Recently, geopolitical conditions around the world have flared up. Many nations are unleashing trade wars and conducting caustic relations. Geopolitical shifts are frequent and sudden. Frankly, we have not witnessed such developments before. This has triggered much interest on our part.

These geopolitical shifts, we are persuaded, are likely of great significance, as we will show. Very possibly, the 10 kings mentioned in Revelation chapter 17—pictured or mentioned 10 times in the Bible in the form of kings, horns, and toes—may be beginning to emerge. If so, how can we know this action is finally happening, and what does it forewarn?

The Bible tells us that 10 kings will come together. “They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast” (Revelation 17:13). They will give their collective authority to Satan. By the time the 10 countries finalize their agreements and alliances, their union will have been completed speedily. Satan will then quickly commandeer the whole world.

Above all, the preparation of the 10-king coalition signals a time of extreme acceleration. Is everybody prepared? And, critically, we also know that the Rapture must precede the full appearance of the 10 kings.

If the emergence of the 10 kings is near, then the Rapture is even nearer. (Unless one studies the Bible intensively, such determinations will escape one’s notice.)

The process of preparing the 10 kings into a collective, we have named “minilateralism.” For well over two decades, we have studied this phenomenon, connecting world events with Bible prophecy.

Twenty-one years ago, we issued a detailed guide to help identify plausible candidates for the 10-king members. It was an intensive study drawn from over 60 factors and statistics, covering over 200 countries. (Only 165 countries were large enough to fully survey. Many countries are very small and, therefore, were not surveyed.)

A key objective of this study was to determine the sources of global power. After all, it is power that Satan will wish to draw from the coalition of 10 kings.

As such, we examined “punch power,” soft power, and “puppet power.” For the record, we have been of the view that what the Bible calls “kings” is today the equivalent of a head of state. In short, sovereign countries will be the members of the future 10-king coalition. (Also, to recall, the 10 kings are shown as 10 toes in Daniel 2.)

Next, for reference’s sake, we list here the top 10-king candidates with respect to the power ratings 20 years ago. We ignore here for the time being various other eligibility criteria: for example, Roman countries. The top 10-kings’ countries must all represent countries whose populations are predominantly of Roman origin.

10-King Candidates

In our view, recent geopolitical events have heated up international affairs. Country alliances have shifted suddenly, and cross-border rivalries have risen. Opposition to the hegemons of our day has increased greatly. Smaller countries are rising in defiance. An outgrowth of this occurred recently at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Canada.

On January 20^th, Mark Carney, Canada’s Prime Minister, gave a high-profile speech to the 2026 WEF. Kudos were given by many other leaders and policymakers around the world. In fact, the audience gave the Canadian Prime Minister a standing ovation. (This rarely happens in the normally somber proceedings of the WEF.)

Almost immediately, other “middle powers” sought to ally with Canada. Australia invited Mark Carney to speak to its parliament. Enthusiasm soared almost everywhere. Gauging from the responses to date, a major movement of minilateralism has accelerated.

The message from Carney was that smaller and “middle” countries must coordinate their policies against the large world hegemons—i.e., America and China. They will be vulnerable. We are inclined to expect that this new impetus to minilateralism will play a role in the rise of the 10 kings.

America and China will not be members of the 10-king coalition, according to the Bible. Will this be beneficial or detrimental for these countries? Any answer would likely be speculative.

What we can say is that the Bible does not mention America’s existence at any time in history.

What About China?

Yes, it is mentioned several times in the Bible.

First, revealing the easternmost nation noted in the Bible, China itself is mentioned in a prophetic context in Isaiah 49:12: “Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.” Just what and where is Sinim?

Most sources agree that “Sinim” refers to the far eastern region of China. Things related to China today are still referred to as “sino”; for example, the word “sinology” means the study of China.

In the Arabic language, China is still referred to as “Sin.” The word “Sin” likely comes from the word Ch’in (or Tsin), as in the Ch’in Dynasty, which ruled China between 221 and 206 BC, or some other word derivation from before that time. The word “Sinim” in Hebrew would therefore simply be the plural form of “Sin.”

What we can deduce from Isaiah’s word, written some 2,700 years ago, is that Sinim (China) will most certainly exist in the last days and into the following Millennial period. Moreover, we can also reasonably deduce that China must be a substantial entity at that time, since its name is used in this prophecy to describe the general geographical direction of “east.”

Wonderfully, Isaiah indicates that the people of Sinim will also be in that number that will eventually go to worship in the new Israel of the 1,000-year Millennial Period. The US, on the other hand, is not directly mentioned in Bible prophecy (though possibly included among the group of countries that the Bible refers to as the “islands”).

Prophets & Thought Leaders in History

Bible prophecy continues to be fulfilled. Time after time, prophecies have proven accurate and true.

The question is proposed: If prophecies that have been fulfilled to date have indeed been reliable, then why would one not believe that all Bible prophecies yet unfulfilled will indeed come to fruition?

And furthermore: If the fulfilled signs of the times are accelerating, wouldn’t that phenomena also indicate that Bible prophecies are to be urgently heeded?

Yet, we note a remarkable fact. By and large, the world pays no attention to Bible prophecy. It cares nothing for reliability … accuracy … or truth. The Bible is clear: Jesus Christ is the Spirit of prophecy. He knows the future and is the Creator of the universe. As Apostle John said, “[…] your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus” (Revelation 19:10).

Instead, the world chooses its own prophets. These may be philosophers, false religion leaders, political-economic theorists, scientists, humanists and atheists.

Who might be some of these prophets of today and in the past that the world has chosen? They may have influenced the world to adopt their views, right and wrong. We only list some according to three groupings:

1. Those that lead to new thought and seek to destroy belief in the one God.
2. Founders of new technology enhancements that support humanism and human self-determinism.
3. Military powers and warriors that reshape the world’s geopolitical environment.

All of them may have contributed to a secular world that rejects God. We list a small number … by no means a fully representative list:

• Adolph Hitler
• Friedrich Hegel (philosopher)
• Mao Zedong: Mao was the most influential Marxist theorist and revolutionary in the Chinese Communist Party.
• Karl Marx & Friedrich Engels (philosophers)
• Steve Jobs (Founder of Apple Inc. and smartphones)
• Elon Musk (Inventor and Futurist)
• Popes (Various)
• Johannes Gutenberg (Inventor of the printing press)
• Nikola Tesla (Inventor of the electrical age)
• Plato: The most famous disciple of Socrates and teacher of Aristotle; founded the Academy, the first institute of higher learning in Athens
• Charles Darwin (Scientist who founded the false theory of Evolution)
• Muhammad (Founder of Islam)
• Friedrich Nietzsche (philosopher)
• Sigmund Freud: Neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis. He theorized that human behavior is formed by unconscious desires and memories.
• Jean-Paul Sartre (philosopher)
• Niccolò Machiavelli (philosopher)

What influence led these people to their inventions and theories? It is Satan and his cohorts of fallen angels that will have played an influential role. The cosmological battle between good and bad is the central dynamic of the universe.

Satanic possession or oppression of individuals has played a significant role. Yet, this is a factor that is difficult to identify. For example, Adolph Hitler is considered to have been involved in the occult, as have many others who had great influence on the world.

One misunderstanding is that it is countries or organizations such as the United Nations that bring in wealth imbalances, lies and deception, chronic indebtedness, and ungodliness. That is not generally the case.

Changes in beliefs, agendas, and conspiracies are driven by individual human beings. As it is, there is only one major conspiracy agenda on a cosmologically evil scale that is afflicting the world.

However, there are many minor conspirators—antichrists. Said Apostle John: “Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour” (1 John 2:18).

Thoughts to Ponder

The Bible has a solid track record in predicting the future. In fact, Scripture foretells what will happen. It is correct and accurate.

Satan must organize a group of 10 nations that will provide him sufficient power to control the entire world. How can he achieve this goal? Just which nations will comply with his plan?

As we have mentioned earlier, events leading to the emergence of the 10 kings are accelerating. Our conclusions of several decades ago may be somewhat stale. However, the recent acceleration has actually confirmed our views to date.

Remember this: The 10 kings can appear soon, as “multilateralism” rushes ahead. And, we know the Rapture must occur before the Antichrist appears. Lord, come soon!

***

Wilfred J. Hahn is a global economist/strategist. Formerly a top-ranked global analyst, research director for a major Wall Street investment bank, and head of Canada’s largest global investment operation, his writings focus on the endtime roles of money, economics and globalization. He has been quoted around the world and his writings reproduced in numerous other publications and languages. His 2002 book The Endtime Money Snare: How to live free accurately anticipated and prepared its readers for the Global Financial Crisis. A following book, Global Financial Apocalypse Prophesied: Preserving true riches in an age of deception and trouble, looks further into the prophetic future.

Do you have questions or other perspectives? You can contact Wilfred at: staff@eternalvalue.com.

 

Twenty-one years ago, we wrote an article entitled, “Less Understanding in an Age of Knowledge.” This current article draws heavily from that earlier one, as well as providing an update.

The earlier article spoke of a new age of knowledge and the attendant boom in information. In the 1990s, this notion had become very popular as Wall Street and its cousins around the world fanned up a massive technology investment boom. Anything to do with information—information technology (IT), the Internet, computer software, intellectual property rights … etc.—was (and remains today) a sought-after investment.

During the early 1990s, leading-edge consultancies began documenting the growing boom in information. For example, the School for Information Systems and Management at the University of California, Berkeley, periodically produced a study that estimated the amount and growth of information in the world. A study released in October 2003 provided their findings for year-end 2002.

The report estimated that so much information had been produced worldwide that year that it would amount to 30 feet of books for each person living on Earth. This represented an increase in total information in the world of 30% in one year (a similar rate to that of the previous year). At that pace, total information would double in less than three years. Back then, such calculations were considered stupendous and unbelievable.

Popular opinion in those days was captured by a new virtual world, where the “information highway” was born. Knowledge is the future, said the seers, and having an occupation as a “knowledge worker” was a luring profession. Near the end of this craze, consultants and commentators were so ecstatic about the emerging information age that nothing seemed impossible.

Policymakers and leaders of global organizations were preaching that the information and knowledge available through the World Wide Web would open all mankind to enlightenment and solve the poverty of many third-world countries. Simply by providing everyone access to the Internet, opportunity would be available to all of humanity—from the youngest schoolkids in America to the Bedouins of Arabia.

We now know that much of this talk was self-serving hype and the result of manic optimism and opportunism. As it turned out, the Dotcom Bubble—as it was popularly named—collapsed. There were massive losses, with the stock prices of many technology-related companies falling by as much as 90% and more.

Nevertheless, the new technologies did usher in a new world of digital connectivity. Powerful information networks emerged. These advances transformed the mindset of the world. In fact, many of these new technologies are surely facilitating significant end-time developments, such as rising globalization, narcissism, consumerism, and humanism. All of this was supposedly incubated by a boom in knowledge.

Is There a Knowledge Explosion?

Has there really been a boom in knowledge? What does the Bible say about knowledge? These are questions worth investigating.

We will return to address these important inquiries after we learn of the second digital boom that is ongoing today. There are again some new bubbles (speculative manias) underway … like none witnessed before. There are numerous new technologies playing a role, including robots, autonomous vehicles, space travel, quantum mechanics, as well as others. However, the biggest new development is AI (Artificial Intelligence). It is the biggest rage … by far.

It is expected that AI will greatly transform life and business on Earth. According to some visionaries, AI is an existential development for humanity. As such, massive investments are being marshaled to capture the expected future profits. The anticipated investments are in the multi-trillions of dollars.

A major side effect of these investments is a boom in the computational power of data centers. This requires enormous amounts of energy. It is estimated that this demand is already impacting energy costs. Analysts estimate that AI energy demand will account for 20-25% of total power demand by 2030. Even mothballed nuclear plants are being revived to meet the anticipated energy needs.

Adding to this computational surge is the crypto boom of recent years. The mining of cryptocurrency is also very energy-intensive, requiring much electricity.

Admittedly, all of this is rather difficult to grasp. We have only scratched the surface. Suffice it to say that enormous amounts of power and data are needed with AI and crypto operations. This has a knock-on impact on anything that uses digital processing … from streaming video to satellite data transmission, to many other applications. Without a doubt, we are witnessing a digital boom beyond comprehension.

Secular analysts and Bible readers alike agree that a boom in knowledge is underway. However, they may be terribly confused. In our view, knowledge is not expanding as rapidly as many think.

Do any of the statistics about trends and developments in information tell us anything about knowledge? In contrast, what does the Bible say about knowledge? This is an important issue to settle.

The Bible has the first and last word on knowledge. “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world” (Psalm 19:1-4).

We see that knowledge has always existed; it has never changed, and finds its complete genesis in God and His physical creation. Knowledge of eternal significance concerns the knowledge of God and His purposes. The only thing that has changed is man’s understanding, and, more importantly, mankind’s willingness to understand.

Understanding begins with the recognition of God’s sovereignty and truth, says the Bible. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline” (Proverbs 1:7).

Scriptures allow us no excuse for lacking this type of knowledge. All of creation points to God. “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse” (Romans 1:20). Here we clearly see that knowledge is the foundational information that matters for eternity.

Shall Knowledge Increase?

Is an end-time boom in knowledge prophesied in the Bible? Some teachers suggest that the Bible prophesies an increase in knowledge in the last days. Bible prophecy may indeed provide some insights on the phenomenon of an end-time information boom. However, as we shall see, rather than prophesying a rise in knowledge, it is a boom in ignorance that will mark an end-time world.

An increase in information—trivia, distractions, and cares of this world—is markedly in alignment with last-day trends and developments. Information—the vast, vast preponderance of which is total trivia and trash—has definitely boomed.

As mentioned, some do interpret Scripture as predicting an end-time boom in knowledge. A popular proof text is found in Daniel 12:4: “But you, Daniel, close up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge.” Some also infer from this verse that not only will knowledge increase, but also travel. For a number of reasons, it is not likely that this text refers to such phenomena at all.

A Bible word-study of the term “knowledge” may settle this issue.

In the first instance, it would be difficult to conclude that this passage refers to more knowledge in the form of new revelation. Here, the original word used for “knowledge” is more aptly defined as the “act of knowing.” In this sense, it is not knowledge that increases but rather the knowing of it. Knowledge has always existed.

Also significant is the fact that this statement is mentioned right after Daniel is instructed to “seal up the words.” As such, this would indicate that the explanation of the vision Daniel received is closed until such time that “knowing” would unlock its message.

We are safer to interpret this passage (Daniel 12:4) as referring to an increase in understanding of prophecy, the speech of Scripture, and the mind of God—not an increase in information in its original sense.

Probably the most convincing argument is that, since all of Daniel’s prophecies are concerned with the Jewish people and their future, this statement applies purely to them. Just as the Scripture, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6a) is expressly spoken to the Jews, so then would Daniel’s prophecy of an increase of knowledge only apply to the Jews.

The word “knowledge” here does not refer to miscellaneous information or trivia, but rather the knowing of God’s plan and His laws. The prophets had often castigated the Hebrews for their lack of knowledge. “Israel’s watchmen are blind, they all lack knowledge,” said Isaiah (56:10a). Hosea confirms that the knowledge being lacked refers to the ignorance of God and His laws: “…Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children” (Hosea 4:6).

During the last days, the Jewish people will again come to an increasing understanding of their destiny and purpose. Finally, at the end of the Great Tribulation, a remnant will come to a full understanding. “Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding. In those days, when your numbers have increased greatly in the land, declares the LORD…” (Jeremiah 3:15-16a).

Points to Ponder

Information is flooding the world—AI, crypto, entertainment and media, communications networks … etc.  But only a very small fraction of human activities and understandings represent true knowledge—the knowing of God’s cosmic plans.

The knowledge of God is eternal and much bigger than anything that mankind could produce. As such, we identify a paradox. Even as mankind may be proud of his new information, at the same time, his knowledge becomes ever smaller in a relative sense. The more that scientists discover new information (information from God’s creation), the more questions abound than answers.

If anything, today’s information boom is an assault upon knowledge … a distraction from its recognition and understanding. It is this aspect that finds alignment with Bible prophecy and applies to the entire world. Scripture clearly indicates that in the last days, people would be taken up with the cares and anxieties of the world and its things (2 Timothy 3:1-5; James 5:1-5). It clearly is a distracted world, far from knowing and fearing God.

Despite this mind-jamming and diversionary onslaught today, true knowledge is there for the taking by anyone. We are given the ability to discern and to acknowledge it, and to willingly respond. The Bible calls this ability prudence and wisdom. It is given to both Jews and Gentiles, and is operative in both the old and new covenants.

The truths of eternity and God’s plan for the cosmos and salvation remain secure. God preserves knowledge … it does not change. “The eyes of the LORD keep watch over knowledge, but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful” (Proverbs 22:12).

There is another prophetic aspect of today’s information explosion that speaks to us living in the Western world. It is significant that information (data) is expanding and more accessible than ever in these last days. Even though we live in an age of institutionalized corruption and deception, anyone wishing to pursue truth can do so as perhaps never before. Key, crucial facts are all found in the public domain today—a surprising amount available free over the Internet from even the remotest parts of the earth.

When this cosmos finally wraps up, and humanity sits in front of the Judgment Seat, there will be no excuse for the world not to have recognized the signs of the times … the season of Christ’s soon-coming return. No clemency will be offered to the pleas of involuntary delusion, blindness, misinformation, and organized agendas of deception. The information was available all around. There will be no excuse for not being able to recognize the season of Christ’s soon-coming return.

Its interpretation is unlocked by the messages and warnings found in God’s informational database—the Bible. This information, too, has been more available than ever (ignoring some of its corrupted versions) and its Gospels more broadly accessible to the average person … to even lambs and the simple-minded. After all, the world’s population has more literacy skills, and the Bible is available in more forms (electronic text, recordings, printed … etc.) than ever in history.

Moreover, understanding the most important truths of the Bible doesn’t require theological training, mysticism, allegorizing, ordainment, an ecclesiastical intermediary, secret revelation, or knowledge of what certain theologians or early Fathers may have said. The Bible says what it says, and God knows how to say what He means. “You do not need anyone to teach you” other than the Holy Spirit (1 John 2:27). If it were otherwise, the very character of God would be in question.

The Psalmist had this prayer: “Do good to your servant according to your word, O LORD. Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I believe in your commands” (Psalm 119:66).

May we increase in knowing and understanding during these very last days.

***

Wilfred J. Hahn is a global economist/strategist. Formerly a top-ranked global analyst, research director for a major Wall Street investment bank, and head of Canada’s largest global investment operation, his writings focus on the endtime roles of money, economics and globalization. He has been quoted around the world and his writings reproduced in numerous other publications and languages. His 2002 book The Endtime Money Snare: How to live free accurately anticipated and prepared its readers for the Global Financial Crisis. A following book, Global Financial Apocalypse Prophesied: Preserving true riches in an age of deception and trouble, looks further into the prophetic future.

Do you have questions or other perspectives? You can contact Wilfred at: staff@eternalvalue.com.