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

On April 3, 2014, Brendan Eich resigned his position as CEO of Mozilla Corporation because a group of intolerant gays was complaining about a $1,000 donation he made in support of a 2008 proposition to ban gay marriage in California. The proposition passed with 52% of the vote and it was in line with the views expressed by Barack Obama, Joseph Biden and Hillary Clinton at that time.

The proposition was also in line with the laws of the thirteen original states of the U.S., the long-held views of the vast majority of U.S. citizens, and more important, what the Bible teaches on the issue (Lev.18:21-22; 20:13). It was an effort to stick to America’s roots, to restore Bible morality, and to avoid the eventual judgment of God on our nation.

The problem in Sodom was due more to the widespread acceptance of homosexuality than it was to the existence of homosexuality. The Bible says, “the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter: And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them” (Gen.19:4-5). The old, the young and all the people from every quarter clearly approved of the homosexual lifestyle. President Obama is like this, he is obsessed with the idea of spreading homosexuality all over the world even to the point of using our diplomats to do it.

Unfortunately, President Obama’s pushing of homosexuality and the widespread acceptance of it is just one symptom of America’s rejection of the Word of God. Since the Roe vs. Wade ruling in 1973, U.S. doctors have killed about 55 million unwanted babies. These innocent and defenseless babies have been denied life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Their tiny bodies have been thrown in the garbage and tossed out or incinerated with the clinical trash. In the U.S., Planned Parenthood doctors by themselves killed more than 300,000 babies in 2013 and President Obama stood before the group and said, “God bless you” (Ex. 20:13; 21:22-25; Prov. 6:16-17; Jer. 32:35).

Gambling is condemned in the Bible under the subjects of covetousness, greed, materialism and the love of money (Ex. 20:17; Prov. 15:27; Eph. 4:19; I Tim. 6:10). It was once considered foolishness, preying on the poor, a rip off; and a criminal activity associated with prostitution, political corruption and the mafia. ButAmerica has rejected these Bible-based teachings. Some even estimate that as much as one-third of our money flows through the gambling industry. Sadly, large segments of this once sinful, illegal activity are being run as lotteries by state governments that say they need the revenue.

Drug abuse is listed as one of six major sins that will be prominent during the Tribulation Period (Rev. 9:20-21). Those who use drugs will refuse to repent and they will ultimately wind up in the lake of fire. Cocaine use has already become a national tragedy. The federal government has not legalized marijuana use, but two states, Colorado and Washington, have legalized it for recreational purposes; about a dozen other states are discussing legalizing it for recreational purposes.

Many more states have legalized it for medicinal use; President Obama has admitted that he used it; he has made light of it by comparing it to taking a drink of alcohol; Attorney Gen. Holder has decided not to use federal laws to prosecute it in Colorado and Washington, and he has come out in favor of lighter prison sentences for non-violent drug dealers. This is another case of theU.S. ignoring what the Bible says and the lives of multitudes are being ruined (many for eternity).

Political corruption is a disgrace to any nation (Prov.14:34; 29:2) and the acceptance of it is a sure sign that the people have no regard for the  Commandments of God (Ex.20:1-17). A usurper who uses aliases, a stolen Social Security number, a forged birth certificate, a forged Selective Service card; who hid his school records and his travel records; who habitually lies, deceives, and promotes abominations to God sits in the White House with the approval of a major political party, most of the mainstream media and many church goers. His unrighteousness and the widespread acceptance of sin is a clear indication of the spiritual darkness that now hovers over America.

Anti-Semitism is one of our greatest sins and the fact that it is rampant in the church makes it even worse. God has placed Scriptures, seminaries and true believers all over the U.S. and there is no excuse for hatred of the Jews in the church. It is not that the church doesn’t have the will of God. It is that so many church members have chosen to be willingly ignorant, reject or ignore what it says. Many blindly place denominational doctrine before the Word of God.

It is clear that God made an everlasting covenant to give all the land of Canaan to Israel for an everlasting possession (Gen.17:7-8); that the gifts and calling of God are without repentance (Rom. 11:29); that God has not cast away Israel (Rom. 11:1-2); that all Israel will be saved (Rom. 11:26-28); that the Jews are God’s people even in the latter days and latter years (Ezek. 38:8, 16); that the Jews will still be God’s people when the battle of Armageddon takes place (Joel 3:2); that Israel will be under the New Covenant (Jer. 31:31-37; Heb. 8:8) and more; and yet, many in the church choose to ignore what the Bible says and their hatred of Israel is causing them to lead the vast majority of humanity astray. They have the will of God (John 3:19), but they prefer to replace it with their own false doctrine and thereby they are without excuse.

I don’t know where it is, but God has a red line and the ink won’t disappear unless there is repentance in the churchProphecy Plus Ministries
Daymond & Rachel Duck