“The problems of the world are huge and they cannot be ignored: terrorism, war, starvation, displacement, climate change, nuclear proliferation, trade inequality and financial crisis. The old way hasn’t always worked. Perhaps Mr. Naím has a point. Maybe the magic numbers work?” We have here quoted an international economist who is responding to a new idea regarding global governance.

To what magic numbers is he referring? Actually, he is wondering just what is the right number of countries needed to solve the world’s problems. Is it the Group of 20 nations (G-20), the G-8 or some other grouping? Or, in fact, could it be a group of 10… the exact number of the last-day 10 kings that the Bible prophesies will give their authority to the Antichrist? (Revelation 17:13).

To provide more background, the above-quoted comment was in response to a provocative and insightful article written by the influential Moisés Naím, the well-known Editor-in-Chief ofForeign Policy magazine and former executive director of the World Bank. Interestingly, Mr.Naím recently began advocating a new concept—global minilateralism. (We will explain this term shortly.)

Though he may not realize it, he strikes upon a very important eschatological issue. His recommendations fit hand in glove with Bible prophecy, but not necessarily in the way popularly thought. He is talking of a world that is moving to a post-globalism state. How can this be? Isn’t globalism a prophetic development? Then just what is this “minilateralism,” and why should we care? We will investigate.

World Now Moving to Post-Globalism

Globalism is certainly a hot topic of late. Recent confirmations that the Group of 20 (G-20) is now the prime policy body in the world is evidence to many observers that globalism is indeed forging ahead. Whereas smaller groups such as the G-7 determined global policy direction in the past, this power nexus has now moved to the G-20 forum, which also includes such countries as Brazil and China. Quoting one of literally hundreds of comments from international relations experts, “A striking outcome of the global financial crisis has been the substitution of the G-7 for the G-20 as the key forum for international coordination.”1[1]

Widely seen, this is a clear step in the direction of globalism. Most certainly, the recent G-20 proceedings held in Pittsburgh, United States, produced many boastful statements about the new resolve and capabilities of this august group. It seeks to solve problems it has defined from Global Warming to global financial instabilities. Will it be successful? It is almost certain that it will prove to be another ineffectual group, its great pronouncements nothing more than theatre and pomp. At this point, there is virtually no consensus as to why global imbalances and the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) occurred in the first place. With such confusion, how could they agree on solutions?

Bible prophecy backs up this opinion. In fact, globalism is not the final, exclusive power organization of an endtime world. We can already today see evidence that this shift could happen very soon. To explain why, let’s first review the concept of globalism.

Globalism: Prophetic but Overdone

Referencing some common definitions: “Globalism is an ideology that emphasizes the current trend toward international organizations and institutions.”2[2] Says the Merriam-Webster dictionary, it is “a national policy of treating the whole world as a proper sphere for political influence.”

Many debate and write about globalism’s implications for mankind—whether beneficial or disastrous. Though the term “globalism” is a new one (the word only coined as recently as the 1940s), countless thousands of books and articles have been written on this topic. Indeed, the world itself has become a political podium, the actions of most individual nations postured for a global audience. Yes, the “global village” is getting smaller by virtue of becoming more connected financially and economically (this being globalization). There is also convergence of ideology and culture, though not as advanced as global trade and financial systems. And, of course, globalism is a topic that is a favorite of many conspiracy theorists.

To be clear, the Bible clearly does prophesy that globalism will take place in the last days. God pronounces his last-day judgments upon all the nations collectively, as they are all engaged in rebelliousness, are pursuing similar ideologies and together rise up against Israel. For example, “Come near, you nations, and listen; pay attention, you peoples! Let the earth hear, and all that is in it, the world, and all that comes out of it! The LORD is angry with all nations; his wrath is upon all their armies. He will totally destroy them, he will give them over to slaughter” (Isaiah 34:1-2).

From prophecy we can deduce that the world would have forums such as the United Nations and global media networks that would be representative of world opinion and consensus. When Balaam prophesied, “For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations” (Numbers 23:9, KJV), this presumed that the world—“the nations” collectively—was united in not “reckoning” Israel. As it happens, that state of affairs exists today.

Yet, while globalism in the sense already defined does occur and persist, the world in fact does move to a post-globalism state. Here, we can rely on Biblical proof. The “global parliament of man,” as Alfred Tennyson called it3[3], will not rule the world in the end. Globalism is not the last state. Then what is? Actually, there are yet two regimes that come after— minilateralism (Naím’s word invention) and autocracy … the form of government in which the political power is held by a single, self-appointed ruler.

Two More Regimes Follow Modern Globalism

The last state of world rule is represented by the 8th king mentioned in Revelation 17:11. He follows 7 previous world gentile ruler kings that are shown as heads in John’s vision of the 7-headed beast that is ridden by the prostitute in Revelation 17. This image depicts consecutive dominating nation states and their founding kings. The 8th king is the Beast himself. But though he belongs to the seven (verse 11), he also comes from among the last-day 10 kings. He is the “little one, which came up among them” (Daniel 7:8).

Therefore, it is the 10-king period of rulership that is next to appear, not yet this final 8th king who will rule the world (this being the Antichrist). The 10 kings precede the Antichrist, as Daniel makes clear, in no uncertain terms: “The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones” (Daniel 7:24). In conclusion, the 10 kings collectively represent the 7th head, which follows the 6th Roman head—but preceding the Antichrist, who then becomes the 8th beastly king.

All of this makes for a fascinating study. Unfortunately, we can only touch on a few of the salient points here. The important point to recognize is that the next stage of world rulership will be represented by a 10-nation coalition, though it will only be in existence for a very short period (Revelation 17:12). It has yet to appear. As close as it may be, it does not yet exist.

Why Might Globalism Be Superseded?

Obviously, a state of affairs where a coalition of 10 nations rules the world stands against the implicit goal of globalism … the idea that all mankind and nations are unified in determining the world’s fate. But why? Something additional to globalism takes place.

Now, let us allow Mr. Naím to speak:

When was the last time you heard that a large number of countries agreed to a major international accord on a pressing issue? Not in more than a decade. The last successful multilateral trade agreement dates back to 1994, when 123 countries gathered to negotiate the creation of the World Trade Organization and agreed on a new set of rules for international trade. Since then, all other attempts to reach a global trade deal have crashed. The same is true with multilateral efforts to curb nuclear proliferation; the last significant international nonproliferation agreement was in 1995, when 185 countries agreed to extend an existing nonproliferation treaty. In the decade and a half since, multilateral initiatives have not only failed, but India, Pakistan, and North Korea have demonstrated their certain status as nuclear powers. On the environment, the Kyoto Protocol, a global deal aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, has been ratified by 184 countries since it was adopted in 1997, but the United States, the world’s second-largest air polluter after China, has not done so, and many of the signatories have missed their targets. The pattern is clear: Since the early 1990s, the need for effective multicountry collaboration has soared, but at the same time multilateral talks have inevitably failed; deadlines have been missed; financial commitments and promises have not been honored; execution has stalled; and international collective action has fallen far short of what was offered and, more importantly, needed. These failures represent not only the perpetual lack of international consensus, but also a flawed obsession with multilateralism as the panacea for all the world’s ills. It has become far too dangerous to continue to rely on large-scale multilateral negotiations that stopped yielding results almost two decades ago. So what is to be done? To start, let’s forget about trying to get the planet’s nearly 200 countries to agree. We need to abandon that fool’s errand in favor of a new idea: minilateralism. By minilateralism, I mean a smarter, more targeted approach: We should bring to the table the smallest possible number of countries needed to have the largest possible impact on solving a particular problem. Think of this as minilateralism’s magic number.4[4]

Cutting to the nub of Mr. Naím’s argument: Today’s multilateral “globalism” amounts to little more than “beating the gums.” It is ineffective … there is no accountability … no power to enforce change. He is saying that a small group of powerful nations—not the global, toothless forum such as the United Nations with its 192 members—should therefore dictate global agendas.

But why is this important and necessary? Well, to Mr. Naím’s mind, because the world faces huge, disastrous problems that must be fixed. These emergencies—present and potentially future—therefore provide the imperative for a smaller group of nations, who together have dominant power, to seize the global agenda.

This is an earth-changing perspective. Yet, it fits the current and coming times. It is very possible that the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) stands to be a major catalyst to this new state of world rulership.

A World Set-up For Domination

It is a fact that power in the world today is not equally distributed. Global power has many forms. We can categorize them into two broad types—Hard Power and Soft Power. Soft Power includes various forms of world influence. Here can be numbered memberships on world transnational organizations such as the International Monetary Fund or NATO (and a host of many others), or influence upon world culture. Hard Power, by comparison, is more direct and can include such factors as military might, the size of world trade in goods and services, a country’s relative population size and so on.

Two obstructions stand in the way of the emergence of the 7th head of world rule, this being the 10-king Global Power Coalition. The first is that one nation today is still a superpower. This is the United States. For the most part, it can do as it wishes and need not comply with the rules set by world multilateral organizations. Before a 10-nation coalition can rule the world, it will require that the distribution of power in the world be relatively leveled out among the leading nations. Whatever the allied group that will seize world power, it must collectively be able to overcome any superpower. Otherwise, it could not exist uncontested. This development is called “multipolarism” and is already well underway. (Please see the 2-part series entitled “Endtime Shoe: Fitting the World for Ten Toes”—MCM, January and February 2009—for a detailed review of this development.)

The second structure that obstructs the emergence of a 10-nation Power Coalition is as Mr.Naím already described—the ineffectiveness of today’s globalism, which involves every country, whether significant or a small nation-state on a pacific, tropical island.

The logical path therefore, is both multipolarism and minilateralism. The former broadens the power and neutralizes the lone superpowers; the latter centralizes global power to a smaller group, thereby circumventing globalism’s organizational mire. As Goldilocks observed, something in the middle is needed … it will be a beast but not a “baby bear” nor a “papa bear,” but a “mama bear.”

The Power of Ten

How many nations will it require to reach a position of global dominance? Not many … certainly not 20. Why? Consider the distribution of various economic, financial and other power measures in the world today. Of the many factors that we could outline, reflect on the following:

• The 10 largest economies in the world represent 68% of world output.
• Concerning world government debt, 10 nations account for 79%. Interestingly, the bigger economies in the world are actually more indebted than the rest of the world. That fits with prophecies that suggest the final ruler will be indebted (Habakkuk 2:6-8).
• The countries with the 10 largest stock markets account for 75.4% of world value in US dollar terms (end 2008).
• The 153 members of the World Trade Organization represent about 95% of world trade.The nations that are the top-10 global exporters of goods and services alone account for 53%.5[5]
• The 10 most populous nations in the world account for 66% of the world’s population.

No matter which measure we may use, we will find that it only requires 10 or so nations to reach a majority or balance of dominance. We see that the nations of the world are already ideally aligned for the emergence of the prophesied multipolar, minilateralist state shown as the 10-king Global Power Coalition.

Along Comes the Global Financial Crisis

World policymakers and financial economists are hopeful that the new initiatives set by thePittsburgh round of G-20 meetings will lead to resolution of the Global Financial Crisis. I believe that such expectations will be sorely disappointed. The G-20 has no means of enforcing the implementation of its resolutions. The actions of individual countries will continue to be driven by the interests of their own domestic political agenda. Self-interests will inevitably rule and in some cases, stand directly counter to the stated goals of the G-20.

Actually, this is already the case and cannot be denied. Currently, the interests of various major countries couldn’t be more opposite. For example, in some respects, the interests of theUnited States and Europe are opposite to that of China and India. These two nations, accounting for approximately two-fifths of the world population, see it as necessary to continue to expand trade. China and other Asian countries deliberately keep their currencies low to ensure that their exports are competitively priced. This in turn causes Americans to lose jobs and external deficits to remain high. The U.S. and other advanced members of the G-20 wantChina to encourage its citizens to spend more on consumption and export less. In the meantime, North American consumers love the cheap prices of imported Chinese products that they can buy at Wal-Mart. How to resolve this issue? There are many more intractable problems that will not be resolved by the G-20.

As it is, China (most likely also India and Japan) and some Middle Eastern countries such asIran will not be part of the 10-nation coalition. This can be deduced from Bible prophecy. They are neither nations comprised of Roman peoples or their offshoots, or already were kingdoms in power at the time that John received the prophecies of the book of Revelation. He prophesied at that time that “The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom” (Revelation 17:12). As China already existed then, it is not one of the countries that will be part of the 10-king group.

Thoughts to Ponder

It is during the reign of the 6th head on the beast—the first Roman-people-lineage era—in which we are living today. Globalism has flourished to its late-date state. Now, we are likely very near embarking into the 7th head era, which is ruled by a 10-nation coalition.

It could very well be that the Global Financial Crisis and its future fall-out will prove to be the catalysts that will bring the world to a state of minilateralism. In the meantime, such countries as China and other emerging nations are fast accumulating economic power. Already, the economies of the non-advanced members of the G-20 nations have surpassed that of the advanced members. It is quite possible that the entire east-Asian orb of nations along withChina could be in opposition to the final 10-kings. This very development could be seen to actually hasten the 10-king formation. In such a scenario, these 10 nations would need to ally themselves against any opposition before it is too late.

Minilateralism is not as cute or toothless as the prefix “mini” implies. The concept of minilateralism for the time being is meant by Mr. Naím as a collaborative, peaceful process. In the end, however, it is more likely to result in policies of exclusion and oppression.

NOTES

[1] Agnès Bénassy-Quéré & Olena Havrylchyk, “G-20, Not G-7,” RGE Monitor, September 25, 2009.
[2] Wikipedia, Accessed Sept. 28, 2009, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Globalism
[3] Alfred Tennyson, Locksley Hall, 1846.
[4] Moisés Naím, “Minilateralism,” Foreign Policy, July/August 2009.
[5] CIA. Using available data from years 2006 to 2008.

People often ask whether the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) has any special prophetic significance. Or, could it possibly represent the start or near approach of the Tribulation? Starting with the first question, the answer is mixed—“yes” and “no.” In short, no, the current GFC is not specifically mentioned in Bible prophecy. However, yes, it is significant in the sense that it is part of a progression that is leading to the prophetic fulfillment of conditions described as occurring inside the Tribulation period.

The answer to the second question is a definite “no.” Nonetheless, there are some who think that the GFC is already part of the Tribulation period. While this view cannot at all be supported scripturally, one can certainly agree that some aspects of the current GFC have parallels with various prophecies.

We want to examine further the role of crisis—whether financial or economic—in world history and the Biblical prophetic timeline.  Moreover, just what assurances might Christians today glean from this record?

A World of Continuous Crisis

Seen in the overall picture, the GFC hardly qualifies as being part of a series of events that “[…] never was of old nor ever will be in ages to come” (Joel 2:2). It isn’t unique seen from the perspective of world history. There have been many economic and financial crises in the world before … some of them much more disastrous, caused by war, plague or natural phenomena (i.e. climatic cooling effects of major volcanic eruptions). Others were classic financial bubbles and busts involving over-indebtedness and money manias. All of these conditions have a long history.

If so, then why do we not read about them in the Bible? Well, actually the Bible does provide accounts of great economic and financial busts, both past and, most crucially, of the future. For example, seven years of plenty were followed by a disastrous 7-year meltdown of the entire economic structure of the then known world. During the time of Joseph in Egypt, the seven lean years certainly qualified as a bust that hugely overshadows the GFC of today.

The Bible speaks of various droughts; for example, one lasting for some 3 1/2 years in Israelduring the time of Elijah and King Ahab. That would surely have caused depression-like economic conditions in Israel that would have wiped out a few fortunes.

We do not readily recognize these events as economic and financial histories mainly because the Bible does not describe them in the modern economic terms of our “financially sophisticated” times. We are not told of collapsing debt markets, bankrupt banks, nor the details of possible inflationary conditions. For example, only in extra-Biblical writings is there found any indication of the burdensome inflationary consequences to the huge spending and borrowing binge of King Solomon. That was part of the contributing reason why laborers were grumbling against King Rehoboam. Jeroboam said to him “Your father [Solomon] put a heavy yoke on us” (1 Kings 12:4; 2 Chronicles 10:4).

Indeed, the Bible is often skimpy on financial details and economic backdrops. It would have been interesting to know how some of the prophets sustained themselves. For example, Jeremiah prophesied for a period of some 40 years. Moreover, God required him to buy a property in Anathoth from a cousin, Hanamel, (Jeremiah 32) just before the Babylonians conquered and sacked Judah. Just how did he make ends meet during his long ministry? He traveled widely and made bad property investments.

We must note, of course, that, Jeremiah was told to buy the property from Hanamel by God, because he was to demonstrate faith in the long-term promise that Judah would be restored after 70 years. He was the ultimate long-term investor. All the same, how did Jeremiah make ends meet during his lifetime?

No doubt, many pastors and others called to ministry would like to know whether Jeremiah was a TFK (a “trust fund kid”), perhaps benefiting from a fortune left to him by a father that was a wealthy scion. We simply are not told. The topic doesn’t come up with any of the prophets. For example, Jonah heads off to Tarshish, loses everything crossing the Mediterranean Sea, yet is able to travel to Nineveh. No mention is made of him first going back to his hometown synagogue to solicit a “love offering” for his redirected mission trip toNineveh. We are not told of a mission furlough.

From the perspective of the Holy Spirit that inspired the writing of Scripture, these details were not deemed important for us to know. Here, the Bible’s testimony simply and quietly gives evidence of God’s provision. It is assumed, as it is deemed to be obvious. If we are called to do something for the Lord, He will also make a way, provided that we practice sensible stewardship.

One of the few (if not only) cases where God is shown to intervene miraculously is with Elijah (1 Kings 17:4). Not only was he fed by ravens that were divinely sent to bring him his daily meat and bread, but he was also later nourished by the woman of Zaraphath with the ever-replenishing jar of oil (1 King 17:14). God did not shower Elijah with wine and rich foods (nor with three Mercedes automobiles and a sumptuous mansion, as some contemporaries who claim they are called by God seem to demand today), but simply that which was sufficient.

God’s Purpose in Crises

The times of great economic crisis mentioned in the Old Testament all were part of God’s workings.

Even more interesting to learn is the global economic and financial background that existed at the time of Jesus Christ. Nowhere in the Gospels is found any direct mention or description of the general economic backdrop during that time. Again, we must look to sources outside of the Bible. Doing so, we discover an interesting fact. The financial backdrop during almost the entirely of Jesus’ life was one of global financial turmoil. Actually, there was a massive global financial crisis … one perhaps on the scale of today … during the latter part of his life on earth. In fact, it may yet be proven that a “global financial crisis” rocked the world at the very time of His journey to Golgotha.

Here is an account of the financial problems of Rome that led up to a major banking crisis in 33 A.D., taken from Chapter 15 of Will Durant’s Caesar and Christ: A History of Roman Civilization and of Christianity from Their Beginnings to A.D. 325:

The famous ‘panic’ of A.D. 33 illustrates the development and complex interdependence of banks and commerce in the Empire. Augustus had coined and spent money lavishly, on the theory that its increased circulation, low interest rates, and rising prices would stimulate business. They did; but as the process could not go on forever, a reaction set in as early as 10 B.C., when this flush minting ceased. Tiberius rebounded to the opposite theory that the most economical economy is the best. He severely limited the governmental expenditures, sharply restricted new issues of currency, and hoarded 2,700,000,000 sesterces in the Treasury.

The resulting dearth of circulating medium was made worse by the drain of money eastward in exchange for luxuries. Prices fell, interest rates rose, creditors foreclosed on debtors, debtors sued usurers, and money-lending almost ceased. The Senate tried to check the export of capital by requiring a high percentage of every senator’s fortune to be invested in Italian land; senators thereupon called in loans and foreclosed mortgages to raise cash, and the crisis rose. When the senator Publius Spinther notified the bank of Balbus and Ollius that he must withdraw 30,000,000 sesterces to comply with the new law, the firm announced its bankruptcy.

At the same time the failure of an Alexandrian firm, Seuthes and Son due to their loss of three ships laden with costly spices and the collapse of the great dyeing concern of Malchus at Tyre, led to rumors that the Roman banking house of Maximus and Vibo would be broken by their extensive loans to these firms. When its depositors began a “run” on this bank it shut its doors, and later on that day a larger bank, of the Brothers Pettius, also suspended payment. Almost simultaneously came news that great banking establishments had failed in Lyons, Carthage,Corinth, and Byzantium. One after another the banks of Rome closed. Money could be borrowed only at rates far above the legal limit. Tiberius finally met the crisis by suspending the land-investment act and distributing 100,000,000 sesterces to the banks, to be lent without interest for three years on the security of realty. Private lenders were thereby constrained to lower their interest rates, money came out of hiding, and confidence slowly re-turned.

If you followed the above account, it should be noted that it took some years for these described developments to finally culminate in a catastrophic and interconnected banking crisis that cascaded through the known world at that time. Indeed, it was a global financial crisis. Most surely, at least part of these events occurred while Jesus was still alive, late in his time of ministry on earth.

Tacitus, the Roman historian of that era, provides the most detailed account in The Annals(VI, 16-17). He tells us of the response by Emperor Tiberius:

The destruction of private wealth precipitated the fall of rank and reputation, till at last the emperor interposed his aid by distributing throughout the banks a hundred million sesterces, and allowing freedom to borrow without interest for three years, provided the borrower gave security to the State in land to double the amount. Credit was thus restored, and gradually private lenders were found.

As then, various central banks today are following the same policies… flooding the monetary system with money, depressing interest rates and devising special terms to induce the flow of money and credit. The size of official Roman interventions were enormous—figures in the hundreds of millions of sesterces (a Roman monetary unit).

Could this Roman-world financial crisis have peaked in the very year that Christ was crucified? The bankruptcies of various banks had already begun in 32 A.D., continuing into 33 A.D. The exact date of the crucifixion of Christ is April 14, 33 A.D. (exactly fitting the prophecies of Daniel).  As such, we can confirm that an ancient “GFC” was indeed raging across the Roman world toward the end of Jesus’ time on earth.

Thoughts to Ponder

Could it be that Jesus Christ will return at a time similar to when He left—during times of global financial crisis? What we do know, according to the two angels that appeared following the Ascension, is that “This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11).

Most certainly, Jesus’ final return at the end of the Tribulation period will occur at a time of global devastation and economic collapse. Jesus, however, will also appear in the air at an earlier time. He said, “I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:3). Here He points to the Rapture. And so today, many Christians apparently hope that the Rapture will occur before such a great financial crisis unfolds … perhaps even hoping this might occur before the Global Financial Crisis worsens.

The Rapture is imminent, potentially occurring at any moment. We therefore do not know its hour. However, it seems not unreasonable to believe that just as Christ “was taken from you into heaven”—in other words, from believers who were looking up as he ascended into heaven—that those who will be received into heaven by Him in the Rapture, will also be looking upwards … not trapped and focused upon any worldly financial crisis.

A non-worldliness was implored by Paul: “What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on […] those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away” (1 Corinthians 7:29-31).

Contrary to the promises of globalists, demagogues, false prophets and varied other hucksters and pied pipers, no heaven will be achieved on earth by mankind. In its present form, the world will pass away. We “[…] lift up [our] heads, because [our] redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:28).