Last week, an Israeli company named Aleph Farms announced it had successfully cultivated the world’s first slaughter-free ribeye steak using 3D bioprinting technology and living cow cells. Unlike traditional 3D printing, the 3D bioprinting Aleph Farms developed prints “actual living cells that are then incubated to acquire the texture and qualities of a real steak.”

According to its press release, Aleph Farms uses “a proprietary system, similar to the vascularization that occurs naturally in tissues,” and this gives the steak a “similar shape and structure of its native form as found in livestock before and during cooking.” Using this new technology, the company now has the ability to produce any type of steak.

All this comes on the heels of a December announcement that 1880, a restaurant in Singapore, will become the world’s first restaurant to serve cultured meat. Known for its innovative menus, 1880 debuted the lab-grown chicken made by U.S. start-up Eat Just, which takes a small amount of poultry cells and grows them into meat at a rapid rate using a bioreactor. From start to finish, the process takes about 14 days versus 45 days for traditional chicken. As these technologies mature, they offer the prospect of cheap and abundant food for the whole world.

None of this should come as a surprise. In my 2017 book Racing Toward Armageddon, I wrote:

“Did you know the dirt outside your door most likely contains every element necessary to create a loaf of bread or a piece of fish? With the blueprint for a piece of fish or a loaf of bread, nanofactories could rearrange the basic structure of those elements and do just that. You could literally create a fish or a loaf of bread from nothing but dirt.”

Revolutionary Technologies are on the Horizon

These technologies are just a glimpse of what’s coming. The convergence of new printing technologies with artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and advanced manufacturing techniques will fundamentally transform the world in which we live. Bioprinting steaks and chicken is just the beginning. Such technologies foreshadow the arrival of a truly revolutionary technology known as molecular manufacturing. Below are some of the benefits we’ll see in the near future:

Clean, Renewable, and Inexpensive Energy – The most abundant source of energy on the earth is sunlight. The reason solar power only meets a small fraction of our energy needs is because the technology used to capture and store solar energy is expensive and inefficient relative to fossil fuels. Molecular manufacturing will change that. New technologies will make solar power the cheapest and most widely available source of energy.

Increased Health and Wellness – Molecular manufacturing will also make clean water available to everyone. It will revolutionize medical treatments, prescription drugs, and surgery. The result will be dramatic increases in health, well-being, and average lifespans.

Material Abundance – Molecular manufacturing will bring a revolution in the production of goods, manufacturing objects where they’re needed, and dramatically decreasing labor, energy, storage, and transportation costs. The result will be an explosion in material wealth.

While all this sounds great, there’s a dark side to these new technologies as well…

The Rise of Big Brother

In George Orwell’s novel 1984, the world is introduced to “Big Brother” – an omnipresent, all-powerful and “well-intentioned” totalitarian regime. The book’s hero, Winston Smith, lives in a world where every citizen is under 24/7 surveillance. Personal privacy doesn’t exist. Government dominates every aspect of life. Monitors in Winston’s apartment spy on him at home. Other devices spy on him when he’s not at home. Hidden cameras and microphones capture his words, deeds, and even his facial expressions. His mail is opened, and “thought police” search for and arrest any citizen who dares to have thoughts or feelings outside of those sanctioned by Big Brother and the ruling elite.

Winston’s world is a place of absolute government control. No conversation, movement, or transaction goes unnoticed. The government is watching – always. In the decades since Orwell first released 1984, people have marveled at what they see as great insight into our future. And they’re right to do so. 1984 is becoming our reality, and the arrival of molecular manufacturing and other advanced technologies will only serve to accelerate the process. Below are some of the undesirable (and I believe unavoidable) outcomes of advanced technology:

Global Government – Technological innovations will soon upset nuclear deterrence and the balance of power built on the notion of mutually assured destruction (MAD). World-destroying nuclear war will become obsolete, replaced by new weapons of war. In a post-MAD world, many people see only two options:

1) An unstable arms race likely to end in global annihilation, or

2) Global government

The world will choose global government. The first nation to develop advanced post-nuclear technologies will use its power to conquer all other nations before they develop similar technologies. This nation can then use its global monopoly to create a new world order. Think about it. If no nation is left to attack this global power, the world will be at peace. Unfortunately, the world will also be under the heavy hand of a global government.

Global Surveillance – With advanced technology, the ability to see and hear everything will become even easier for government. Already, most people voluntarily reveal the most intimate details of their lives. They upload pictures of themselves and their friends to Facebook. They reveal personal information on Snapchat and Twitter. And they set up Siri- and Alexa-enabled devices in their homes. These devices respond to voice commands and make life easier. But they also spy on you. By definition, they’re always listening. If you have one, that means you voluntarily placed a listening device in your home. In some cases, you placed a camera in your home as well.

As time goes by, devices like these will become smaller and cheaper. As they become smaller and cheaper, they’ll appear everywhere. Imagine trillions of HD cameras and microphones – each one the size of a dust particle. Some might be so small you can’t see them. These cameras and microphones will constantly record everything in the world. Like dust, they’ll spread across the earth and settle on every surface. They’ll be everywhere.

They’ll settle on your clothes. They’ll come in through the ventilation in your house. They’ll stick to the bottoms of shoes, and they’ll blow through the streets. And this “nanodust” will send everything it sees and hears to the government. Artificial intelligence will sift through all the video and audio feeds. It will search for specific phrases and “undesirable” language. With such technology, the government will have the ability to “listen” to every conversation on earth. No one will escape the ever-watchful eye of “Big Brother.”

Global Government Cryptocurrency – A growing chorus of nations are now exploring the launch of government-backed cryptocurrencies. Among them are some of the world’s most oppressive regimes, including China, Iran, and North Korea. This is because the replacement of paper currency with government-sponsored cryptocurrency will put unlimited power at the fingertips of government leaders.

Not only does cryptocurrency offer a way to permanently record every financial transaction, but it also tracks where you go and what you do. It tracks the websites you visit and makes note of who your friends are. While credit cards, debit cards, mobile phones, and social media profiles already track much of this information, a state-sponsored cryptocurrency will provide the government with 100% unfettered access to this information. It will create a closed, government-controlled economic system where you’ll be dependent on the government for every transaction you engage in.

That means if the government decides they don’t like you, they can turn off your access and completely freeze you out of the economic system. They can dictate what you can and can’t buy. They can tell you where you can and can’t go. In essence, state-sponsored cryptocurrency gives government complete and total control over all commerce.

How Will the World React?

At first, it’s likely the world will focus only on the positive benefits of these advanced technologies. After a brief period of upheaval, global government will usher in a new era of peace – much like the Pax Romana of ancient Rome. Most people will be happy with the material abundance and increased standards of living, even if they have to sacrifice freedoms in exchange.

If one man brings these benefits to the world, how will the world view him? Imagine if Satan came to earth and used promises of world peace and miracle healings to trick the world into following a false messiah. Do you think he would be effective? Jesus said he will.

The Coming False Messiah

After encounters with Jesus, miraculous events regularly took place. The mute could speak. The deaf could hear. The paralyzed could walk, and the blind could see. Because of these miracles, many believed in Jesus. But others refused to believe, even though these miracles verified His identity as the Messiah. What did Jesus say about these people? He said, “I have come in my Father’s name, and you refused to receive me. But a day will come when another man comes in his own name, and him you will receive” (John 5:43-44).

When the Antichrist arrives on the world scene, he’ll bring with him advanced technology that will:

1) Restore the vocal abilities of the mute.

2) Reverse paralysis for those with spinal cord injuries.

3) Restore sight for the blind.

4) Restore all sound and hearing for the deaf, and

5) Cure any physical disease now afflicting humans.

The world will appear to be at peace, and the world will receive him as its savior. As the world looks forward to a “Great Reset” and new technologies transform the world, you can be sure the Antichrist is waiting in the wings. All the signs are present. Just look around you. The world is in the midst of a global pandemic (Luke 21:11). 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). We’re also on the verge of developing technologies that will bring about global government (Revelation 13:7) and a global monetary system capable of controlling the entire world (Revelation 13:16-17).

Jesus said when you see all these signs, you can know His return is near (Luke 21:28). We can see those signs now.

Jesus is coming soon.

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Britt Gillette is the 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.

As COVID-19 spread across the world in early 2020, economic activity froze. Entire cities in China were put on lockdown, and the lockdowns soon spread to Europe, the United States, and the whole world. With people confined to their homes, many businesses closed. The global economy came to a grinding halt. Global supply chains broke, airlines canceled flights, and an oil glut drove down petroleum prices as supply outstripped demand.

The economic shock of the coronavirus hammered global markets. Bond markets went into freefall, stocks plummeted, and global trade slowed to a near stop. The abrupt impact of COVID-19 on the global economy caused panic around the world, and this panic forced governments and central banks to take unprecedented measures. As a result of trillions of dollars in stimulus, the U.S. stock market and markets around the world reversed course, and they’ve been on an upward trajectory ever since. Second-quarter U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which measures the economic output of the U.S. economy, was the worst on record at negative 31.4%, but third-quarter GDP was the best ever at 33.4%. Throw in the rollout of several vaccines in November/December 2020, and boundless optimism continues to drive markets higher on the idea the economy will reopen and the pandemic will end.

But is this really what will happen?

The Health of the Global Economy

As we begin 2021, global markets signal a rebound in economic activity. The widely held belief is everything will eventually bounce back to pre-pandemic levels once COVID is vanquished. At least, that’s the consensus. Unfortunately, it’s not reality. The global economy is in terrible shape, maybe even in terminal condition.

Right now, the global economy is much like someone who just survived a bad car wreck. Immediately afterward, they walk away. They feel and look fine, and they think they’ve escaped unharmed. They don’t yet realize the extent of their injuries and only discover how serious they are hours or days later. This is where we are right now with the global economy.

Government programs have covered up the true extent of the damage, but they can’t do so forever. Business bailouts, direct government payments to individuals, and rent and mortgage moratoriums have delayed the pain. Because of them, many people can’t see the true extent of the economic damage. But these government band-aids won’t prevent the inevitable. The economy won’t “spring back” due to pent-up demand. Yes, once the pandemic ends, more people might decide to take cruises or eat out at restaurants. But they won’t book two cruises for the same weekend or order 15 meals in a single night to make up for the cruises they would’ve taken or the meals they would’ve eaten. Those transactions are lost forever.

In many cases, the economic damage from COVID-19 is permanent. The National Restaurant Association reports more than 110,000 U.S. restaurants permanently closed their doors in 2020. This is compared to 2019 which saw an increase of more than 10,000 restaurants, and the carnage isn’t over yet. Many of the 2020 survivors will go out of business in 2021. More than 15,000 retail store locations closed their doors in 2020 in the United States alone. The list of companies impacted includes iconic brands like Pier 1 Imports, Lord & Taylor, and Neiman Marcus.

Rent and mortgage forbearance has kept many from losing their homes, but what about the landlords and bondholders who haven’t been paid? Eventually, someone has to pay for all those who have lived rent and mortgage free in 2020. And what about the commercial real estate industry? With restaurants and retailers not making their lease payments, commercial real estate firms face ruin. With many employees successfully working from home, many commercial real estate leases won’t be renewed. This leaves vast amounts of office space vacant in big cities throughout the world. And this is just one example of the coming debt defaults and bankruptcies that will soon ripple throughout the entire global economy.

Right now, the world is drowning in debt – $277 trillion in debt. Much of that will never be paid back. When the defaults and bankruptcies start to take place, they’ll cascade throughout the global banking system and create another financial crisis. The only way to avoid a massive deflationary spiral like the Great Depression will be for governments to print and hand out currency to keep people and businesses from going under. But this will create its own crisis – a hyperinflationary crisis. In other words, there’s no way out. We’re on the brink of a major financial crisis. Government policy can delay it, but any delay is simply the calm before the storm.

The Asset Bubble Collapse

Over the long-term, stock markets cannot outperform the economies they operate in. Yet that’s what we’ve seen since the COVID crisis. Global stock markets are up. Economic growth is down. By almost every measure, U.S. stock markets are more overvalued than any time in history.

Warren Buffett’s favorite metric for valuation of stocks is to divide the total value of the stock market by the GDP. When the market is fairly valued, this ratio is between 75% and 90%. Right now, the ratio is hovering around 190% – the highest in recorded history. This means the stock market is now in its largest bubble ever. This includes the 1929 bubble which led to a three-year 89% crash and ushered in the Great Depression. It includes the Dot Com Bubble which caused a mania of speculation and irrational exuberance and ultimately ended in a 78% crash of the NASDAQ.

And this isn’t confined to U.S. markets either. According to Siblis Research, the price-to-earnings ratio of the global stock market is over 27, considerably higher than the 30-year average. Combine these record valuations with an ailing global economy, and you have a recipe for disaster.

A Dangerous Economic Crisis

So, what does all this mean? It means a major economic crisis is on the horizon. It may be the worst global economic crisis ever – worse than the Great Depression. This is cause for concern for more than just financial reasons.

In times of chaos and economic instability, dangerous political leaders and demagogues capture the public imagination. Past economic crises led to the rise of Napoleon, the launch of the Bolshevik Revolution, and the consolidation of German state power in the hands of Adolph Hitler. All these events had grave consequences for the entire world, not just the individual nations in question. Why should we believe this time will be any different?

Why This is Relevant to Bible Prophecy

The Bible describes terrible economic conditions in the end times. Revelation 6 tells us an entire day’s wages will barely buy enough food to survive (Revelation 6:5-6). This describes a world ravaged by hyperinflation, and it’s the backdrop against which the Antichrist makes his drive for global conquest (Revelation 6:3-4).

Ultimately, the Antichrist will implement a global economic system which requires the people of the world to worship him. The Bible says he will require everyone on earth to receive a mark, and no one will be able to buy or sell without the mark (Revelation 13:17). We see the beginnings of this system today. Central banks openly discuss plans to replace national currencies with new cryptocurrencies, giving their governments 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 You Should Do

Knowing all this, what should you do? A global economic crisis is coming. How can you best prepare for it?

The most important thing you can do is to build your life on a firm foundation. Jesus says anyone who listens to Him and follows His teachings is wise, like a man who builds his house on solid rock. When the storm comes, his house won’t collapse because it’s built on solid rock. But anyone who hears His teachings and doesn’t obey is like a man who builds his house on shifting sand. When the storm comes, his house will collapse with a mighty crash (Matthew 7:24-27).

Be like the man who builds his house on solid rock. Build your life on the unmovable rock – Jesus Christ. If you do, not only will you survive in a global economic crisis, you’ll thrive. In fact, with Jesus, you can weather any crisis the world brings. Remember, in this world, you will face many trials and sorrows, but take heart, for He has overcome the world (John 16:33). The days ahead will be tough for the whole world, but those who trust in Him will not be disappointed (Romans 10:11).

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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.