The New World Order and the End Times

In this blog post, we will discuss today’s society and the movement of the world in general, as it all has to do with the end times. It is not a matter of just the signs and wonders we will see in the last days but also the direction in which society will go. This is also a sign of the end times we need to pay attention to.

I’ll share my thoughts and back them up as much as possible with the Scriptures. The so-called “new world order” is a delicate topic. When I mention this phrase, I am not referring to any group or organization in particular but to the general idea and movement of the world today and in the future. Many people have shared their thoughts on this topic and speculated about how things might be in the future in this world. I am not saying they are wrong, but on the contrary, I think some of them are right. I am not saying everything I am talking about will occur exactly how I think it will. This is just a reflection on the present situation through the light of the Scriptures.

We mustn’t only look at what could or will happen in the world in order to see the future, but we must also see what is already happening and how its system works. Through this, we can have an idea of how the future will be. Things definitely have changed in the past years and decades, not only with the progress and development of technology but also with the ideas and philosophy of this world.

In recent years, the world has been trying to remove God from culture, education, entertainment, sports, and much more, and this is where the problem lies. It is not in the development or the progress we are making but in the fact that we are intentionally turning away from God, although there are still people who love and believe in God.

In past times, maybe even a couple of decades ago, God was much more involved in the educational system and the standard values of life. A child was educated to know about God’s existence. That doesn’t mean that everything people from that time were doing was right because surely there were people who didn’t walk with God and teach His values and virtues correctly. That probably let the devil take more space and influence people with his destructive ideas because not comprehending and announcing the gospel in the right way leaves room for the devil to do that and gives more reasons to people not to believe.

Still, the culture, in general, was more God-oriented in the past. Slowly, the idea that this is old-fashioned influenced people, and they started to put the name and values of God aside. Without a doubt, the devil brought this influence, as we know that this world is under his rule. Everything is under God’s rule, but the devil is the one behind the ideas and movements of this world. We know that his purpose is to take God off of His throne, but he will never be able to do that. In Satan’s mind, he is convinced that he can turn people away from God and win the battle, but we know he will never succeed and will be defeated.

We know that people from the past were not all saints and sinned like all humans do. However, culture and education stood more behind God’s values. Whether people believed or not, they knew clearly what was wrong and right, what pleased God and what did not.

Think of this: If we take away the One who defines what is wrong and what is not, then slowly but surely, we will also lose the sense and the meaning of doing what is right. I am speaking about society in general. What happens in today’s society is that things that have been considered wrong and uncommon for a long time are now regarded as normal. We still know that these things can damage us, but now they are more like a kind of choice that each one has to make. It seems that each person is free to do whatever suits them without being judged by others. If someone suggests they might be wrong or warns them about something, it implies that they are intruding on their personal space and violating their rights.

But whose rights are we discussing, and which are the most important? Of course, human rights are important, but they need to be submitted to God’s rule. It is because, with God in our lives, we can live and feel like real human beings. This is the way we are designed to be. With Him, we are complete. There is one way set already that is good for everyone, not just as an idea, but for life itself. This is God’s way, and even if we don’t want to admit it, we are supposed to be part of God and His kingdom. We are created by Him.

People today can do most of the things considered taboo earlier, but the problem is that no one is warning them that these things and activities will damage them because they are wrong. We need to know that God didn’t invent the commandments because He wanted to invent some rules just for the sake of it. He didn’t do that just to enjoy something but for our own good because each wrong we do actually damages us; it hurts us. And He doesn’t want us to get hurt. He knows us better than anyone, and that’s why He wants to save us and give us the best.

Today, the world is moving in one direction. There is this oneness and unity; as soon as something new is accepted by someone or some country, it is soon accepted by everyone else. I am not talking about unity amongst all nations. This is not happening yet. Still, the vast majority accepts this kind of unity and oneness of ideas. Now, we see that some drugs, for example, have been legalized. Prostitution is also legal in some countries. These actions have undoubtedly been occurring since the dawn of societies, but the key difference is that people at least recognized these actions as wrong in the past. I mean, they knew clearly that they were in the wrong while doing those things.

Choosing immoral activities today is considered nothing more than the choices everyone can make in life. The difference is that when you know something is wrong, you can at least acknowledge it as something bad and a sin and repent. The Bible tells us that this is the reason the law is needed.

“But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully” (1 Timothy 1:8)

We read in Galatians 3:24, “Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.”

This is the purpose of the law: to show us the reality of sin, to reveal our sin so that we can know we’ve broken His laws and repent. But how can someone do that today if many things that are wrong in God’s eyes are considered right? Who will be brave enough to reveal to people their wrong deeds and show them that they are wrong? It cannot be done easily nowadays because it is considered entering someone’s private space and judging his rights. These are today’s greatest values—human rights. Human rights have been violated in the past and still are today in many parts of the world, and as a result, people today are trying to defend those rights as much as possible but doing it in their own way and excluding the One who really can help us to do that.

There have also been individuals acting in the name of God incorrectly, which has led to a departure from and rejection of the truth, prioritizing human rights instead. This occurs when the truth is not adhered to and lived out properly. Of course, the abuse of human rights in the past was wrong, but now we have swung to the opposite extreme, where significant harm arises from the so-called rights to live any way one chooses without consideration for right and wrong as taught in the Bible.

Legalization of what was considered wrong, such as prostitution and certain drugs, may seem to make things easier for the governments as they control this activity and collect massive fees from it, with people doing it out in the open instead of hiding. The income from these activities goes directly into the pockets of the governments and the whole system that runs them.

Legalizing activities that have been considered wrong throughout history gives the appearance of having the activities more controlled and monitored. Across the world, this kind of system is being pushed. Globalization is definitely here and spreading. Many countries follow the example of others in terms of how laws and governance must be applied. All this insinuates that if it is legal, it must be okay to do. It takes away people’s ability to know right from wrong if they don’t have a solid standard based on truth, the Bible, to inform them.

And this is the problem. I don’t want to be a pessimist, but if what was considered taboo thirty years ago and now is “normal,” what will happen in the future with what now is still considered taboo? That is a horrifying thought when you think of young people and what will be done to them and what they will be allowed to do to themselves. What kind of country can survive when its people are all destroyed by immorality of one kind or another? Will everything just be a matter of choice? For example, abortion and divorce were considered unacceptable in the past but are allowed today; we can think of murder or child abuse, which are considered unthinkable and unacceptable today. Still, we don’t know how things will unfold in the future.

This is a scary thought, and I hope I am wrong, but it might happen if so-called human rights to choose allow individuals to think that anything they “choose” is right for them, and this is what is most important today. Matthew 24:12 says that in the end times, lawlessness will increase. We can see it happening today.

“And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:12-14). Come quickly, Lord Jesus.

I believe lawlessness in God’s eyes is something He sees as lawlessness in His eyes. Something that goes against His laws and principles. This is not necessarily considered wrong before human tribunals because men’s laws have changed in the past and will keep changing. Today, we often see that what is considered right according to human laws is actually wrong before God. By this, we can conclude that the lawlessness about which Matthew 24 speaks will probably not be lawlessness or something wrong in the view of human authority and their law system, but before God. There will also be a lack of the law, a lack of God’s Word to guide people and to determine right and wrong and guide people in the right way. So, there might be people in those days who practice lawlessness; that is something wrong in front of God but not wrong according to men's law. And why? Because this will be the way and direction the world will go, as we already see now, totally against God’s law.

We can add to this same-sex marriage, something against our nature, and the way God established things to be is now considered normal, a matter of choice, human choice. I am not saying that God doesn’t love homosexuals or that we need to reject them. On the contrary, we need to show them God’s love and let them know there is still an opportunity for them to repent. They need that like anyone else on this planet because everyone is a sinner and needs to repent and accept the truth.

There is nothing wrong with being united because the Bible speaks about getting united but for the right cause, in the name of Jesus. Still, some people do that, but in the name of humanity or of man, rejecting and leaving God aside. Something similar happened long ago when the people were trying to build the tower of Babel.

¹ Now the whole earth had one language and one speech. ² And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there. ³ Then they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar. ⁴ And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.” (Genesis 11:1-4)

This passage talks of how the people of ancient times had a desire to be united but not with the right purpose. They wanted to build a tower to reach heaven and make a name for themselves, seeking their own glory and purpose, not God’s. We know that before they could finish, God confused their language, and they couldn’t longer understand each other. All of this was because they were not united in the right way, following God’s purpose. They wanted, in a way, to become like God.

Something very similar is happening now. People are getting united. It hasn’t happened yet, but this is their ultimate desire and vision for the future. There is this sense of unity. We see it, and we hear about it everywhere. Humanity has set this goal in front of them. There is nothing wrong with being united; I am not saying anything against it. I am just discussing the reason for which humankind is getting together. People indeed will be united one day, where no nation and no color will be important, and all of them will be one in the name of the Lord, but this will be in heaven, and there they will be together in the name of the Lord. What is wrong is when people unite in their own name and exclude the Lord. It is when the general movement of this unity excludes Him and encourages whoever belongs to this movement to do the same.

The problem is that this movement goes in the opposite direction of the Lord’s principles and teachings. So, if someone would like to believe in God, they will be suppressed, and if the majority of the world goes in that direction away from God, it will be difficult for someone to hear the Word and believe. How is that someone believes? It happens when he hears the Word; he hears about God, who is mighty to save. The gospel is meant to be shared. The culture in which we live is of huge importance. If our culture has Christian values and the gospel has been shared, people will obviously hear about God and believe. But if the culture or the educational system doesn’t allow this to happen, fewer people will obviously accept and believe. Cultural influence regarding Christianity is not everything because, on one side, people can get used to it and take it for granted. Still, it is important because if we don’t have it, the risk is that fewer people will hear clearly about the truth and be able to consider it.

Of course, I am speaking of what might happen in the future, but the way things are going, it looks like this time is close. The influence and the environment in which we live play an important part. It is important that there is Christian education and influence in our society. This is not all, but it is necessary. How will people learn of or consider the love of God if the widespread belief in these present times is to be selfish and look out only for yourself? We know that people do not always plainly say you need to be selfish, but they say, “You can be whatever you want; you only need to pursue your ideas and your dreams.”

Having ambitions and dreams is not wrong, but encouraging people to be and do whatever they want without regard for others and whether what they do might hurt or offend them is wrong. It is selfish to do whatever we want without regard for others and God. Of course, God doesn’t want us only to suffer and not feel pleasure at all. The pleasure is included in His will. We also feel real pleasure when we please Him with our lives. Still, the pleasure the world promises us if we follow its ideas is not good. We feel much better when we experience the pleasure of being with God and serving and pleasing Him. Without Him, our lives are not complete. He is the missing part of us.

I know that it sounds like a high expectation, but I have to say that Christians are needed even in politics, although some would disagree. The United States, for example, was founded on biblical principles intended to make it a godly nation. Christians need to be active and participate today so that godly values and influence can be brought to bear. God calls us to influence society in a positive way toward the gospel.

That’s why believers are called the salt and the light of this world. Obviously, in the times in which we are living, this can be difficult to do because governments are linked with the world movement and where it is leading. In the past, Christians had the opportunity to occupy significant roles and positions in society to positively influence people in a Christian manner. However, today, the Christian worldview is often unwelcome in the public arena.

Also, some people say that religion is harmful and can cause wars and violence. God is against violence and suffering, and He offers all of us, no matter what we have done, forgiveness through Jesus if we repent and turn to Him. Nevertheless, some believe religion is the main reason for conflicts and violence and want to remove it from society. Their attempt to do this is a problem for humankind in their lives and before God.

Seeing all of this, we can conclude that the end is approaching. We cannot say when exactly, and maybe it won’t happen tomorrow. Possibly, there will still be a couple of generations, or maybe not; we don’t know, but the way things are going, we can see these end-times events approaching.

The end will come when complete ungodliness and lawlessness are at their peak. This is the direction in which the world is going. By lawlessness, I don’t mean only havoc and criminal activity but also actions and activities that go against the law of God throughout the world system.

What is evil has become good for us, and what good, evil, as the Bible says in Isaiah 5:20: “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”

These signs indicate that the end times are approaching, not only the new viruses and wars coming onto the scene. We know that wars and viruses have occurred in the past and will continue in the future as part of the end-time signs, but one of the greatest pieces of evidence for the end times is the way this world reasons and its direction. When the virus first emerged (referring to COVID-19), many people interpreted it as evidence of the end, but it could signify both that and something else. What really shows us that the end is approaching is the way people reason and the general ideas accepted by the world today. Man has obviously sinned, but the current ideas that exclude God are now being promoted by both society and the law. That makes the difference.

I am speaking about the law given to us by the authorities. I am not promoting rebellion against the authorities, as the Bible says we need to be submitted to them, but here is my point. In general, each country and state has its own regulations and laws, but with time, these regulations have become generalized and globalized. In a way, right and wrong are dictated by what the general worldwide movement dictates. The pressure is too much when a government or structure decides something important apart from the others.

The laws that we used to know are slowly being modified by what society and the world movement are doing. The question is that we as humans don’t have a limit. We often go too far in one direction or the other. Speaking about laws and regulations, people have been either too strict or too loose. We are witnessing this now: people were perhaps too conservative in the past, and now they have gone to the other extreme. This happens when we are not led by the Spirit of God, who brings an understanding of how to apply God's law correctly. The laws and regulations we find in the Bible should be enough to allow our society to live in peace if appropriately applied.

Men have tried to apply these same laws, but not in the right way, pushing people away from the truth instead of bringing them closer. Now, people are going to the other extreme, being overly liberal in some cases where disobedience is tolerated and even encouraged, thinking this will sort out the situation. I admit that people have been extreme and overly strict with their lifestyle before, but now it is the other way around.

Instead, we need to apply this in a balanced way and with understanding. Human rights have been trampled in the past—women have been abused, and kids have been exploited, things that today we obviously condemn. This is the other extreme, and sometimes, people who call themselves men of God have mistaken parts of the Bible and acted like dictators in their families. This doesn’t mean that kids shouldn’t respect their parents or women their husbands, as the husbands also need to take care of their families and love them as Christ did the church.

The Bible warns us about how some people will act in the last days:

¹ But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: ² For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, ³ unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, ⁴ traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵ having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! (2 Timothy 3:1-5).

Here, the apostle Paul describes how people will be in the last days, which generally sounds very much like our society today. I am not saying all people are this way. I am just saying that this is the general idea of how people behave today. The way the culture and the world are going is a sign of the end times. Usually, when the signs of the end times are discussed, people refer to wars and pestilences, something we are going through now, but we also need to know that there have been wars and pestilences throughout history. Of course, in the end times, there will be more frequent events of this kind, but these are not the main signs nor the only reason the end will come.

The main reason that triggers all the events is the way people live and behave—far from God. This is why wars occur, and God will no longer be able to bear with people because of the rise of iniquity and lawlessness. This is what happened to Sodom and Gomorrah long ago.

In past times, only people in certain places behaved in extremely sinful ways. But today, because of globalization and the easily transmitted influence, almost the whole world is following the same direction.

People have always sinned and behaved in the way described in 2 Timothy 3:1-5, but the difference is that today, this kind of behavior is transmitted, accepted, and promoted by society. We can even say that these are some of the values nowadays. Through movies, media, and entertainment, it is promoted to be unforgiving and vindictive. Adultery also looks like something common, and it is promoted too. Certain things that were widely deemed to be wrong are not considered wrong anymore. In the past, people were ashamed and hid certain wrong actions they did, while today, they do them openly because there is no law or morality to tell them it is wrong. This leads us to think we are on the way to the end.

This is about the abomination of the desolation standing in the holy place, which Daniel speaks about in Daniel 11:31. It is also mentioned in the Gospels, including in Matthew 24:15. We don’t know for sure if this verse refers to the Antichrist himself or just sin and the way it will be exalted by society because speaking about something standing on the holy place means that this thing will stand in place of God and will be exalted instead of Him. This will also provoke the desolation, meaning that God will totally leave the people on their own. Then the end will come soon. We may not be living in these times yet, but we observe how certain sinful things are being exalted.

“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people” (Proverbs 14:34).

¹ Why do the nations rage,
And the people plot a vain thing?
² The kings of the earth set themselves,
And the rulers take counsel together,
Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,
³ “Let us break Their bonds in pieces
And cast away Their cords from us.”

⁴ He who sits in the heavens shall laugh;
The Lord shall hold them in derision.
⁵ Then He shall speak to them in His wrath,
And distress them in His deep displeasure:
⁶ “Yet I have set My King
On My holy hill of Zion.”

⁷ “I will declare the decree:
The Lord has said to Me,
‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
⁸ Ask of Me, and I will give You
The nations for Your inheritance,
And the ends of the earth for Your possession.
⁹ You shall break them with a rod of iron;
You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’ ”

¹⁰ Now therefore, be wise, O kings;
Be instructed, you judges of the earth.
¹¹ Serve the Lord with fear,
And rejoice with trembling.
¹² Kiss the Son, lest He be angry,
And you perish in the way,
When His wrath is kindled but a little.
Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.

(Psalm 2:1-12)

This is what the nations have always sought to do, and today, more than ever, they wish to stray from the Lord and be independent of Him, distancing themselves as much as possible. Even if they don’t fully realize it, their human spirit and heart are against Him and continuously stray from the Lord. This is what our flesh wants to do—to live for itself instead of believing in and submitting to the Lord. The spirit of this world and the evil from the devil oppose God’s ways, yet our hearts and flesh also stray from the Lord.

Both individuals and the nations as a whole all want to stray from the Lord. Since a nation consists of individuals, the spirit and ideology of these individuals will define that nation. God wants to reach each one of those nations. And this is what will happen: He will bring justice to those who have been against His laws and statutes but will bring eternal peace to those who have believed in His name and honored Him.

“And the nations were enraged, and Your wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to reward Your bondservants the prophets and the saints and those who fear Your name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth” (Revelation 11:18).

One day, every tongue will confess that Jesus is the Lord, and every knee will bow and acknowledge Him. What will remain of these nations in heaven will be those who have believed and accepted Him. They will be saved and live in the Holy City, in the new Jerusalem coming down from heaven from God.

“Yes, all kings shall fall down before Him; all the nations shall serve Him” (Psalm 72:11).

“His name shall endure forever; His name shall continue as long as the sun. And men shall be blessed in Him; all nations shall call Him blessed” (Psalm 72:17).

When I speak about a new world order, I am not referring to any specific group or society that will establish it. Even if certain groups or societies aspire to do so, it is not truly them executing this, but rather the spirit of this world, which resides in the sons of disobedience who do not know God, as Ephesians 2:2 states: “in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,”

And this, in general, is everyone who doesn’t know God and doesn’t have His Spirit in his heart. Some may believe that our current condition is the fault of a particular group, people, country, or society and that things would be better if they were not present. Our battle, though, as Ephesians 6:12 describes it, is not against flesh or blood, meaning that it is not against people, and it is not their fault. It is the spirit of this world, the spirit of the air, that moves all of these people, world rulers, and other common people to make the decisions they are making. If they were not there, then surely someone else would do it. However, this new world movement wants to exclude God from society and culture in general.

More than any other religion, Christianity has been restricted and has suffered assaults in the past and today. We are not speaking about places where Christianity is openly persecuted, but even places where Christianity has been the main belief. It appears that everyone has rights, but it is often not so when it comes to the Christian faith.

Today, we can also see something else coming on the political scene. Obviously, as we said, it is not just political parties or ideologies we are talking about here, but the spirit behind those beliefs. We see that the world is busy directing itself toward a socialistic movement. Why am I saying this? Because we observe some kind of unity and a desire for social justice and equality, although, till now, socialism and communism have proved not to be able to accomplish that. Millions have been murdered under these ideologies. However, there are some good values we can find in socialism, such as equity, justice, and unity, and this doesn’t sound bad at all. The problem is that they wanted to achieve it through men’s wisdom and vision, excluding God, and this is where the corruption came. It is impossible to achieve those values in a society without Him. He is the real author of unity and justice. They come from Him, and any other effort to attain them will lead to failure. This is what also happened with communism in the past. This is the reason for its failure. I am not expressing myself directly against it; I am against the spirit behind it. The problem, as we said, is when we exclude God. It was God who started unity and equality, as we read in the book of Acts. There, we see the first believers breaking bread together and sharing all of their possessions amongst themselves (Acts 4:34).

“For I do not mean that others should be eased, and you burdened; but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may supply their lack, that their abundance also may supply your lack – that there may be equality. As it is written, ‘He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack’ ” (2 Corinthians 8:13-15).

Later in history, people took this idea and created communism and socialism, but they did so without placing God at the center. On the contrary, they excluded Him. When we fail to place Him at the center, problems and confusion arise. Consequently, it becomes an idea based solely on human ideology.

Many political parties have good ideas; the problem is that God has been left aside. These ideas of socialism and communism have always been against the belief in God and the Christian faith. Today, we see that it looks like this kind of ideology is coming back, not in the same form as before, but with the same principles.

Why? Because everyone craves unity and thinks this is the way to accomplish it. People's desire for the future is to subject everything to one system. Something else that the world aims at today is one world currency and having, in this way, everything centralized into one banking system, and this is pretty much the same as it was at the time of communism when there was a central bank that was managing everything under the rule of the state. That one wasn’t much of a success, but today, humanity has advanced, and having one world currency will apparently ease trade between countries and will have everything under control to prevent unnecessary debts and fraud. Having almost everything digitalized today could also make this possible. All this, like the other ideas the world has, sounds really nice, and this is what will draw people toward this idea, but at the same time, it is the purpose and the concept standing behind it that are not right. This, in a way, is paving the way to the idea of the Antichrist with the mark of the beast described in the book of Revelation 13:16, 17. Without the mark, no one can buy or sell; this suggests the idea of a single world currency. I am not saying that a single global monetary system is immediately the mark of the beast, but it is likely something that precedes it. I am also not pointing out what exactly the mark will be. I am just stating that what we see now, I mean the desire people have now and the direction in which the world goes, could be the beginning. I think that when that time comes, believers will certainly be aware, and all of this will have to do with worshiping one system, idea, and a person who will be the Antichrist. This is just a theory, and I am not saying it will be exactly this way, but I am just observing the present situation. As people cannot control everything, they prefer this kind of idea that places everything under one rule, exactly as the Bible describes that it will happen. The book of Revelation says that everyone (who doesn’t follow God) will follow the beast.

“And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast” (Revelation 13:3).

“It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation” (Revelation 13:7).

These passages describe the world being united under the wrong rule and person. We see this kind of idea being planted and promoted today. The people embracing this idea don’t know and understand its consequences. There’s nothing wrong with coming together, but when God is excluded, then it is not a good way.

Speaking about these ideologies and movements, I am not suggesting either that any other human rule or idea is better. We mustn’t place our trust in men when it comes to this. The best way is God’s way, and His rule is the best one. We need to place our trust in Him in each circumstance. All the human kingdoms and rulers will fall, but His kingdom will endure forever.