deemed trustworthy with benefits while disciplining those deemed untrustworthy.
Trustworthy behaviors include having good credit, helping the poor, praising the government on social media, donating blood, being a positive influence in your neighborhood, and taking care of elderly family.
Untrustworthy behaviors include participating in anything deemed a cult, insincere apologies for “crimes,” cheating in online games, spreading rumors on the internet, posting anti-government messages on social media, not frequently visiting elderly relatives, and illegally “protesting” against the authorities.
Disciplines include denial of licenses, permits, and access to certain social services; restricted access to public services; exclusion from travel; public shaming online and on television; and dial tones that inform a caller they are contacting an untrustworthy person.
China’s Global Times proudly reported that its social credit system had blocked more than 11million flights and 4 million train trips of people who were behind in their debts.
According to China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the idea is to make sure that “discredited people become bankrupt.”
Analysts are calling social credit “draconian” and “Digital Dictatorship.”
COVID19 is showing us how pliable and vulnerable we are in the West to having basic freedoms we’ve taken for granted suspended or revoked.
Those who disagree with certain policies or positions are being banned from social media.
Our President gave us a non-choice choice on twitter when he said, “The rule is now simple: get vaccinated or wear a mask until you do. The choice is yours.”
A March article in the Washington Post was titled, Vaccine Passports Are On The Way.
Several articles I read expressed concern that the Equality Act will push us toward social credit. If you haven’t heard of it,
The Equality Act is a bill that, if passed, would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (including titles II, III, IV, VI, VII, and IX) to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing, public accommodations, education, federally funded programs, credit, and jury service.
One reporter said, “In a nutshell, it tells all Americans that they must reject the reality of sex distinctions if they are to avoid social and material punishment. It does so under the pretext of adding sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) as categories to be protected against discrimination. And it applies to every aspect of life, including housing, employment, transportation, education, businesses, and more.”
On February 18, 2021, the Act was passed by the House and sent on to the Senate. Five days later a companion bill was introduced in the Senate.
It was referred to the Judiciary Committee, where it awaits debate. It has, as of February 26, 2021, 48 co-sponsors.
The Alliance Defending Freedom stated, “If the “Equality Act” is passed not even churches and religious schools will be safe from the government’s reach.”
I am not suggesting anything political, or giving you my opinion. We need to remain sensible in discussing prophecy, not given to partisan politics or conspiracy theories.
I’m reporting that governments, including ours, are moving in the direction of China’s social credit system – exactly what you’d expect from reading your Bible.
We believe the resurrection and rapture of the church is imminent. It could happen any moment; nothing needs to happen before it. It will happen before the Great Tribulation.
Jesus will return in the clouds.
He will raise the dead in Christ.
He will transform the bodies of living believers to glorified, resurrection bodies.
We will all join Him in Heaven while the earth endures one final seven-year campaign of severe evangelism.
Are you ready for the rapture? If not, Get ready; Stay ready; Keep looking up.
Ready or not, Jesus is coming!