The End of the World?
by: Britt Gillette
Since the beginning of human history, speculation about the end of the world has fascinated mankind. Myths and stories about the end of the earth exist in almost every religion and culture ever known. And yet, somehow, men seem unsatisfied with the answers they receive. They turn to Nostradamus, Edgar Cayce, or ancient Hindu writings hoping to uncover some modicum of truth that will satisfy their innate desire to know something about the future and the ultimate fate of the world.
Never has mankind’s fascination with the end been more prevalent than it is today. Fears of global warming saturate the news media. Worry over a nuclear holocaust persists into its sixth decade. And storylines of asteroids, comets, aliens, or bio-engineered super-diseases wiping out all planetary life continue to dominate the themes of many Hollywood blockbusters. Throughout the world, people are plagued with the same recurring questions. Will the human race become extinct? Will nuclear war or global warming destroy the biosphere? Will the world as we know it continue to exist?
The answer to these questions and many others concerning the end of the world are not found in the writings of Nostradamus, Edgar Cayce, or any other self-professed psychic. They can’t be found in Islamic, Hindu, or Buddhist writings. However, they can be found in the Bible. The bible, which has a track record of 100% accuracy when it comes to future events, has much to say about the ultimate fate of the earth, the people who live here, and creation itself. For those who wish to know the answers to these age old questions, the bible is your definitive source.
What the Bible Says
According to the bible, the earth is eternal. So despite what some people say, we shouldn’t worry about the earth itself being destroyed. However, throughout the ages, the nature of the earth has changed, and it will change again in the near future.
The Book of Genesis teaches that God created the earth and everything in it to be perfect. However, the nature of the earth changed when Adam and Eve partook of the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. This act prompted God to place a curse on the earth, and it radically transformed the nature of the earth itself. Several centuries later, the human race had become so corrupt that God decided to destroy it with a flood. However, God spared Noah and his family, allowing them to repopulate the earth of the present day.
Throughout these changes, the earth as a creation has remained intact. But its nature has been radically altered twice. The bible teaches that it will soon be altered third time, and this time, the result will be far different from the previous ages.
The New World
Verses throughout the bible point to the creation of a new earth. This shouldn’t be viewed as an entirely new physical creation by God. Rather it should be viewed as a highly transformative process whereby the current earth is reshaped by the hand of God to create a different world. The prophet Isaiah described this process over two thousand years ago:
“Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth – so wonderful that no one will even think about the old ones anymore. Be glad; rejoice forever in my creation! And look! I will create Jerusalem as a place of happiness. Her people will be a source of joy. I will rejoice in Jerusalem and delight in my people. And the sound of weeping and crying will be heard no more.” Isaiah 65:17-19 (NLT)
The nature of the present earth will change dramatically. It will be transformed from a place of sadness and weeping to a place of intense happiness, where “the sound of weeping and crying will be heard no more.” The creation of this new earth is also mentioned by Peter who encourages us to live our lives in accordance with God’s will. He encourages us to do so, because he knows this present age will soon pass:
“And God has also commanded that the heavens and the earth will be consumed by fire on the day of judgment, when ungodly people will perish.” 2 Peter 3:7 (NLT)
“But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and everything in them will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be exposed to judgment.” 2 Peter 3:10 (NLT)
“Since everything around us is going to melt away, what holy, godly lives you should be living! You should look forward to that day and hurry it along – the day when God will set the heavens on fire and the elements will melt away in the flames. But we are looking forward to the new heavens and the new earth he has promised, a world where everyone is right with God.” 2 Peter 3:11-13 (NLT)
>From these passages, it is clear that God will one day use fire to create a new earth from the present world. It will be dramatically different from the one in which we live. But how different? What will the new earth look like? The bible provides us with a vivid illustration.
What Will the Future Earth Look Like?
The Book of Isaiah contains a wealth of information on the nature, quality, and characteristics of the new earth. One of the first references is found in Chapter 11:
“In that day, the wolf and the lamb will live together; the leopard and the goat will be at peace. Calves and yearlings will be safe among lions, and a little child will lead them all. The cattle will graze among bears. Cubs and calves will lie down together. And lions will eat grass as the livestock do. Babies will crawl safely among poisonous snakes. Yes, a little child will put its hand in a nest of deadly snakes and pull it out unharmed. Nothing will hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain. And as the waters fill the sea, so the earth will be filled with people who know the Lord.” Isaiah 11:6-9 (NLT)
God will finally lift the curse He placed on the earth following the fall of man in the Garden of Eden. This curse created a conflict between the animal kingdom and mankind with many humans killing animals and many animals killing humans. But on the new earth, “nothing will hurt or destroy.” And the number of people who know the Lord will be as endless as the waters in the sea.
Isaiah continues his description in Chapter 65:
“No longer will babies die when only a few days old. No longer will adults die before they have lived a full life. No longer will people be considered old at one hundred! Only sinners will die that young! In those days, people will live in the houses they build and eat the fruit of their own vineyards. It will not be like the past, when invaders took the houses and confiscated the vineyards. For my people will live as long as trees and will have time to enjoy their hard-won gains. They will not work in vain, and their children will not be doomed to misfortune. For they are people blessed by the Lord, and their children, too, will be blessed. I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking to me about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers! The wolf and lamb will feed together. The lion will eat straw like the ox. Poisonous snakes will strike no more. In those days, no one will be hurt or destroyed on my holy mountain. I, the Lord, have spoken!” Isaiah 65:20-25 (NLT)
Babies will not die, and the lifespan of the human race will be extended well beyond current expectations. Life expectancy will be so great that the death of a one hundred year old person will be a notable tragedy. People will enjoy the fruits of their labor without fear that someone will come and steal what they have. The people of the new earth will be so close to God that He will answer their prayers before they have even prayed them! Animals who are natural enemies in our age will become friends on the new earth, and all the animals of the earth will be herbivores.
In addition, waters will burst forth and give life to that which was previously uninhabitable:
“And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind and unstop the ears of the deaf. The lame will leap like a deer, and those who cannot speak will shout and sing! Springs will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams will water the desert. The parched ground will become a pool, and springs of water will satisfy the thirsty land. Marsh grass and reeds and rushes will flourish where desert jackals once lived.” Isaiah 35:5-7 (NLT)
The first part of this passage was partially fulfilled in the miracles of Jesus Christ. Through the life of Christ, the human race received a glimpse of the new earth that is to come. It will be a place where the miracles performed by Christ two thousand years ago will be in perpetual abundance. The blind will see. The deaf will hear. The lame will leap like deer, and the mute will shout and sing.
Meanwhile, the land will be blessed with life-giving water:
“On that day life-giving waters will flow out from Jerusalem, half toward the Dead Sea and half toward the Mediterranean, flowing continuously both in summer and winter. And the Lord will be king over all the earth. On that day there will be one Lord – his name alone will be worshiped.” Zechariah 14:8-9 (NLT)
The Dead Sea will spring to life, and the name of the Lord alone will be worshiped throughout the world. All idols, false religions, and false prophets will disappear. The new earth will be filled with people who know the Lord and are devoted to Him only.
More importantly, the Lord Himself will be king over all of the earth. He will dwell among His people, providing them with everything they need:
“In the last days, the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem will become the most important place on earth. People from all over the world will go there to worship. Many nations will come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the Temple of the God of Israel. There he will teach us his ways, so that we may obey him.’ For in those days the Lord’s teaching and his word will go out from Jerusalem. The Lord will settle international disputes. All the nations will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. All wars will stop, and military training will come to an end. Everyone will live quietly in their own homes in peace and prosperity, for there will be nothing to fear. The Lord Almighty has promised this!” Micah 4:1-4 (NLT)
On the new earth, Jerusalem will be the center of the world. It will be the dwelling place of the Lord, and people from every nation will travel to Jerusalem to worship and to have their disputes settled. War will no longer exist. Because of this, armies and weapons will no longer exist. The Lord will settle all disputes, and the people will devote the energy they previously expended on war to prosperous living and worship of the Lord. Peace and prosperity will be abundant, and there will be nothing to fear.
Knowing what we now know about the new earth, who would not want to live there? Unfortunately, the bible also tells us that many will turn down their invitation to this blessed new world. The only way to get there will be to place one’s trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, who will be the undisputed ruler of the new earth.
When Will This Future World Arrive?
Because the new earth is the creation of Jesus Christ, it will not arrive until after His Glorious Appearing. In the interim, many politicians, idealists, and others will conjure their own ideas of how to create such a world. But placing faith in any of these people or their schemes will only lead to disappointment.
For the bible is clear that the new earth will only arrive when God comes to physically dwell among His people:
“I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, ‘Look, the home of God is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will remove all of their sorrows, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. For the old world and its evils are gone forever.’” Revelation 21:3-4 (NLT)
When God dwells among men, the earth will no longer harbor death or sorrow or crying or pain. It will be a new world. The old world will have come to an end - its evils gone forever.
The End of the World is Not to be Feared
Knowing the promises of the Lord, none of us should live in fear of the end of the world. The present fears of this world are fleeting in nature, and the Lord is in perfect control. He has made clear the end from the beginning, and it is clear that the final end of this world is not a time to mourn, but rather a time to celebrate. Jesus Himself reiterated this concept:
“The courage of many people will falter because of the fearful fate they see coming upon the earth, because the stability of the very heavens will be broken up. Then everyone will see the Son of Man arrive on the clouds with power and great glory. So when all these things begin to happen, stand straight and look up, for your salvation is near!” Luke 21:26-28 (NLT)
The arrival of Jesus Christ at the Glorious Appearing should not be a time of anguish, but a time to rejoice. Although we are familiar with the things of this world, we can not fathom the glory of that which God has in store for us. It will far surpass the things of this world, so we should patiently and eagerly await the Lord’s return. For Christ’s return will bring with it our salvation and the blessings of the new earth.
Conclusion
Those who worry about the end of the world or live in fear of a great worldwide catastrophe are not living their lives in accordance with God. For God tells us to live boldly and without fear of the things of this world:
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT)
Don’t worry about global warming or a nuclear holocaust. Don’t live in fear of a worldwide pandemic or asteroids or comets or aliens or massive volcanoes. The Lord is in control of everything, and He has already revealed what will happen to this present age. He will usher in the end of the world and transform the earth into his own dwelling place. Therefore, if we are to have fear of anything, it should be the Lord Himself. The prophet Isaiah agrees:
“Do not fear anything except the Lord Almighty. He alone is the Holy One. If you fear him, you need fear nothing else.” Isaiah 8:13 (NLT)
Jesus reminds His disciples of this command while teaching them not to fear persecution:
“Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill you. They can only kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28 (NLT)
In short, don’t fear the end of this world. Celebrate it. Christ is coming. And when He arrives, He will eliminate all the evils of this world, including our fear and worry.
Friday, April 4, 2008
The Rider On The White Horse
Revelation 6: The Rider On The White Horse
by: Britt Gillette
Some of the most intriguing passages in the Bible can be found in Revelation Chapter 6, a chapter dealing with events that occur during the Tribulation period of human history. Both Old and New Testament prophets mention this period frequently, including Jesus Christ when he said “unless that time of calamity is shortened, not a single person will survive” Matthew 24:22 (NLT). This series of articles will focus on the proper interpretation of the “four horsemen of the apocalypse” (found in verses 2 through 8 of Chapter 6), while exploring one possible scenario for their fulfillment.
The first horseman appears in verse 2:
“I looked up and saw a white horse. Its rider carried a bow, and a crown was placed on his head. He rode out to win many battles and gain the victory.” Revelation 6:2 (NLT)
Throughout history this has been properly interpreted as a passage referring to the Antichrist. But what does the symbolic language of this verse tell us about the man of perdition? Several things are immediately noticeable:
1) He rides a white horse. This is commonly used in scripture to identify a conqueror. So it is appropriate to view the Antichrist as a conqueror.
2) A crown is placed on his head. The Antichrist is either the king of a nation(s), or the elected or appointed head of state(s).
3) He rides out to win many battles and gain the victory. The Antichrist goes out into the world with every intention to conquer it and gain victory.
4) He carries a bow. The Antichrist wields the traditional weapons of war, but in this passage, he is not viewed as using deadly force to conquer (no arrow accompanies his bow).
This last characteristic of the Antichrist and his nefarious career is intentionally placed last on the list because it is the most revealing and enigmatic statement in the aforementioned verse. How can a person conquer without using deadly force, when this has been the exclusive method of choice for conquerors throughout history? This apparent contradiction has often been rectified by viewing the Antichrist as a great diplomat who will use diplomacy to peacefully bring a willing world into an era of global government. But is this a realistic view? Revelation 13:7 tells us “and he was given authority to rule over every tribe and people and language and nation.” Given the global history of nationalism, tribalism, racism, and other animosities among men, it seems beyond comprehension that any man, no matter how charismatic, could conquer the world with mere words.
This gives us the perfect opportunity to apply the golden rule of biblical interpretation: “when the plain sense of scripture makes common sense, seek no other sense.”
The Bible is clearly telling us that one of the ways in which believers will be able to identify the Antichrist is his ability to conquer the world without using deadly force. But, again, given what we know about history, is it possible to conquer the world without using deadly force?
Right now, it’s not. But very soon, it will not only be possible, but absolutely necessary.
Just as much of the world remains asleep to the “signs of the times,” it also remains ignorant of the exponential growth of its technological capability. The world is on the verge of a monumental breakthrough that will literally change the world geopolitical landscape overnight. This imminent technological discovery is known as molecular manufacturing (MM), the ability to precisely position reactive molecules via mechanochemical synthesis. The length of this article doesn’t allow me room to elaborate on the details of MM, but those interested can learn more by visiting The Center for Responsible Nanotechnology at (www.crnano.org). That said, molecular manufacturing will be a technology so powerful, it will swiftly transform every facet of the human condition – partly to great benefit, partly to great peril.
In his 1986 book Engines of Creation, in which K. Eric Drexler first posited the ideas of nanotechnology and molecular manufacturing, he made the following observation (found in Chapter 11: Engines of Destruction) concerning the dangers of this technology’s development:
“States could use assemblers or advanced AI systems to achieve sudden, destabilizing breakthroughs. I earlier discussed reasons for expecting that the advent of replicating assemblers will bring relatively sudden changes: Able to replicate swiftly, they could become abundant in a matter of days. Able to make almost anything, they could be programmed to duplicate existing weapons, but made from superior materials. Able to work with standard, well-understood components (atoms) they could suddenly build things designed in anticipation of the assembler breakthrough. These results of design-ahead could include programmable germs and other nasty novelties. For all these reasons, a state that makes the assembler breakthrough could rapidly create a decisive military force - if not literally overnight, then at least with unprecedented speed.”
For those who think the United States remains, and will remain, the world’s greatest military power well into the future, I recommend rereading that last sentence.
Molecular manufacturing will turn the world upside down. Its development will amplify the current march toward smaller, more precise, and efficient weapons. Instead of killing its enemies, a nation could simply disarm them. Even a nation state as small as Singapore or Monaco could very quickly build a military force far more powerful than all the current world militaries combined.
This will have a significant impact on the world political structure. Just as the development of atomic weapons made the United States and the Soviet Union world superpowers during the Cold War, the development of molecular manufacturing will make the nation which develops it the world’s dominant superpower. In addition, it can cement that power permanently if it uses its initial advantage to disable competing nation states from developing a molecular manufacturing capability of their own.
It is my assertion that this elimination of potential rivals will not simply be one of many foreign policy options, but rather, the only one. This is because of the inherent instability of a MM-based arms race. The Center for Responsible Nanotechnology has identified an unstable arms race as one of the top dangers of molecular manufacturing:
“The nuclear arms race was stable for several reasons. In virtually every way, the nano-arms race will be the opposite. Nuclear weapons are hard to design, hard to build, require easily monitored testing, do indiscriminate and lasting damage, do not rapidly become obsolete, have almost no peaceful use, and are universally abhorred. Nano capability will be easy to build (given a nanofactory), will allow easily concealable testing, will be relatively easy to control and deactivate, would become obsolete very rapidly, almost every design is dual-use, and peaceful and non-lethal (police) use will be common. Nukes are easier to stockpile than to use; nano weapons are the opposite.”
They also agree that a MM-monopoly will be an attractive policy option for the developing nation:
“Each nation will see only a few possibilities: 1) an arms race that will probably be unwinnable since it will develop into a disastrous war; 2) developing ahead of everyone else and establishing dominance; 3) some other nation developing earlier and establishing dominance; 4) international cooperation and trust sufficient to ensure safety; 5) a multinational organization willing and able to keep the peace.”
“Option 1 is undesirable; Option 3 is probably unthinkable for any of the current large powers; Option 5 is probably unacceptable to the U.S., as the world’s sole superpower; Option 4 may be seen as unfeasible. Only one nation can succeed at Option 2. This implies that a preemptive strike option (whether military attack, or sabotage or derailment of nanotech development efforts) will appear very attractive to a number of powerful nations.”
Regardless of whether or not it is linked to bible prophecy, molecular manufacturing is near and inevitable. It’s also a foregone conclusion that a nanotechnology arms race must be avoided at all costs. As such, it is very likely the leading power will assert itself over potential rivals in order to prevent the unprecedented destruction of a nanotech arms race.
Oddly, this leads to the agreement of two often diametrically opposed worldviews:
The Secular Worldview: Molecular manufacturing is coming. In order to insure geopolitical stability and survival of the human race, competition among molecular manufacturing-enabled competitors must be eliminated and a global government must be established.
The Biblical Worldview: The Antichrist will worship a god of fortresses unknown to his fathers (Daniel 11:37-39), and he will rule over a global government (Revelation 13:7). When he initially appears, he will ride out to conquer many (Revelation 6:2).
This convergence between the secular worldview and the biblical worldview is cause for examination of the times in which we live. When molecular manufacturing is developed in the near future, its invention will almost certainly be followed by a military campaign to prevent a future showdown between competing MM-enabled nation states. However, this military campaign will in no way resemble the military conquests to which we’ve become accustomed. It will be waged with horrifically effective weapons which will be hundreds of times stronger, lighter, faster, and more accurate than the best military technologies of today. Encrypted networks will be easily compromised, the concept of MAD easily circumvented. World domination will come with relative ease to a MM-enabled power competing against today’s defense technologies. And victory can be absolute without a single human casualty.
Is this the scenario foreseen in Revelation 6:2? Perhaps. Perhaps not. However, it should be noted that the timeline for its development coincides with an era in which all the “signs” addressed by Jesus and the prophets are present.
The most important sign is that Israel is once again a nation. Jesus told his followers:
“Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its buds become tender and its leaves begin to sprout, you know without being told that summer is near. Just so, when you see the events I’ve described beginning to happen, you can know his return is very near, right at the door. I assure you, this generation will not pass from the scene before all these things take place. Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will remain forever.” Matthew 24:32-35 (NLT)
The fig tree Jesus is referring to is Israel. It’s been six decades since Israel was once again declared a nation against all worldly odds. Jesus promised that the generation which witnessed fulfillment of this prophecy would not pass until the things of which he spoke came to pass. The hourglass is running out on that generation, so be alert.
Christ tells us that those who are watching for this hour will be blessed: “Know this: A homeowner who knew exactly when a burglar was coming would stay alert and not permit the house to be broken into. You also must be ready all the time. For the Son of Man will come when least expected.” Matthew 24:43-44 (NLT)
“Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!” Revelation 22:20 (NLT)
About The Author
Britt Gillette is the author of http://brittgillette.com/WordPress/, a site of biblical prophecy where you can learn more about the Book of Revelation, the last days, and end times: http://brittgillette.com/WordPress/?p=24
Read More Articles from the "Religion" Category:
Faith Turns The Impossible Into Reality
by Dr. Jay Snell
by: Britt Gillette
Some of the most intriguing passages in the Bible can be found in Revelation Chapter 6, a chapter dealing with events that occur during the Tribulation period of human history. Both Old and New Testament prophets mention this period frequently, including Jesus Christ when he said “unless that time of calamity is shortened, not a single person will survive” Matthew 24:22 (NLT). This series of articles will focus on the proper interpretation of the “four horsemen of the apocalypse” (found in verses 2 through 8 of Chapter 6), while exploring one possible scenario for their fulfillment.
The first horseman appears in verse 2:
“I looked up and saw a white horse. Its rider carried a bow, and a crown was placed on his head. He rode out to win many battles and gain the victory.” Revelation 6:2 (NLT)
Throughout history this has been properly interpreted as a passage referring to the Antichrist. But what does the symbolic language of this verse tell us about the man of perdition? Several things are immediately noticeable:
1) He rides a white horse. This is commonly used in scripture to identify a conqueror. So it is appropriate to view the Antichrist as a conqueror.
2) A crown is placed on his head. The Antichrist is either the king of a nation(s), or the elected or appointed head of state(s).
3) He rides out to win many battles and gain the victory. The Antichrist goes out into the world with every intention to conquer it and gain victory.
4) He carries a bow. The Antichrist wields the traditional weapons of war, but in this passage, he is not viewed as using deadly force to conquer (no arrow accompanies his bow).
This last characteristic of the Antichrist and his nefarious career is intentionally placed last on the list because it is the most revealing and enigmatic statement in the aforementioned verse. How can a person conquer without using deadly force, when this has been the exclusive method of choice for conquerors throughout history? This apparent contradiction has often been rectified by viewing the Antichrist as a great diplomat who will use diplomacy to peacefully bring a willing world into an era of global government. But is this a realistic view? Revelation 13:7 tells us “and he was given authority to rule over every tribe and people and language and nation.” Given the global history of nationalism, tribalism, racism, and other animosities among men, it seems beyond comprehension that any man, no matter how charismatic, could conquer the world with mere words.
This gives us the perfect opportunity to apply the golden rule of biblical interpretation: “when the plain sense of scripture makes common sense, seek no other sense.”
The Bible is clearly telling us that one of the ways in which believers will be able to identify the Antichrist is his ability to conquer the world without using deadly force. But, again, given what we know about history, is it possible to conquer the world without using deadly force?
Right now, it’s not. But very soon, it will not only be possible, but absolutely necessary.
Just as much of the world remains asleep to the “signs of the times,” it also remains ignorant of the exponential growth of its technological capability. The world is on the verge of a monumental breakthrough that will literally change the world geopolitical landscape overnight. This imminent technological discovery is known as molecular manufacturing (MM), the ability to precisely position reactive molecules via mechanochemical synthesis. The length of this article doesn’t allow me room to elaborate on the details of MM, but those interested can learn more by visiting The Center for Responsible Nanotechnology at (www.crnano.org). That said, molecular manufacturing will be a technology so powerful, it will swiftly transform every facet of the human condition – partly to great benefit, partly to great peril.
In his 1986 book Engines of Creation, in which K. Eric Drexler first posited the ideas of nanotechnology and molecular manufacturing, he made the following observation (found in Chapter 11: Engines of Destruction) concerning the dangers of this technology’s development:
“States could use assemblers or advanced AI systems to achieve sudden, destabilizing breakthroughs. I earlier discussed reasons for expecting that the advent of replicating assemblers will bring relatively sudden changes: Able to replicate swiftly, they could become abundant in a matter of days. Able to make almost anything, they could be programmed to duplicate existing weapons, but made from superior materials. Able to work with standard, well-understood components (atoms) they could suddenly build things designed in anticipation of the assembler breakthrough. These results of design-ahead could include programmable germs and other nasty novelties. For all these reasons, a state that makes the assembler breakthrough could rapidly create a decisive military force - if not literally overnight, then at least with unprecedented speed.”
For those who think the United States remains, and will remain, the world’s greatest military power well into the future, I recommend rereading that last sentence.
Molecular manufacturing will turn the world upside down. Its development will amplify the current march toward smaller, more precise, and efficient weapons. Instead of killing its enemies, a nation could simply disarm them. Even a nation state as small as Singapore or Monaco could very quickly build a military force far more powerful than all the current world militaries combined.
This will have a significant impact on the world political structure. Just as the development of atomic weapons made the United States and the Soviet Union world superpowers during the Cold War, the development of molecular manufacturing will make the nation which develops it the world’s dominant superpower. In addition, it can cement that power permanently if it uses its initial advantage to disable competing nation states from developing a molecular manufacturing capability of their own.
It is my assertion that this elimination of potential rivals will not simply be one of many foreign policy options, but rather, the only one. This is because of the inherent instability of a MM-based arms race. The Center for Responsible Nanotechnology has identified an unstable arms race as one of the top dangers of molecular manufacturing:
“The nuclear arms race was stable for several reasons. In virtually every way, the nano-arms race will be the opposite. Nuclear weapons are hard to design, hard to build, require easily monitored testing, do indiscriminate and lasting damage, do not rapidly become obsolete, have almost no peaceful use, and are universally abhorred. Nano capability will be easy to build (given a nanofactory), will allow easily concealable testing, will be relatively easy to control and deactivate, would become obsolete very rapidly, almost every design is dual-use, and peaceful and non-lethal (police) use will be common. Nukes are easier to stockpile than to use; nano weapons are the opposite.”
They also agree that a MM-monopoly will be an attractive policy option for the developing nation:
“Each nation will see only a few possibilities: 1) an arms race that will probably be unwinnable since it will develop into a disastrous war; 2) developing ahead of everyone else and establishing dominance; 3) some other nation developing earlier and establishing dominance; 4) international cooperation and trust sufficient to ensure safety; 5) a multinational organization willing and able to keep the peace.”
“Option 1 is undesirable; Option 3 is probably unthinkable for any of the current large powers; Option 5 is probably unacceptable to the U.S., as the world’s sole superpower; Option 4 may be seen as unfeasible. Only one nation can succeed at Option 2. This implies that a preemptive strike option (whether military attack, or sabotage or derailment of nanotech development efforts) will appear very attractive to a number of powerful nations.”
Regardless of whether or not it is linked to bible prophecy, molecular manufacturing is near and inevitable. It’s also a foregone conclusion that a nanotechnology arms race must be avoided at all costs. As such, it is very likely the leading power will assert itself over potential rivals in order to prevent the unprecedented destruction of a nanotech arms race.
Oddly, this leads to the agreement of two often diametrically opposed worldviews:
The Secular Worldview: Molecular manufacturing is coming. In order to insure geopolitical stability and survival of the human race, competition among molecular manufacturing-enabled competitors must be eliminated and a global government must be established.
The Biblical Worldview: The Antichrist will worship a god of fortresses unknown to his fathers (Daniel 11:37-39), and he will rule over a global government (Revelation 13:7). When he initially appears, he will ride out to conquer many (Revelation 6:2).
This convergence between the secular worldview and the biblical worldview is cause for examination of the times in which we live. When molecular manufacturing is developed in the near future, its invention will almost certainly be followed by a military campaign to prevent a future showdown between competing MM-enabled nation states. However, this military campaign will in no way resemble the military conquests to which we’ve become accustomed. It will be waged with horrifically effective weapons which will be hundreds of times stronger, lighter, faster, and more accurate than the best military technologies of today. Encrypted networks will be easily compromised, the concept of MAD easily circumvented. World domination will come with relative ease to a MM-enabled power competing against today’s defense technologies. And victory can be absolute without a single human casualty.
Is this the scenario foreseen in Revelation 6:2? Perhaps. Perhaps not. However, it should be noted that the timeline for its development coincides with an era in which all the “signs” addressed by Jesus and the prophets are present.
The most important sign is that Israel is once again a nation. Jesus told his followers:
“Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its buds become tender and its leaves begin to sprout, you know without being told that summer is near. Just so, when you see the events I’ve described beginning to happen, you can know his return is very near, right at the door. I assure you, this generation will not pass from the scene before all these things take place. Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will remain forever.” Matthew 24:32-35 (NLT)
The fig tree Jesus is referring to is Israel. It’s been six decades since Israel was once again declared a nation against all worldly odds. Jesus promised that the generation which witnessed fulfillment of this prophecy would not pass until the things of which he spoke came to pass. The hourglass is running out on that generation, so be alert.
Christ tells us that those who are watching for this hour will be blessed: “Know this: A homeowner who knew exactly when a burglar was coming would stay alert and not permit the house to be broken into. You also must be ready all the time. For the Son of Man will come when least expected.” Matthew 24:43-44 (NLT)
“Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!” Revelation 22:20 (NLT)
About The Author
Britt Gillette is the author of http://brittgillette.com/WordPress/, a site of biblical prophecy where you can learn more about the Book of Revelation, the last days, and end times: http://brittgillette.com/WordPress/?p=24
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