On December 7, 1941, Japan caught America by surprise when it attacked the U.S. naval base in Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii. Japan sought to destroy the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Fortunately, that attack didn’t destroy the United States. But the future may not be so kind. Why? Because the U.S. is setting itself up for a modern-day Pearl Harbor – one from which it will never recover. And it won’t be the result of a military strike. It will be the result of an economic one. To understand what’s coming (this attack is already underway), we need to understand our history.

The Bretton Woods System

In 1944, the Bretton Woods Agreement established the financial rules and monetary system governing western nations. The system required participating nations to guarantee convertibility of their currencies into U.S. dollars at a fixed rate with the dollar convertible to gold by foreign governments. This essentially put the world on a type of gold standard via the U.S. dollar.

This system served the world well until the late1960s when it became clear the United States was printing dollars without the gold needed to back up those dollars. Out-of-control government spending via a host of new government social programs and the war in Vietnam threatened to deplete U.S. gold stockpiles. So on August 15, 1971, President Nixon “temporarily” closed the gold window (it’s never been reopened) – terminating the convertibility of dollars into gold. This made the dollar a fiat currency, meaning it wasn’t backed by anything of value. To prevent runaway inflation, the United States brokered a deal with Saudi Arabia, which effectively set up a new world monetary system.

The Petro-Dollar System

Following the 1973 Yom Kippur War, the United States found itself the target of an OPEC oil embargo as a result of the military aid it provided to Israel. Oil prices quadrupled. With the dollar no longer tied to gold, inflation soared as the U.S. continued to run annual budget deficits. Facing these headwinds, in 1974, the U.S. brokered a deal with Saudi Arabia to stabilize the dollar. The U.S. agreed to buy oil from Saudi Arabia and defend the kingdom militarily while also providing military aid and equipment. In return, Saudi Arabia (and the rest of OPEC) agreed to sell oil only in U.S. dollars and use those dollars to buy U.S. debt, effectively supporting both the dollar and U.S. deficit spending.

For nearly five decades, the U.S.-Saudi relationship held up well. The United States successfully defended Saudi Arabia in Operation Desert Shield in 1990-1991, and Saudi Arabia continued to sell oil in dollars. But in recent years, the U.S.-Saudi relationship has started to fray, and over the past 18 months, it’s all but fallen apart. That means the days are numbered for what remains of the petro-dollar system.

A Critical Turning Point: August 2021

Exactly fifty years to the day from when Nixon closed the gold window, the Taliban entered Kabul, and the Afghan president fled the country. In hindsight, this event struck a fatal blow to the petro-dollar system. The petro-dollar is still alive, but it won’t last much longer. Why?

The U.S. abandoned its allies. It left Americans behind enemy lines and allowed those who assisted America to fall into the tortuous hands of the Taliban. In the face of such a betrayal, is it any surprise Saudi Arabia might begin to question U.S. commitment to its security? The U.S. showed itself to be an unreliable partner. Russia was quick to capitalize. Unnoticed by many in the western media, Russia brokered its own security deal with Saudi Arabia, undermining the petro-dollar and threatening its future.

The Russian Invasion of Ukraine

Fast forward to February 2022. Russia invaded Ukraine. In response, the U.S. and its allies imposed sanctions on Russia, froze Russian assets, and kicked Russian banks out of the international financial messaging system, SWIFT. This served as a major wake-up call to the nations of the world. Just as America’s abandonment of Afghanistan made every nation question America’s commitment to its allies, U.S. actions against Russia made the nations of the world realize what would happen if they ended up on America’s “bad list.” They now understand the risk of holding too many U.S. treasuries or of being too reliant on an international financial system dominated by the U.S. dollar. The result? These nations are now willing to explore (if not actively seek) an alternative to the dollar.

BRICS

In 2006, Brazil, Russia, India, and China (the BRIC nations) held the first BRIC Summit. The goal was to increase cooperation and explore opportunities for economic growth between these growing nations. In 2010, South Africa joined, and the coalition took on the moniker BRICS. Since then, BRICS has worked to create an alternative to the SWIFT payment system as well as a commodity-backed currency to challenge the U.S. dollar. As 2022 draws to a close, a host of additional nations have expressed interest in joining the BRICS coalition. Among them are some of the most important producers of oil and natural gas – Nigeria, Iran, Argentina, Algeria, Kazakhstan, and Indonesia. The latest nation to express interest? Saudi Arabia.

The Coming Destruction of the U.S. Dollar

If BRICS creates its own commodity-backed currency as an alternative to the U.S. dollar, and all the nations expressing interest join BRICS, it will destroy the dollar. Those nations represent over 50% of the world’s population and an even larger share of the world’s commodity production. If oil starts trading in other currencies… If the dollar loses its reserve currency status… If international trade is conducted in fewer and fewer dollars – meaning demand for dollars drops while supply remains the same – then a flood of dollars will return to the United States. This will cause massive inflation, a collapse in confidence in the U.S. dollar, and major destruction throughout the American economy. Interest rates will skyrocket, and the four pillars of American wealth – stocks, bonds, dollars, and real estate – will collapse in real terms. The U.S. will no longer be the world’s financial center. Its power will erode significantly.

CBCDs

Then what? Once the petro-dollar ends and the dollar experiences massive inflation or even hyperinflation, a new monetary system will have to take its place. Will it be the new BRICS currency or something else? We don’t know for sure. But in all likelihood, it will be built on blockchain. Many believe if BRICS creates a new commodity-backed currency, that currency won’t be convertible into the underlying commodity. Instead, the commodities will be pledged and anchored to the new currency via blockchain technology. Meanwhile, central banks openly discuss their plans to replace today’s national currencies with central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). Either way, a “great reset” is coming to the global financial system, and digital currencies will take over. When they do, government will wield unprecedented power. With such power, not only will government be able to track everything you buy or sell, it will be able to kick you out of the economic system – just as the Bible says.

What’s Coming to the World

When government-sponsored cryptocurrencies replace paper currencies, individual freedom and liberty will disappear. Governments will be able to “turn off” your cryptocurrency or reprogram it to determine how you can use it. For instance, if your social credit score isn’t high enough, they can reprogram the currency in your account to only work within five miles of your home or limit it to the purchase of specific “pre-approved” items. Ultimately, if you do something the government doesn’t approve of, they’ll be able to shut down your ability to buy and sell altogether. The Canadian government already showed its willingness to do this when it cut off financial access to anyone who supported the Canadian trucker protest.

The Bible says this is precisely what will happen in the end times. The Antichrist will establish a global system of commerce. His system will play a part in every economic transaction on earth. It will be so dominant that no one will be able to buy or sell anything without the Antichrist’s approval (Revelation 13:17). Does this sound like something far off in the future? It’s not. It’s fast approaching. We see the foundations of the Antichrist’s economic system coming into place today. The U.S. dollar will soon lose its status as the world’s reserve currency, and the world will be one step closer to the mark of the beast system.

It’s yet another sign we live in the season of the Lord’s return. We just experienced a global pandemic (Luke 21:11). A global famine is on the horizon (Matthew 24:7). Israel is back in the land (Jeremiah 23:7-8). The Jewish people are back in Jerusalem (Luke 21:24-28). And the Gospel is being preached throughout the world (Matthew 24:14). Make no mistake. The tribulation, the Antichrist, and global government are part of the world’s immediate future. But don’t despair; this also means the return of Jesus is part of our immediate future (Revelation 22:20). And His is an everlasting kingdom (Daniel 2:44) with no more death or crying or pain (Revelation 21:4). So keep your eyes fixed on Him!

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Britt Gillette is author of the free ebook Coming to Jesus as well as the books Signs of the Second Coming, Racing Toward Armageddon, and The End Times. Receive his book 7 Signs of the End Times for free when you sign up for his monthly newsletter.

 

How close is the rapture of the church? I think we can get a good idea based on recent surveys of self-identified Christians in the United States.

Recently, The Christian Post reported, “Over a third of senior pastors believe ‘good people’ can earn their way to heaven.” This was the conclusion of a survey conducted by the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University. The survey polled around 1,000 Christian pastors, examining dozens of beliefs they hold, and found only 37% hold a biblical worldview. The survey found 39% believe “each individual must determine their own truth,” 38% do not believe “human life is sacred,” and 37% believe “having faith, in general, is more important than in what – or more specifically, Whom – one has faith.”

Assuming this is true, it should come as no surprise to learn the people sitting in the pews of these churches hold similar views. In his blog post, “Barna: Most Americans Create a Customized Worldview,” Ken Ham states, “Seven out of 10 U.S. adults call themselves ‘Christians’ and yet only 6 in 100 (6%) actually have a biblical worldview.” He then went on to cite statistics from a recent Ligonier Ministries survey. Among its findings:

• 56% believe “God accepts the worship of all religions, including Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.”
• 38% see Jesus as “a great teacher, but he was not God.”
• 60% say, “The Holy Spirit is a force but is not a personal being.”
• 65% think “Everyone is born innocent in the eyes of God.”
• 37% agree that “Religious belief is a matter of personal opinion; it is not about objective truth.”

These beliefs don’t fit with what the Bible teaches, meaning those surveyed (who self-identified as “Evangelical Christians”) either haven’t read the Bible or they reject what it says. This “falling away” from the foundational beliefs of the Christian faith by those who profess to be Christians is an indication the world is on the verge of the seven-year Tribulation. And since the Bible tells us the rapture occurs prior to the Tribulation (Revelation 3:10; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:9), if we see signs and indications that we’re on the verge of witnessing the events of the Tribulation, we can know the rapture is even closer.

The Bible says the Day of the Lord (the Tribulation) will not come and the Antichrist will not be revealed until “a great falling away” happens first (2 Thessalonians 2:3). Some translations call this “a rebellion” or “apostasy” – an abandonment of the faith by professed Christians. Do these survey responses indicate a great falling away? They seem to.

However, by itself, this sign isn’t enough to indicate the nearness of the end times – and thus, the rapture. After all, it’s subjective. Some number of people have always professed to be Christians while denying the foundational principles of the faith. But on this scale? I don’t think so, but I can’t know for sure. That said, these surveys indicating a falling away from the faith are not the only sign telling us the end times and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ are at hand.

Jesus and the prophets gave us a number of signs to look for. Furthermore, and this is the key, Jesus said, “When you see all these things, you can know my return is near. I’m right at the door” (Matthew 24:33). This was in response to the disciples asking Jesus to tell them “the signs of your coming and the end of the age” (Matthew 24:3). In other words, Jesus said the #1 sign of His Second Coming and His return to establish His Millennial Kingdom is the convergence of the various signs He and the prophets said to look for. This is stated in three of the four Gospels – in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21. Jesus said, “When you see all these things taking place, you can know that his return is very near, right at the door.” (Mark 13:29). He also said, “When all these things begin to happen, look up for your salvation is near!” (Luke 21:28).

The Bible is clear. The #1 indication Jesus will return soon is all the signs appearing together. Both Jesus and the prophets told us what those signs are, and the appearance of just one is reason enough to take notice. But the arrival of one sign after another demands your attention. It’s the sign Jesus said to look for. This convergence of signs confirms our generation will witness the Second Coming – not according to me, but according to Jesus.

The Convergence of Signs

A great falling away of those who profess to be Christians, but deny the foundational truths of Christianity, is just one of many signs. Jesus and the prophets pointed to dozens and dozens. This article cites only a few, but the reality of each one of these signs is undeniable. And their convergence should be enough to convince you the return of the Lord is close at hand. These signs include:

Israel Back in the Land – God promised to bring the Jewish people back into the land of Israel before He returned (Jeremiah 23:7-8). He said He would call them from “among the nations” (Ezekiel 39:28), from “the farthest corners of the earth” (Isaiah 11:12), and from “north, south, east, and west” (Psalm 107:3). He promised to welcome them home from the lands where they were scattered (Ezekiel 20:34). When they did, He promised to return and establish His everlasting kingdom (Isaiah 11:11-12).

The Jewish People in Control of Jerusalem – Jesus said armies would surround Jerusalem, destroy the city, and enslave its citizens. The Roman legions fulfilled this prophecy in A.D. 70. Jesus then said people other than the Jewish people will control Jerusalem for a time, until the Jewish people once again control Jerusalem. When they did, Jesus promised to return (Luke 21:24-28). Since 1967, the Jewish people have controlled Jerusalem.

The Gospel Preached Throughout the World – When asked about the end of the age and the signs of His coming, Jesus said to look for a very specific sign. He said the Gospel will be preached throughout the entire world. Every nation will hear it. And then? And then, the end will come (Matthew 24:14). For centuries after the crucifixion, the Gospel was confined to a small area surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. In the past two centuries, Christians have brought the Gospel to every nation in the world. Today, missionaries are in every nation. The Bible is translated into hundreds of languages, and the message of Jesus is sent around the world by radio, TV, satellite, and the Internet. This generation is on the verge of spreading the Gospel to every last person on earth.

An Increase in Travel and Knowledge – Six hundred years before Jesus, an angel gave Daniel a special message. He said “travel and knowledge” will increase in the end times (Daniel 12:4). For centuries of human history, dramatic gains in travel and knowledge did NOT take place. Yet the last two hundred years have seen explosions in the speed and frequency of travel as well as the amount and availability of knowledge.

Arrival of the Exponential Curve – Jesus said a variety of global signs will come before His return and the end of the age. These signs will be spiritual, natural, societal, and political in nature. He said they will appear in a distinct way – “like birth pains” (Matthew 24:3‐8). This means the frequency and intensity of these signs will increase as we near His return. Our generation has seen the exponential increase in war and famine Jesus said to look for. In the 20th Century alone, more people died from war and famine than lived on the earth when Jesus spoke these words.

Israel Surrounded by Enemies – The Bible says enemies will surround Israel in the end times. Those enemies will say, “Come, let us wipe away the nation of Israel. Let’s destroy the memory of its existence” (Psalm 83:4) and “Let us take for ourselves these pasturelands of God” (Psalm 83:12). Ezekiel said Israel’s neighbors will say, “God has given their land to us” (Ezekiel 11:14‐17), and “Israel and Judah are ours. We will take possession of them. What do we care if their God is there?” (Ezekiel 35:10). Ever since the rebirth of Israel in 1948, the daily headlines have included these Bible verses. Israel’s Muslim neighbors claim the land of Israel for themselves, and they have no regard for the God of Israel.

Israel’s Exceedingly Great Army – Ezekiel said, in the end times, Israel will field “an exceedingly great army” (Ezekiel 37:10). Zechariah said Israel will be like a fire among sheaves of grain, burning up the neighboring nations (Zechariah 12:6) and even the weakest Israeli soldier will be like David (Zechariah 12:8). Since 1948, Israel has fought no less than four conventional wars against its neighbors. Despite being outnumbered more than 50 to 1, Israel has achieved overwhelming victory every time.

Rise of the Gog of Magog Alliance – The Bible says a military alliance that includes Russia, Iran, Turkey, and a number of other nations will attack Israel “in the latter days” (Ezekiel 38:8) when God brings His people home from among the enemy nations (Ezekiel 39:27). Today, we see those very nations coming together for the first time – an alliance that has never existed in world history.

Rise of a United Europe – The Bible says a revived Roman Empire will come to power in the end times (Daniel 2, Daniel 7, Revelation 17). According to Daniel, it will be a ten-nation alliance of weak and strong nations. Some parts will be as strong as iron, while other parts will be as weak as clay (Daniel 2:42). We see the beginning of this alliance in the European Union – a coalition of weak and strong nations struggling to stay together.

The Rise of Global Government – The Bible says a single government will rule the world politically (Revelation 13:7), religiously (Revelation 13:8), and economically (Revelation 13:16‐17) in the last days. It will rule over “all people, tribes, and languages” on the face of the earth (Revelation 13:7). Its authority will be so complete no one will be able to buy or sell anything without its permission (Revelation 13:16‐17). For centuries, a true global government was impossible. Today, world leaders openly discuss it.

Denial of the Signs – Almost two thousand years ago, Peter issued a warning. He said in the last days, people will mock the idea of Jesus returning. They will make fun of those who believe in the Second Coming and say exactly what we hear today – things like, “I thought Jesus was coming back? What happened to His promise? Generation after generation has said He’s coming. Yet, since the beginning of the world, everything has remained the same!” (2 Peter 3:3‐4).

The Hour is Late

It’s not true to say these signs have always been present. Generations of Christians lived and died without witnessing any of these signs. For centuries of Christian history, none of these signs were present. Zero. Today, they all are. Jesus said when you see these signs, you can know His return is near. He’s right at the door (Matthew 24:33). In fact, Jesus said the generation witnessing these signs will not pass away before He returns (Matthew 24:34). So despite the skeptics and naysayers, Jesus is coming, and ours is the generation that will witness His return. The convergence of all these signs confirms it.

This means the church is on the verge of the rapture. The rapture has always been an imminent, signless event. No preconditions are necessary for it to happen. However, as we approach the beginning of the Tribulation – a time period filled with numerous specific events – we’re running out of time for the rapture to come unexpectedly on the world. Jesus said, “You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected” (Matthew 24:44). By definition, Jesus can’t be talking about a time during or after the Tribulation. Once the events of the Tribulation begin to unfold, the glorious appearing of Jesus will be expected. He’s talking about the rapture before the Tribulation.

Furthermore, Jesus promised to keep us from “the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world to test those who belong to this world” (Revelation 3:10). This means if we see the events of the Tribulation just ahead and the rapture takes place beforehand, we’re extremely close to the rapture.

The signs of His return are all around us. Jesus is coming. If you’ve been waiting to share the Gospel with someone, don’t wait one minute more. You may not have another opportunity. The hour is late. The signs are present. Now is the season of the Lord’s return. So keep your eyes fixed on Him – Jesus is coming!

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Britt Gillette is author of the free ebook Coming to Jesus as well as the books Signs of the Second Coming, Racing Toward Armageddon, and The End Times. Receive his book 7 Signs of the End Times for free when you sign up for his monthly newsletter.