2017 ended with Bitcoin making daily headlines. If you’re not familiar with Bitcoin, it’s a specific type of cryptocurrency (a secure digital currency). It made daily headlines mostly due to the mania surrounding its steep rise in price. Why are so many people euphoric about Bitcoin? Many think it will replace the U.S. dollar. They say it’s the future of money. Others say Bitcoin is worthless, and its price run-up is a bubble certain to burst. So which one is it? Is Bitcoin the future or a passing fad?

I don’t know. Time will tell. However, I do know this. Cryptocurrencies and electronic transactions will dominate the future. And many believe the technology behind Bitcoin will be the reason that happens. So what is this technology? It’s called blockchain, and many believe it’s the future of financial transactions.

Blockchain Transactions

So what is blockchain? In simple terms, blockchain is a growing online record. Here’s a simplified example: Let’s say Citizen A agrees to buy a product from Citizen B using Bitcoin. When he does, the blockchain records the transfer of the Bitcoin from Citizen A to Citizen B. When Citizen B eventually buys something using the Bitcoin, his transaction is added to the existing record. This goes on and on forever, generating a record of every transaction in the life of a specific Bitcoin. If this is all blockchain did, it wouldn’t be revolutionary. But a second component makes blockchain groundbreaking.

Unlike other electronic transactions, blockchain records are public. They don’t exist in a centralized location such as a commercial bank or the U.S. Federal Reserve. Instead, they’re stored over a large decentralized network. This means blockchain records are on computers all over the world. And this makes cryptocurrency counterfeiting almost impossible, since altering any past records requires widespread collusion across the entire network.

This is the main reason so many people are excited about Bitcoin. They believe the public records make it less susceptible to fraud and theft. But that’s not the only benefit. They point to others as well. One of Bitcoin’s benefits is its limited supply. Unlike many government-backed currencies, Bitcoin features a fixed number of coins. So a central bank can’t print more Bitcoins and destroy their value. Many also believe Bitcoin offers a greater level of privacy protection and anonymity. Why? Because even though blockchain records are public, each transaction is tied to an online address rather than any information related to a person’s identity.

Because of these benefits, many people believe Bitcoin (or perhaps some other cryptocurrency) will become the money of the future. Is this realistic? Yes. I think so. First, the decentralized nature of blockchain records makes their transactions more secure. And as more and more business is conducted online, people will demand greater levels of security. Second, all paper money will soon be obsolete. And when that happens, cryptocurrencies will be the most efficient and convenient alternative.

The End of Paper Money

Whether it’s blockchain-backed cryptocurrencies or some other form of electronic currency, paper money will soon disappear. It won’t just fall out of favor due to inconvenience. Outside of museum showcases, it will disappear forever. How can I be so sure? Because counterfeiting will soon be impossible to prevent. Advanced technology makes it certain.

New technologies will soon lead to desktop printing of 3D objects where every molecule is perfectly positioned. With such technologies, we can’t stop counterfeiters. They’ll flood the world with perfect copies of every national currency. No one will be able to tell the difference between a fake dollar bill and a real dollar bill. And when that happens, both will be worthless. World governments won’t have a choice. They’ll quickly do away with all physical currency, and all economic transactions will go electronic.

 

Because of the benefits mentioned earlier – security, supply stability, and privacy – the use of non-government-issued cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin will become more widespread. But do cryptocurrencies really provide the promised benefits? While many insist they do, I believe history proves otherwise.

Bitcoin and Global Government

Unregulated cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin take power away from government. They also invite tax evasion and other illegal activities. And trust me – government loves taxes, and government loves control. Is it realistic to believe governments will continue to take a hands-off approach when it comes to Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies? I don’t think so. And in the face of government power, I don’t have a lot of confidence in the security and anonymity of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.

Let’s take security for instance. Many say Bitcoin can’t be hacked. Is that really true? Maybe, but I’m a bit skeptical. I find it hard to believe national governments with their massive resources won’t be able to hack Bitcoin. Even if counterfeiting of Bitcoin proves impossible, Bitcoin exchanges and user accounts are still susceptible to fraud and hijacking. I believe in due time, the idea that Bitcoin offers total security will prove false.

And what about personal privacy? Those who champion Bitcoin say it offers anonymity because each coin is linked to a specific public address rather than a person’s name or home address. But is it realistic to believe governments (or even individual hackers) can’t unmask the identity of each person behind a Bitcoin address? I think the answer is obvious. Government, with its massive resources, can identify every Bitcoin user. And since Bitcoin transactions use blockchain, which is an open and public record, governments can track and follow every Bitcoin transaction in the world.

In a world where paper money no longer exists, that last sentence should grab your attention. Why? Because the Bible described such a system nearly two thousand years ago.

The Coming Global Economic System

Long ago, the Book of Revelation foretold the establishment of an end-time economic system eerily similar to a world dominated by cryptocurrencies. The Bible says a time will come when a global dictator will require everyone on earth to receive a mark on the right hand or the forehead (Revelation 13:16). Without this mark, the people of the world won’t be able to buy or sell anything (Revelation 13:17). How will this work? It remains to be seen. But the rise of cryptocurrencies provides us with a glimpse as to how it might function.

Cryptocurrencies require that all transaction records exist in the public domain. While names and other identifiable information won’t necessarily be part of the public record, governments have the resources to unmask those identities. This will especially be true of the Antichrist’s global government, which will have power over all the people on the face of the earth (Revelation 13:7). Hacking cryptocurrencies will be easy for such a government.

With cryptocurrencies and e-commerce, mark of the beast technology is already here. In order to control who can buy and who can sell, the Antichrist will need a system capable of tracking every transaction on earth. Cryptocurrencies and public blockchain records provide such a system.

So what does all this mean? It means we’re fast approaching a time the prophets warned about. The end times are near. The tribulation, the Antichrist, and global government are all near. But that also means something else. It means the return of Jesus is also near. So have no fear, Jesus is coming (Revelation 22:20)!

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

North Korea has nuclear weapons. They’re working to build long-range missiles. And many believe dictator Kim Jong-un is insane. He’s promised to blanket his neighbors in “a sea of fire” and threatens the United States on an almost daily basis. To some, war is imminent, and they’re fearful of what they see coming. But what does it all mean? How does North Korea fit into Bible prophecy? Does the Bible offer any insight?

I believe it does.

While no Bible prophecy specifically calls out North Korea, Jesus pointed to a time when the world will be on edge because of the actions of a country just like it. When asked to describe the signs of His Coming, Jesus said, “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars” (Matthew 24:6; Luke 21:9). Can you think of a better description for today’s world? More specifically, can you think of a better description of North Korea itself? Rumors of war between the United States and North Korea fill the daily headlines. Rumors of a regional war escalating into a worldwide conflict also dominate the headlines.

In addition to these rumors of war, North Korea’s pursuit of ever more destructive weapons creates the possibility of death on a scale the world has never before seen. If North Korea sparks a global conflict, it’s easy to imagine “war and slaughter everywhere” (Revelation 6:4) and one-third of the world’s population dead (Revelation 9:18). For centuries, Christians struggled to imagine how such prophecies might be fulfilled. Today, it’s not difficult to imagine.

It’s possible these Bible verses point to nuclear war. We can’t know ahead of time. However, we do know they point to a cataclysmic global war. North Korea has the capability to start such a war. And Kim Jong-un’s saber rattling fits the definition of “rumors of war.” But what’s most important is this – his actions foreshadow a dangerous trend. It’s a trend that will lead to more and more “rumors of war.” And it’s a trend that rekindles a fear many world leaders had in the first decades of the nuclear age.

Nuclear Proliferation

In 1949, the Soviet Union tested its first nuclear bomb. This test kicked off the Cold War and an unprecedented nuclear-arms race. It almost ended in global annihilation. For years, the world teetered on the brink of nuclear war.

But eventually, daily fears of an all-out war between the United States and the Soviet Union faded. Leaders of both nations embraced the idea of mutual-assured destruction (MAD), the belief that a nuclear war is unwinnable and thus futile. Fear of total destruction, the idea no one can win a war between two nuclear powers, is all that has kept us from World War III. The concept is less than ideal, but it has worked successfully for over seven decades now.

Because MAD has been so effective in preventing World War III, many people have let their guard down. They’ve forgotten one of the first concerns of the nuclear age – nuclear proliferation. In the early 1950s, world leaders feared the rise of dozens of nuclear powers. They feared each new power would increase the likelihood of a catastrophic war. This was the original fear of the nuclear age. But for the most part, it didn’t happen. When the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty debuted in January 1967, it recognized only five nations as nuclear powers – the United States, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, France, and China.

In the years since, India, Pakistan, and North Korea are the only nations to openly declare they have nuclear weapons. Israel remains purposefully vague about its nuclear status, but is believed to have nuclear weapons. So after seven decades, we only have nine nuclear powers. That’s right. After 70+ years, only nine of the world’s nearly 200 nations have developed nuclear weapons. However, the ninth and most recent nuclear power threatens to change all of that.

This is the true danger posed by North Korea, not its belligerent threats to set the United States on fire. North Korea’s actions promise to plunge the world into all-out war. But it’s not because they’ll launch their nuclear weapons – although they might. The real reason North Korea poses a threat is simply because it has nuclear weapons. That’s right. Just having nuclear weapons is a threat to world peace. Because North Korea’s actions open the door to widespread nuclear-arms development.

North Korea’s Cash Crop

North Korea is an oppressive nation devoid of individual liberty and property rights. Kim Jong-un rules with an iron fist. His country is isolated among the nations of the world. Distrustful of friends and enemies alike, his nation strives to be self-sufficient. The results are abysmal. Outside of the ruling class, everyone lives in poverty. Famine is rampant, and millions go to bed hungry every night.

Aside from imported luxury items for the ruling class, international trade is non-existent. The communist regime stifles free enterprise and innovation, and North Korea doesn’t produce anything a trading partner would find valuable. Well, almost anything.

There is one thing North Korea can offer the world. And it’s a valuable cash crop – nuclear weapons. The leaders of North Korea can barely feed their people, but they’ve done a fairly good job producing weapons of mass destruction.

While we can’t know ahead of time if North Korea will ever use its nuclear weapons, we can know it will play a key role in the outbreak of World War III. How can I be so sure? Because North Korea’s actions put the world on a path to nuclear proliferation. This is the same path world leaders feared most in the 1950s. North Korea proves those early fears weren’t misplaced.

Take Iran for instance. It’s no secret Iran desires nuclear weapons. But earlier this decade, Israel’s Stuxnet cyber attack caused serious damage to Iran’s nuclear program. Is it really a stretch to think Iran will gladly pay North Korea for its nuclear weapons development knowledge? Is it absurd to think North Korea will try to profit by selling its technical know-how to Iran? No. It’s not.

In fact, Iran and North Korea are already working together. Iranian scientists have attended nuclear tests in North Korea. If Iran doesn’t already have nuclear weapons, they’ll have them soon. North Korea is also testing intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). If North Korea develops ICBMs, it’s safe to say Iran will have them soon thereafter.

While everyone hopes for the best, it’s naïve to expect these developments won’t have negative consequences. The nuclear ambitions of North Korea and Iran have made surrounding nations nervous. This means those nations will seek their own nuclear deterrent. Both North Korea and Iran know it’s suicide to attack the United States with nuclear weapons. But what if they attack their neighbors? Are U.S. allies certain America will come to their aid if one of these rogue nations attacks them?

This is exactly what led to the third and fourth nuclear powers in the 1950s. France and the United Kingdom weren’t convinced the United States would defend them from Soviet aggression, so they developed their own nuclear weapons. If allowed to continue, North Korea’s aggressive and belligerent behavior will have the same result. South Korea, Japan, Australia, Taiwan, Myanmar, Vietnam, and others are all likely to pursue nuclear weapons if North Korea continues with its threats.

And what happens when Iran announces its own nuclear capability? Just like North Korea, its neighbors will seek their own nuclear weapons to counter Iran’s power in the region. Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Turkey are just a few of the nations that will go nuclear.

The end result? In a short period of time, the number of nations with nuclear weapons could easily double – maybe even triple. It’s difficult to imagine this will decrease the chances of war. In fact, it’s a safe bet we’ll see an increased likelihood of war, and not just because more nations will be armed with nuclear weapons. There’s another reason. Nuclear proliferation will create an incentive to develop new weapons – weapons to defend against a nuclear strike. And the most powerful nations on earth – the United States, Russia, China, and the European Union – will pursue these new weapons with every resource they have.

Where We’re Going

In a world where North Korea, Iran, and other rogue nations have nuclear weapons, other nations will heavily invest in new defense measures. These measures will lead to the development of new weapons. These new weapons will be so powerful they’ll render MAD obsolete. These post-MAD weapons include artificial intelligence, quantum computing, molecular manufacturing, and other powerful technologies. Ultimately, they’ll erase the threat of mutual-assured destruction. This is the same threat that has prevented nuclear war for 70+ years. When that happens, World War III will break out. We’ll see the fulfillment of Revelation 6:4 (“war and slaughter everywhere”) as well as several other end-times prophecies. And all of this will happen because of nuclear proliferation.

That’s why North Korea plays a critical role in Bible prophecy. Kim Jung-un is not the Antichrist. He won’t take over the world. But directly or indirectly, his actions will eventually lead to World War III and the rise of the Antichrist.

Will Kim Jong-un and North Korea launch a nuclear weapon and ignite a global war? I don’t know. No one knows. But I do know this – Jesus is coming soon. All the signs are present. And when He comes, the world will enter an age unlike any other. No more tears. No more death. No more sorrow, crying, or pain (Revelation 21:4). What a glorious day that will be! So come, Lord Jesus. Come (Revelation 22:20).

Britt Gillette is author of the free ebook Coming to Jesus: One Man’s Search for Truth and Life Purpose as well as Signs of the Second Coming: 11 Reasons Jesus Will Return in Our Lifetime. Receive his book 7 Signs of the End Times for free when you sign up for his monthly newsletter.