Venezuela is in trouble and the terrible situation that exists there makes me think of the Mark of the Beast. It is not the Mark of the Beast because that won’t happen while the church is here, but the whole situation reminds me that the stage is about set for the Mark of the Beast to come on the scene.
Venezuela has had problems with inflation, high food prices, food distribution and a host of other issues for years. Not long ago, food prices were rising sharply and President Nicolas Maduro decided to freeze them to stop the rapid increases. He also decided to subsidize basic foods because there were riots and he needed to make the prices more affordable for the poor. He even passed a “law for fair prices” so people could be jailed, if they marked up the price by more than 30%.
When food distributors couldn’t raise prices some went out of business and others decided to sell their food in other nations where they could charge more money. Also, some enterprising Venezuelans who live close to the nation’s borders with other countries saw the frozen prices as an opportunity to purchase the subsidized foods at reduced prices, transport them across the border and resell them at a higher price. Others saw this as an opportunity to stock up on food while they could get it at a reduced price.
President Maduro decided to combat this situation in several ways. One, he decided to start tracking the buying and selling of food so he could know who is buying it, how much they are buying, what they are buying, etc. Two, he started placing armed guards at the government-run food stores to ensure that those who buy and sell food obey his policies. Three, he started requiring everyone who purchases food to have and ID card (some call it a food rationing card). Four, he started requiring those who buy food to be fingerprinted.
Five, he started requiring those who buy food to give their cell phone number. Six, he decided that those who buy food will not be allowed to return to the store for eight days. Seven, he decided that minors won’t be allowed to buy food because they will probably be buying it for their parents. Eight, he started putting all the information he collects (ID, fingerprint, phone number, purchases, etc.) in a computer data base for future reference. And nine, he programmed his computers to sound an alarm if someone starts making suspicious purchases.
From what I have read, the public has accepted these new procedures and the program is off to a good start. Nevertheless, it reminds me of the coming Mark of the Beast and it makes me shudder to think about what is going to happen when a world government controls the buying and selling of food, medicine or whatever. The Antichrist’s data bases will contain everything he needs to know about people (eye scans, fingerprints, names, addresses, buying habits, etc.). Many will accept his tracking of all buying and selling and he won’t think twice about denying anything to those who oppose them.
“The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof” (Romans 13:12-14).
Prophecy Plus Ministries
Daymond & Rachel Duck