Major decisions and innovative products changed the world in 2023. The ripple effect from these stories will be felt in 2024 and beyond.
The world made significant strides toward a one-world system of government, worship and economy during 2023.
World leaders and key decision-makers promote their agendas, technologies and plans, yet little do they know that they are lining up with Bible prophecy penned thousands of years ago. Believers observe the stage being set for the biblical end-times scenario.
Revelation 13 describes the one-world empire that will come to power during the Great Tribulation. This important chapter reveals how the Antichrist, empowered by Satan, will lead the world with the aid of his right-hand man, also known as the False Prophet.
This unholy trinity will rise to prominence and gain the trust of world leaders through their smooth-talking promises of peace and prosperity. However, once they gain total power, people will be forced to get in line or suffer the consequences.
These consequences could be enforced either actively or passively. Revelation 13:15 says, “And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.” The next three verses describe their mark-of-the-beast economic system which will be required to buy or sell anything.
If enforced actively, this end-times evil empire would kill all those who do not get on board with their devilish agenda. However, the same result could be accomplished passively. If no one can buy or sell anything without the mark of the beast, they will not have access to utilities, healthcare, housing, medical care or food. Unless they can survive isolated from all these resources, most will die off.
This passive pathway is emerging today through global healthcare, banking and worship. Technological breakthroughs in 2023 will aid one-world digitization and unification efforts. How so? Consider this Top 10 list of stories with biblically prophetic significance from 2023:
10 President Biden’s Border Policy and Globalism
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency tracks the number of encounters at America’s borders each month. During fiscal year 2023, they encountered over 3.2 million people at the U.S. borders. That is more than the population of about 20 U.S. states. In September 2023 alone, they encountered over 341,000 people. That is more people than the populations of all but about a dozen of our U.S. state capital cities. What does this have to do with globalism? The Biden administration’s policies are enabling this surge.
Could this border crisis create the need for a global solution? Will a one-world citizenship be offered as the solution? To get to the one-world government, a one-world citizenship must be established.
Is the present border crisis a harbinger of the coming global citizenship?
9 Digital Health Passports Announced in June 2023
In June, the World Health Organization, the healthcare arm of the United Nations, announced a digital health partnership with the European Union to create a digital health passport. It went into effect almost immediately in the 80 countries and territories connected with the EU’s Digital COVID-19 Certificate. The WHO is quickly ramping up its efforts to take this global in a matter of months.
How will this impact people? If they want to travel between countries, they will have to prove that they are in line with the WHO’s standards. If they don’t have a certain vaccine or immunization, they could be denied entry into other countries.
8 Moving Closer to a Central Bank Digital Currency
Not surprisingly, the International Monetary Fund is interested in money, including yours. During an April meeting in Washington, the IMF launched an international central bank digital currency, envisioning this currency as a method for expediting international transactions between central banks. The IMF announced in June that it is working on a platform with which central banks can operate as a united global central bank. The one-world monetary system continues to emerge.
7 U.N. Launches a Global Digital Compact to Control the Internet
This year, the U.N. released a document calling for controlling the content available online and it went so far as to call the current “crisis” an existential threat to humanity.
What, precisely, does the U.N. definition of “online” mean? It’s not just about controlling what people post or share on Facebook. It extends to chat apps like Facebook Messenger, video sites like YouTube, and much more. That’s right, the U.N. wants to censor your personal chats and messages through various apps and online platforms.
There are harmful practices online, like pornography, scammers, and hackers. However, the U.N.’s document focuses its efforts on stopping information related to COVID, climate change, and elections. While the U.N. champions women’s rights in Agenda 2030, it never once mentions the objectification of women through pornography.
The name of the game is control. When you can control the media, you can more easily control the masses. When you control information, people only get one side of the story.
6 World Economic Forum Promotes Global Cooperation
Each year, the WEF gathers world leaders in government, business, and education, along with various “influencers.” The 2023 theme was “Cooperation in a Fragmented World.” The WEF is stealthy in its use of the term “cooperation,” as it seeks to carry globalism to new, high levels.
While there is nothing inherently sinister about wanting cooperation, how they seek to go about it reveals there is a one-world, globalist agenda at work today. The WEF views its role as protectors and advancers of the world economy, but in reality, the organization is actively propelling us toward that goal.
Citizens are being prepared to accept this solution to our complex global issues. The Antichrist will eventually take advantage of this conditioned thought pattern and advance his agenda. With the key economic world leaders on board, the rest of the population will be forced to follow their dictates to survive. If people want to eat, they will pay for it however they must in their attempts to survive.
5 Amazon One and Other Break-Through Biometric Devices Debut
In 2023, we witnessed the debut of new technologies that utilize biometric data. Amazon launched its new palm pay technology called “Amazon One.” Thanks to this device, cash and credit cards are no longer necessary. Once your palm scan is connected to your account, you only have to hover your hand over the device to pay, enter or identify yourself. The future of commerce is here.
Also this year, the EU announced efforts to move toward a digital visa which would require a face and fingerprint scan for all first-time applicants. This technology would be voluntary starting in 2025, with plans to make it mandatory by 2031.
Part of America’s funds for Ukraine were used to develop a state-of-the-art digital identity app called “Diia.” Now, other countries are following suit. Although the project was started in 2019, the war with Russia served as a catalyst to push this digital government platform in 2023.
It’s estimated that 70 percent of Ukrainians now have this digital ID, which is used to store biometric passports, tax IDs, driver’s licenses and access to public services. Even the war with Russia has taken on a new dimension as users can send the geolocation of enemy tanks through the Diia app.
In October, the United Arab Emirates held national elections and made history in the process as it became the first nation to hold fully digital elections with the help of facial recognition software.
4 U.N. “Mid-Term Exam” for Agenda 2030 in September
The U.N. convened in New York in September of this year to provide a mid-term examination of its progress toward the Agenda 2030 goals, since 2023 marks the midpoint between 2015 and 2030. The U.N. admitted that so far, it is failing. Instead of canceling or changing its Agenda 2030 goals, U.N. leaders called on member-states to redouble efforts to achieve Agenda 2030 over the next seven years.
These goals are not necessarily bad in and of themselves; rather, the problem is how the U.N. proposes we reach these goals. Take for example one of the goals to reach by 2030—zero hunger. Only a heartless person would be against ending hunger. However, the U.N. wants to achieve zero hunger in the world by eliminating private property ownership and giving everyone equal access to money. It’s in their documents available for all to see.
The U.N. plans to employ Marxist communistic means to reach its goals and will push much harder to achieve these goals over the next seven years. Keep your eyes open because the U.N. is gearing up for what it calls “The Summit of the Future” in 2024.
3 Abrahamic Family House Opens in March 2023
Out of the Middle Eastern desert has arisen a property dedicated to one-world worship. In Abu Dhabi, the Muslim-majority capital of the UAE, the Abrahamic Family House opened in March 2023. A Muslim mosque, Roman Catholic church, Jewish synagogue and common areas for other worshippers form a one-world religion headquarters.
We are being conditioned to view one-world worship as it will be presented during the Great Tribulation.
2 The Rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
ChatGPT and other AI platforms burst onto the scene this year with thrills and chills. Advanced AI technologies open doors to new horizons but some people wonder if we are opening Pandora’s box.
These tools are not evil but all that glitters is not always gold.
Many people are concerned, asking, “What happens when these tools fall into the wrong hands?” Could AI capabilities be used to control people through its vast capacity to utilize information? For example, if the economy is governed by a global digital currency, could AI control access and usage of those funds? The antichrist and his cronies could harness AI capacities to control the one-world government and economy during the Great Tribulation.
The image of the beast mentioned in Revelation 13:14-15 could be powered by future groundbreaking AI technologies. This will be the culmination of the one-world government, economy and worship during the Great Tribulation.
1 The War in Israel
Oct. 7, 2023, is seared into the memories of Israeli citizens much like Sept. 11, 2001, is to Americans old enough to remember that horrible day. The terrorist attacks of Oct. 7 started a war that could easily expand into World War III, lighting the fuse to the Middle Eastern powder keg.
Bible prophecy experts are watching this situation closely to warn the world about what is coming but also to offer God’s lifeline of hope through the Gospel.
Throughout the Middle East, it seems people are opening up to the Gospel more than ever. Dr. Michael Youssef, who pastors in Atlanta, led an evangelistic event in Cairo, Egypt. Six thousand people were expected to attend, but nearly 18,000 did, and Youssef said that nearly 8,000 put their faith in Christ.
Underground Christian ministries working in Palestine reported over 200 Palestinian men dreamed of Jesus on the same night and asked how to follow Jesus, according to Dr. Michael Licona, president of Risen Jesus ministry and a professor at Houston Christian University.
Could this be the beginning of a great movement of God in the Middle East that will impact 2024 and beyond?
With the U.S. presidential election, the U.N. Summit of the Future, the uncertainty of wars around the world and the march toward globalism, 2024 could be a pivotal year for the world.
Will These Events Propel the World Toward the Lord?
Many significant events will be coming our way in the new year with as yet unknown proposals and edicts. Couple that with the uncertainty of multiple wars around the world, the fears of economic downturn, the unrelenting march toward globalism, and the ever-growing list of existential threats, and and out comes a recipe for fear. However, God’s word says hundreds of times, “Fear not.” Do not allow the signs of the times drive you to live in fear.
We can pray these events will propel more people toward the Lord, and we can take comfort in the knowledge that, no matter what, He remains in charge and on the throne.
Will 2024 be marked by a rise of perilous times, anti-Christian persecution and false teachers? Paul did not end 2 Timothy 3 with warnings of an approaching storm of evil without providing a victorious pathway. He encouraged Christians to continue standing strong on God’s truth.
God gave His word to equip His church with everything needed to stand firm amid perilous times (2 Timothy 3:14-16).
No matter what happens in 2024, perilous times will never defeat the church of the living God!