Question: "Does the Bible prophesy a one-world government and a one-world currency in the end times?"
Answer:
The Bible does not use the phrase “one-world government” or “one-world
currency” in referring to the end times. It does, however, provide ample
evidence to enable us to draw the conclusion that both will exist under
the rule of the Antichrist in the last days.
In his apocalyptic vision in the Book of Revelation, the Apostle John
sees the “beast,” also called the Antichrist, rising out of the sea
having seven heads and ten horns (Revelation 13:1). Combining this vision with Daniel’s similar one (Daniel 7:16-24),
we can conclude that some sort of world system will be inaugurated by
the beast, the most powerful “horn,” who will defeat the other nine and
will begin to wage war against Christians. The ten-nation confederacy is
also seen in Daniel’s image of the statue in Daniel 2:41-42,
where he pictures the final world government consisting of ten entities
represented by the ten toes of the statue. Whoever the ten are and
however they come to power, Scripture is clear that the beast will
either destroy them or reduce their power to nothing more than
figureheads. In the end, they will do his bidding.
John goes on to describe the ruler of this vast empire as having power and great authority, given to him by Satan himself (Revelation 13:2),
being followed by and receiving worship from “all the world” (13:3-4),
and having authority over “every tribe, people, language and nation”
(13:7). From this description, it is logical to assume that this person
is the leader of a one-world government which is recognized as sovereign
over all other governments. It’s hard to imagine how such diverse
systems of government as are in power today would willingly subjugate
themselves to a single ruler, and there are many theories on the
subject. A logical conclusion is that the disasters and plagues
described in Revelation as the seal and trumpet judgments (chapters
6-11) will be so devastating and create such a monumental global crisis
that people will embrace anything and anyone who promises to give them
relief.
Once entrenched in power, the beast (Antichrist) and the power behind
him (Satan) will move to establish absolute control over all peoples of
the earth to accomplish their true end, the worship Satan has been
seeking ever since being thrown out of heaven (Isaiah 14:12-14).
One way they will accomplish this is by controlling all commerce, and
this is where the idea of a one-world currency comes in. Revelation 13:16-17
describes some sort of satanic mark which will be required in order to
buy and sell. This means anyone who refuses the mark will be unable to
buy food, clothing or other necessities of life. No doubt the vast
majority of people in the world will succumb to the mark simply to
survive. Again, verse 16 makes it clear that this will be a universal
system of control where everyone, rich and poor, great and small, will
bear the mark on their hand or forehead. There is a great deal of
speculation as to how exactly this mark will be affixed, but the
technologies that are available right now could accomplish it very
easily.
Those who are left behind after the Rapture
of the Church will be faced with an excruciating choice—accept the mark
of the beast in order to survive or face starvation and horrific
persecution by the Antichrist and his followers. But those who come to
Christ during this time, those whose names are written in the Lamb’s
book of life (Revelation 13:8), will choose to endure, even to martyrdom.
Recommended Resources:
End Times Prophecy by Paul Benware and Logos Bible Software.
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