What a year 2021 has been! Recording-breaking in all the wrong ways. Now that it has drawn to a close, it is perhaps time to start looking more deeply into 2022 and to pondering what prophecy-related challenges this new year may bring.

Many of the issues and trends established in 2021 will continue unabated into and throughout 2022. Many of these trends will become even more entrenched. Some will, no doubt, turn into genuine crisis points for the world.

The following summaries are by no means complete, but they do represent a precis of where I personally see some of the main issues occurring over the next twelve months, especially from a biblically prophetical point of view. I intend to touch on a number of key areas in the following articles, encompassing Coronavirus, the global pandemic and the erosion of personal freedom, Israel, and finally, the key world geopolitical flashpoints for 2022. All these areas are spheres any Christian should be watching closely.

However, before I begin, a word of caution – call it a caveat, if you will. As a Christian who believes in a literal interpretation of the Bible, and especially of Bible prophecy, it is my contention that events are now increasingly spiraling out of control in all spheres. I believe the momentum of events is speeding up too. I genuinely believe that this fallen world has now reached, indeed has far exceeded, the point of no return. It is clearly a fallen world closing in on its death throes, and the only hope here, now or ever, is to be found in a personal salvation established in the blood of, and a personal relationship with, Jesus Christ.

The way of salvation today is just as clear and open to all as it was two thousand years ago. As Paul explained to his jailer 2,000 years ago, so he explains to us all today,

“…and after he brought them out, he said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?'”

They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved…” (Acts 16:30-31).

Outside of Jesus, there simply is no hope, individually or corporately. In a world increasingly devoid of hope, this message is all the more important and prescient for it. Today is the day of salvation, not tomorrow,

“For he says, ‘In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.’ I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation'” (2 Corinthians 6:2).

If you have yet to make that fateful decision for Jesus Christ, then do it today. None of us are promised any tomorrows, “…seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near” (Isaiah 55:6).

History, and world events, often take place on a continuum. It is therefore easy to predict that some trends and events next year will likely impact in much the same way as they have this year.

However, it is my contention that these multiple flashpoints are now, alongside other prophetic indicators, converging into a potentially bigger world engulfing series of crises that are beginning to feed into one another. This in itself will likely increase the frequency and severity of what may potentially take place over the next twelve months.

The first potential flashpoint to note for 2022, and the main focus of this article, is perhaps the most obvious one: Covid-19. This is the biggest global topic of 2021 and will no doubt be one of the biggest of 2022. Covid-19 and the endless pandemic it has birthed is not going anywhere anytime soon.

It is hard to quantify the amount of damage Covid-19 has caused over the last 12 months. The damage to the economies of the world alone has been almost incalculable. The negative impact upon trade, tourism, small, medium and larger businesses, and to business owners, the self-employed, those who have lost their jobs because of the pandemic… I could literally go on and on about its impacts. Nothing like this has occurred in recent history, and in terms of impact alone, certainly from an economic point of view, it sits right alongside the Second World War in respect to the damage caused to the worldwide economy.

Yet, despite this, I genuinely believe that some of the more severe consequences that will come to be associated with Covid-19 may remain yet future.

Covid-19 has already deeply impacted our personal freedoms and our civil liberties. This erosion will certainly continue into 2022. Covid-19 is going to be used more and more as a platform to radically change and erode personal freedoms in 2022. To put it bluntly, we are all losing key rights and freedoms in this pandemic that we will never ever get back, short of the return of Jesus Christ himself.

It is highly likely that it will not be too long, perhaps in 2022, that we will see the first ruling for mandatory vaccinations taking place. As of this writing, there is a decision still pending in the U.S. Supreme Court about Biden’s vaccine mandate, which is certain to affect U.S. businesses nationwide. (1)

Of course, it will not be labeled as such. People will still have “a choice.” The catch, though, will be that businesses will not be able to employ you unless you take that vaccination, and shops will not allow you to buy your groceries unless you can prove you are vaccinated. Either way, it will be the same — comply or suffer the consequences. No jab will very soon equal no job.

Unfortunately, for those who choose to remain unvaccinated, I suspect 2022 will not be any easier a place for them than 2021 has been. It is my opinion, just from observing the news and in conversations generally, that many of the vaccinated are rapidly losing their patience with the unvaccinated. This is especially so as one of the many falsehoods circulating right now in Western Europe and America is that the vaccinated are having to take all these necessary precautions imposed upon them by Covid-19 expressly to protect the unvaccinated. That this is just plain nonsense becomes clear when one considers that Omicron, the most recent and virulent variant, is currently spreading with equal speed among both the unvaccinated and the vaccinated alike.

It will also not be long, perhaps in 2022, when every person in Western Europe and the United States of America will have to be able to produce some form of digital “Covid Passport” just to access basic services and facilities. It will not be too long before just such a digital ID will be needed to even “buy and sell.” We have heard this before, and we all know just where that particular thread is heading,

“…that no man can buy or sell, save he that have the mark or the name of the beast or the number of his name” (Revelation 13:17).

This time is almost upon us. How long before this digital passport — already so brazenly and openly discussed by politicians and lawmakers of every political persuasion, which will also be linked to our finances, debt history, social security, criminal records and more — will be replaced “for ease” with some kind of chip, or a quantum Nano tattoo? No doubt inserted on the right hand or the forehead.

“…and he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in the right hand, or in their foreheads…” (Revelation 13:16-17).

In terms of the Coronavirus itself, I also have to wonder if this pandemic will yet take another, more ominous turn. Other commentators have talked often in columns such as this about the birth pains associated with the end of the age. They have talked about how both the frequency and intensity of the birth pains will increase the closer we get to that final terminal hour. With regard to Covid-19, the one question I am constantly asking myself is not how this current phase will come to an end so that life may return to normal (life is never going back to the way it was before), but what may be coming next, further down the line?

No matter what one’s views currently are on the severity of Covid-19, or whether one believes this current crisis is whipped up out of all proportion or not, we do know from scripture that pestilences are a big part of end-time events, that a huge swath of the earth’s population will be killed by just such pestilences and diseases, in just a short time to come. The obvious question one has to ask at this point is whether the pestilences described in scripture are, in fact, further variants of Covid-19, ones that are far more infectious, transmissible and deadly, or something altogether different?

One of the huge, unspoken worries at the moment by those involved in public health is the potential emergence of a super mutation. Currently, with the rise of Omicron, there are two pandemics taking place simultaneously in the world. There is a Delta pandemic and an Omicron pandemic, both separate but taking place at the same time in the same places. The big concern is that an individual who is already immunosuppressed, such as a person living with undiagnosed HIV, may get the Delta variant and the Omicron variant at the same time. The worry is that this could or may then mutate and combine together into a super mutation that would have the transmissibility of Omicron but the increased detrimental health impacts of Delta.

Only time will tell, but it would not surprise me at all if at least some of the pestilences that are described as wiping out a huge percentage of mankind at the end of this age were much more deadly variants of the relatively mild disease that we currently know as Covid-19.

Next time, we will look at God’s prophetic timepiece, Israel.

matthew.ward77@gmail.com

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5).

1. https://www.forbes.com/sites/edwardsegal/2021/12/08/predicting-the-course-and-impact-of-the-covid-crisis-in-the-new-year/?sh=5c56d74f2cca

 

 

What can we expect in 2022?

Personally, I would very much like to experience the fulfillment of Paul’s words in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17. I know it will happen soon, but who can say if this will be the year when Jesus takes us to the place that He’s preparing for us (John 14:1-3)?

The only safe prediction I can make for the upcoming year is that the “perilous times” (2 Timothy 3:1-5) of the past few years will continue unabated.

The word translated “perilous,” or “difficult” in some translations, is chalepos. This term denotes the last days as “dangerous” and “hard to bear.” In Matthew 8:28, the word depicts the fierceness of the two men possessed by demons. The text says that they were “so fierce that no one could pass that way.”

Such are the ominous times in which we live, and they will grow increasingly treacherous leading up to and during the seven-year Tribulation.

How do we cope with these turbulent days as we eagerly await Jesus’ appearing?

Recognize That We Are Witnessing the Fulfillment of Prophecy

As we look in greater depth at some of the attributes Paul lists in 2 Timothy 3, it becomes increasingly apparent that they aptly describe the time in which we live. I believe there’s much consolation in this as it assures us that God remains sovereignly in control. He saw this day coming long, long ago and inspired the apostle to write about it just before his death.

The critics tell us that these terms describe all of the past two thousand years; they claim nothing has changed to signify that the Lord’s return is at hand. While it’s true that these things have, to some degree, marked every period of history since Paul’s day, I disagree with the scoffers for two reasons:

First, the current “perilous times” come at a time when many other prophetic signs are converging as never before in history.

Second, we are witnessing a heightened and demonic quality to these attributes that not only indicates the added fierceness of our day but also the nearness of the Day of the Lord.

Consider the following ways that make today different from any previous time in the past two thousand years:

Unmatched Egotism

Pride is something that affects everyone. As we look at the apostle’s list in 2 Timothy 3:1-5, however, we catch a glimpse of the unmatched egotism that exists today. Notice the emphasis in verse 2, “For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy.”

New Testament commentator William Barclay describes such a person in this way, “He might even seem to be humble; but in his secret heart there is contempt for everyone else. He nourishes an all-consuming, all-pervading pride; and in his heart there is a little altar where he bows down before himself.” ^[i]

Today, it’s not enough for some to have an opinion, but it so often comes with veiled “contempt” for all those who disagree. Those on the left do not even attempt to win an argument, but they rather seek to destroy all those who disagree.

The globalists of our day believe they have the wisdom and insight to decide who lives and who dies in their pursuit of global power. Such is the demonic quality that makes their arrogance unrivaled by those who lived in the past.

Heightened Brutality

Barclay says that the word Paul used for “brutal” in 2 Timothy 3 “denotes a savagery which has neither sensitiveness nor sympathy.” ^[ii] The term signifies a viciousness of character that displays a complete lack of human sympathy or compassion. Is this not what we already see in the ruthless and deadly policies now in force in so many countries around the world?

The word “heartless” in 2 Timothy 3:3 denotes someone totally lacking in natural affection toward others. The globalists that control many governments across the planet are egotistical, callous people who do not care who they destroy or murder in their quest for world domination and the enslavement of all those under their control.

Why do people assume that those who fiercely defend the barbaric practice of abortion can be trusted to govern? Their brutality extends far beyond unborn children.

Perilous Times on Steroids

When one compares Paul’s words in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 with what the globalists have planned for the future of the world, it’s nothing less than “perilous times” on steroids.

The goal of these elite is simple: Reduce the population to a more manageable level for the communistic world order they seek to impose upon humanity. ^[iii]

Because so many people, even those securely in Christ, cannot imagine that these elite could be so murderous and deadly in their intent, they remain blind to the dangers of their agenda and thereby oblivious to the nearness of the seven-year Tribulation. They naively believe that the Holocaust of WWII cannot happen again despite the evidence that history is repeating itself before their very eyes.

The Beast of the Tribulation

The beast displayed at the UN headquarters in New York City reveals the fierceness of what awaits people who will live under the New World Order. The eerie similarity of this image to the beast described by Daniel (7:7-8) and by the Apostle John (Revelation 13:1-4) speaks to the nearness as well as to the satanic brutality of our day as we witness the antichrist’s kingdom beginning to take shape.

The audacity behind the setting up of this image tells me that the elite are quite confident in their agenda for world domination to the point of flaunting their beastly agenda to kill and enslave. They remarkably refer to the image as “The Guardian of International Peace and Security.” Do they know they are quoting 1 Thessalonians 5:3?

Even though, according to some reports, this image has been taken away, how is this not a bright red flashing light telling us that we live in the last days?

Adopt the Eternal Perspective of Scripture

Apart from the eternal perspective we see on the pages of the New Testament, I would be drowning in despair.

Surviving these perilous times necessitates a two-world outlook that values our eternal hope above all earthly aspirations. This comforting perspective, which Paul aptly describes for us in 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 and Romans 8:18, results from both knowing and firmly grasping the specifics of what the Lord has planned for us in eternity.

The Rapture signals the beginning of treasures that Jesus has in store for all who believe. That’s when we receive our new glorified bodies, and our Savior takes us to the place He’s prepared for us. This anticipation alone reassures our souls as we encounter the terrors of our day.

The Bible also tells us that the Lord is going to judge the wickedness, brutality, and violence of our world; count on it. The Old Testament prophets spoke of this as the beginning to the “Day of the Lord.” We refer to it as the Tribulation as described in Revelation 6-18.

At His return to earth, Jesus will throw the antichrist into the lake of fire and totally destroy the kingdom that the elite now labor so diligently to put in place. We will witness Jesus’ display of unmatched and spectacular power when we return with Him at the end of the Tribulation.

Meditate on the Specifics of Your Hope

The specifics of our everlasting hope help us face the dark days in which we live. It’s our anticipation of Jesus’ imminent appearing, our celebration in heaven, our return with Christ to the earth, our reign with Him during the millennial state, and the wonders of the eternal state that anchor our souls during these “perilous times.” We must keep these joyous truths at the forefront of our minds during the dark times in which we live.

It’s because of this needed focus that I wrote The Triumph of the Redeemed – An Eternal Perspective that Calms Our Fears in Perilous Times. My book not only provides many details of our joyous future in eternity but demonstrates why we can have confidence in the promises of Scripture regarding our “blessed hope” and all the wonders that go along with it.

Satan not only works to add intensity to all the qualities that Paul lists in 2 Timothy 3:1-5, but he’s also laboring overtime to create fear and despair among believers. If he can push our expectation of forever to a far distant and signless return of Christ, he can take away the anchor we so desperately need for the time in which we live.

You see, our focus on the joyful adventure ahead of us keeps us from looking to the moment to get us through the dark days of our lives. It’s not that we forgo making plans, setting goals, or preparing for our future, but that we hold our earthly aspirations loosely, knowing that we live on the edge of eternity. It’s when we fail to look beyond the confines of this life that the dark shadows of the approaching Tribulation begin to pull us into fear and despair.

I am persuaded that we need an unflinching focus on the joy ahead for us as we face the new year knowing life will likely become even more difficult to navigate than it was in 2021.

Maranatha! Come soon, Lord Jesus! Will 2022 be the year? That’s my prayer.

My new book, The Triumph of the Redeemed-An eternal Perspective that Calms Our Fears in Perilous Times, is now available on Amazon.

Jonathan C. Brentner

Our Journey Home

[i] William Barclay in his commentary of 2 Timothy 3

[ii] William Barclay in his commentary of 2 Timothy 3

[iii] For backup to this statement, see my previous posts on transhumanism.