Information Related to "The Global Economy and Jesus Christ's Return"
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What possible connection could Christ's return have with the global marketplace?
by Roger FosterRevelation, the last book of the Bible, is the only New Testament book specifically devoted to prophecy. It is literally "the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants-things which must shortly take place" (Revelation 1:1).
The 18th chapter describes a dominant system of international trade supported by corrupt political and religious hegemonies whose "sins have reached to heaven" (verse 5). But the Bible shows that the return of Jesus Christ will signal this system's collapse and destruction.
This system will exercise, for a short time, such control over the lives of the
earth's inhabitants that
"no one may buy or sell" without its permission (Revelation 13:17). This
economic system will stringently regulate commerce.
In our society, which greatly values individual freedom, it seems almost absurd to predict such a drastic global change in economic outlook and practice. What could possibly induce the citizens of civilized nations to accept such intrusive controls over their right to buy and sell as they please?
Earlier time of economic turmoil
On a regional level this scenario has already been played out once in our century. The collapse of the world's free economies, trade wars and economic turmoil of the Great Depression of the 1930s helped catapult Adolf Hitler to power. Hitler's solutions restored Germany to power and made him a hero among most of his own people until his military defeat in 1945.
People who were adults during the Great Depression are rapidly passing from the scene. Their accounts of plummeting wages, loss of homes and jobs and pervasive hunger seem long ago and far away. Today few people in the industrialized world have any concept of what happens when deflation-a drop in prices and wages-sets in.
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