A frustrated comment that we sometimes hear is this: Why all the doom and gloom in sermons and prophecy? Why the heavy admonitions and scare tactics? Following our recent articles, we feel we should respond. As such, we briefly interrupt our series “Burning Alight: 12 Endtime Fuses.” People appear to be reacting to what they perceive as a heavy weight when reading about worrisome world trends and the Bible’s seemingly incessant apocalyptic prophecies.

What’s more, people see themselves trapped to these developments. Given that the Bible is true and it indeed prophesies apocalyptic events, then God must have predetermined that these must happen. They ask: What god would condemn the world of his creation in this way?

With such a fatalistic perspective, people will understandably plead that it would be better that they didn’t know about the uncertainties of worldwide developments or the specifics of Bible prophecies. They may reason that one cannot worry about something one doesn’t know about. This does not necessarily mean people only prefer to hear smooth things (Isaiah 30:10). They may simply be weary of the responsibilities of knowledge, so much so, that they identify with the lament of the author of Ecclesiastes, who wrote: “For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief” (Ecclesiastes 1:18).

We can stop right there in these laments. Why? Because the Bible provides a clear and certain answer to all of them, showing that these expressed concerns are misplaced … and perhaps even the result of wrong teachings.

The World Is No Blissful Place

Jesus plainly said: “In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33). So, to begin this topic, we first know that there is no such reliable thing as bliss on earth. We cannot change this by living in denial. The fact of the matter is that Christians must expect that they “will have trouble” in this world. This means that many developments on earth, whether prophesied in the Bible or not, will be far from blissful. But isn’t this perspective a pessimistic one?

The Bible Not a Pessimistic Document

We can be thankful that negative reactions to the Bible’s messages and prophecies are certainly not for reasons of what the Bible actually says. To start, the Bible is not a “pessimistic” document. Far from it. Rather, it is a document that testifies to hope.

Scripture consistently proclaims salvation, a glorious hope (Ephesians 1:18) and a blessed hope (Titus 2:13). It stands for Truth, the oppressed, the captives, the poor, for justice and unconditional forgiveness. It is a Book that steadfastly points to an end that will be wonderful. It promises reward and eternal life to those whose names are in the “Book of Life,” not ever blotting them out (Revelation 3:5). Is this emblematic of a pessimistic document?

The above statements of the Bible testify to a God who throughout mankind’s history has repeatedly stepped in with new dispensations due to mankind’s failures … even regarding that “[…] it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish” (John 11:50). It is in this context that we must view prophecies and their purpose.

Bible Prophecy and Love

Why then do so many people react negatively, feeling such “doom and gloom” when they hear of Bible prophecy … of disasters and trends of “Biblical proportions”? There may be a number of reasons.

Firstly, what often is omitted, we think, is the main foundational cornerstone of the Bible—love and mercy.

God of the Bible does not want anyone to be lost, much less go through the Tribulation; neither Armageddon nor Hades; nor to be thrown into the eternal “lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15).

Scripture is clear on this point. For example: “[…] he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). Christ himself made this clear, saying “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10).

Nowhere in the Bible does it say that God wants people to perish. Why? “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

Scripture and prophecy, when taught and preached in a spirit of love—this including the mission of providing warnings—encourages repentance. Cheap emotions born of sensationalist scare tactics will not be so effective or lasting. Sadly, one does encounter so-called Bible teachers who exult in the idea that the wicked will perish. They delight in the notion of Armageddon, of the mass slaughter that is coming to the unbelievers. There is no spirit of love in such sensationalism.

A second (and primary) reason why many “turn off” to Bible prophecy, thinking it incessantly pessimistic, is because people (both Christians and non-believers) misinterpret and misuse Bible prophecy. They ignore the warning to “not go beyond what is written” (1 Corinthians 4:6). Doing so, they themselves prophesy in their speculative interpretations of prophetic fulfillments. We noted one publication recently that goes so far as to claim that it is “prophesying” in its interpretations of Bible prophecy. In so doing, they will undoubtedly mislead people and discredit the Bible.

The more there are speculations, the more Bible prophecy is discredited as over-hyped doom & gloom. Such sensationalism can lead to prophecy “burn out” (as happened to this writer early in his adult life).

The very last book of the Bible before John’s Apocalypse, Jude, holds this place for a reason, just as Genesis holds the position of the first book of the Bible. And, what is its final message? “Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh” (Jude 1:22-23).

In no uncertain terms, Jude tells us to snatch people from the fire, to show mercy and to do this to the very last moment that the Church is on earth. This is diametrically opposite to the scare tactics of “doom and gloom” (apart from the warnings of being lost for eternity because of our sins). Sensationalism born out of commercialism and tactics to pull in crowds to the pew is false love.

To conclude these points, the proclaiming of the Gospel, Bible prophecy and its inherent warnings must be done in the spirit of love … the goal being to save the lost. People can only be expected to reject what will be perceived as frustrating condemnations.

In all we do, love is to be the overriding motive (this also applying to prophecy teachers). Apostle Paul makes this vital point, saying: “If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:1-2).

Prophecy: Foreknowledge or Predestination?

Next, we turn to the oft-expressed lament that prophecy is destiny … i.e. that mankind is helplessly condemned to perform all that is prophesied. Since all Bible prophecy will be fulfilled, does this not then mean that mankind is condemned to these events with no choice? This is a serious question to ponder.

As God foreknows the future choices of mankind, this does not mean that God is condemning mankind to making such decisions. Bible prophecy in large part is God knowing in advance the choices that we humans will make. As He lives outside the bounds of linear time, God recognizes the freewill choices of mankind in advance. Yes, the prophecies of the Holy Spirit will always be fulfilled, but only because mankind chose these outcomes (rather than being predestined to do so). This is an all-important distinction.

For example, living in America, people may feel that God has decreed that the U.S. as a society is irreversibly condemned to greater immorality, godlessness and global decline. Furthermore, that since the end times are here, a decline to greater faithlessness and apostasy must therefore continue uninterrupted. And, since these prophesied trends are all so fatalistic and futile, there is little one can do.

That view is not correct. Why? It denies that both individuals and societies have the choice to change their ways. God is not an author of evil, nor does He condemn anyone to do evil. It must not necessarily be our current generation that brings about the unwise choices of mankind that will be fulfilled. What if there was a turning back to God? Would it be possible for America to become a more God-fearing nation? Why not? It would be a matter of choice.

In this respect, we were exhilarated to view the courageous speech of Pastor Rabbi Cahn at the 2013 National Prayer Breakfast. President Obama was in the room, as were many other politicians. It would be hard to imagine that their convictions weren’t challenged by such a straight-talking, uncompromising, true-to-the-Bible, sermon. This was not the message of a “smiling” nor “want-to-be-everybody’s-friend” preacher. Time will tell if such compelling sermons given at such high levels will have an impact.

We return to the main point: At the very least, there is a choice to be made for every person under the aegis of the Holy Spirit. We are not all going to the same place, a view that is maintained by other religions of the world. We are not individually condemned to reject God and to involuntarily suffer the consequences. We can acknowledge that we are sinners; that we must repent; that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who is our Lord.

When the Holy Spirit inspired prophets to utter prophecies concerning the future choices of individuals, whether the leaders of nations or mankind overall, these were all the expressions of the foreknowledge of God. We are still given a choice that we are free to make. We are free to rebel or to comply. We are free to worship God and accept his grace through Jesus Christ or not.

Therefore, when the Bible says that faith “will wax cold” (Matthew 24:12), or that the nations of the world will collude against God (Psalm 2:1-3), these are not predictions or immutable predestinations for any individual or specific time. These all occur because of the choices of mankind, whether anguished or by default. This may all seem an enigma to the human mind. Yet, it is consistent with a God who indeed loves the world and “rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).

A Call to Watch and Preach Prophecy

Salvation is an undeserved gift from He who has “the power […] that brings salvation to everyone who believes” (Roman 1:16). But is this simply an insurance policy that requires nothing more of us? Does salvation provide us the license to slumber … to turn off and drop out … to seek the blissful life here on earth? Not according to the words of Jesus Christ.

In the first instance, we note that Jesus castigated the Pharisees and Sadducees because they did not recognize the “season.” He said: “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times” (Matthew 16:2-3).

If this was a criticism of people of that earlier time, it would only follow that Christians of today should similarly have an onus to “interpret the signs of the times.” It would be unlikely that the Church, which has been inserted into the salvation timeline by God for an appointed period, should not be able to recognize the “signs of the times.” This perspective confirms that Bible prophecy is indeed given as “a light shining in a dark place” (2 Peter 1:19), and that it is required that we study it and “discern the times” (Matthew 16:3).

Doing so should not instill fear in the saved Christian, but rather provide confirmation that the “blessed hope” is ever nearer, the time ever shorter to “snatch people from the fire.”

Jesus implores his people to “watch.” Just what are we to watch? We are to watch for prophesied events and markers. On at least six occasions, Jesus urged his disciples to “watch” the times in the context of being prepared for his return (Matthew 24:42, 25:13; Mark 13:33, 35; Luke 21:36, 38). We cannot deny Jesus’ emphasis of this command.

Yet, the Bible also emphasizes that we cannot know the exact time of Christ’s return (Rapture)—what “hour,” the “day nor hour,” the “time,” whether “at midnight,” or “at the cockcrowing” or “in the morning,” or “the second watch or third watch,” or before “things that shall come to pass.”

It is clear, therefore, that Christ calls us to watch … not to predict. And, watching should allow us to assess the trends of our times … to observe the “season” and “the appearance of the sky,” no matter how worrisome.

Points to Ponder

We have responded to the “doom gloom” syndrome by making five main points. Firstly, the Bible commands us to “watch” and to discern the season of the times. It is OK to continue to study prophecy and to watch for the “season.” While none of us are absolved from the task to “watch” and to “discern the times,” some are specifically called to the task of “watching.” Is there proof for this view?

Christ tells us of the parable of the man who goes away on a long trip. This man “gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch” (Mark 13:34). Here we see that everyone had their assignments, the porter specifically being called to “watch.” The key message of this parable was this: “Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning” (verse 35).

Secondly, as Christians, we have been given a great hope, salvation and the promise of eternal life. This is cause for rejoicing, not pessimism, no matter the wickedness of the times. Thirdly, we live in the world only a short time … a time of trouble and striving. There is no escaping this reality.

For Christians specifically, there are no promises of peace or final rest in this current dispensation. The original apostles had a diametrically opposite view to the popular blissful message of “Live your best life now” that emanates from some pulpits today. Said Paul: “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Corinthians 4:17). But: “Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses” (2 Corinthians 6:4).

Continuing with our five conclusions, fourthly, we are to continue “snatching people from the fire,” not with condemnations of prophecy but with love. We are to pray for the lost, even those committing evil and supposedly the great conspirators, according to the many conspiracy theorists. Finally, the Bible’s prophecies foreknow our choices and that of mankind. We are not condemned to doom and gloom involuntarily. We must diligently make our own choices. If He be God, serve Him.

Just as the disciples could not stay awake during the night of Christ’s abduction in the Garden of Gethsemane, so Christ’s Church will likely be found asleep at another very crucial time … that of His Second Return.  The very last words of Christ to us in the Book of Mark are these: “What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’”

“If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping” (Mark 13:36). Let us not let Him find us inactive, but rather snatching people from the fire and looking for the “blessed hope.” By God’s grace and mercy, we will continue doing so. Let us not be “tuned out” nor cause others to “turn off” the gospel message, because of any improper perspectives of Bible prophecy.

Like most worldly perspectives, opinions about the role of gold today are in conflict with what the Bible says. Just what role(s) does Scripture outline for gold? As we will briefly lay out, there are least five distinct phases mentioned for gold, each being linked to a different dispensation.

Mostly, however, we want to focus on the current developments involving the price and functions of gold.

As we have pointed out in other articles (for example, please see the Signs of the Times column in this issue of EVR), we know that a “corrosion of gold” (James 5:3) will manifest in the last days. We concluded that indeed, the corrosion of gold and silver has already been underway for quite some time (at least two centuries or more), pretty much in an inverse relationship to the rise of a globalized central banking system.

Without question, the precious metals of gold and silver have played special and vital roles throughout human history. Not only did these metals prove to be fairly reliable stores of savings and wealth, they also frequently had a monetary function. Along with some secondary metals, they served as the intrinsic value for money or as a guarantee for other types of currency, especially paper currency.

Gold (less so silver) was an ideal candidate for this anchor role for money. Besides being an attractive and lustrous material, it was a substance that did not corrode and was easily divisible, transportable, and above all, sufficiently rare. It could not be produced in unlimited quantities as could paper or other kinds of currency. Its supply was limited by the pace and costs of mining production. And so, for several millennia at least, gold served as an effective limit to fiat money creation (fiat  meaning “declared” forms of money like paper bills, for example, without any direct support of real wealth).

Gold has played some form of monetary role right up to the middle of the 20th century. Vestiges of this “moneyness” still linger, particularly so in the minds of historians. Since gold played such a major role in maintaining money systems throughout past history, they reason that today’s paper money systems must eventually return to a gold standard. “Gold is money” is a common refrain. That may well prove true again someday, but not in this current age. We will explain why.

The sudden advent of an integrated, closed, global financial system is a most pivotal development. Consider that as late as the year 1900, there were only 18 central banks in the world. At the time, all of these were located in Europe with the single exception being the Bank of Japan. The prosperity gospel of central banking had not yet spread very far.

However, it did not take long for it to spread far and wide after the Great Depression period. By 1980, over 100 or so were in operation. After the rapid spread of globalization (1970s to 2000 period) over 170 were in operation. And increasingly, these banks (starting with the major OECD country members) began to coordinate their policies. Even former and presently Communist countries followed suit. Consider that China’s central bank is today the second largest in the world! Today, we observe a highly integrated and globalized central banking system in the world.

But just what made the central banking system (itself largely based on debt assets and fractional reserve banking theory) become so endemic? This is because it allowed the flexibility for man-based institutions to manipulate the affairs of wealth accretion … to escape the chains of discipline and natural laws.

All central banks have adopted the same basic operating policies. For example, it is claimed that central banks can regulate the ebb and flow of inflation as well as debt growth in the commercial banking system. They do so through various means (or so they may believe), the details of which we will spare the reader. Some central banks may be more constrained than others due to different country statutes and laws.

All central banks have one most-powerful ability. Technically, they can “create” money out of thin air. Think about this for a moment: You the reader, and this writer, can only accumulate money through earnings and investment gains. We cannot lawfully create money, perhaps by adding zeros to our bank account or printing counterfeit notes. However, a central bank can effectively redistribute the existing savings of an entire country (and, we should add, this can also be done to the whole world) by creating more money with pen strokes. They alone have the franchise to do so.

Readers must realize that the world’s policymakers do not want gold to have a money role, nor do they want it to operate as a reliable hedge against inflation and/or the debasement of money. Remember what’s different today. Political Economy — around the world — is unanimously supportive of the world’s central banking systems. Money is the domain of Political Economy. Money is what it is decreed to be, no matter what its intrinsic value might be. Therefore, this is a fact that must not be ignored or forgotten: The value and role of gold is entirely in the hands of Political Economy.

If gold or some other medium of exchange rises up as a challenge or alternative to the current fiat money system, it cannot be tolerated. Eventually, it will be outlawed. There is no reason why this cannot happen to gold. It has happened before. Therefore, while gold may be an attractive investment from time to time, the globalized monetary system, fraudulent and fiat as it may be, does have sufficient power to disenfranchise gold as a money form at least until late in the Tribulation period. At that point, the entire global financial system collapses.

In the meantime, the leaders of the world do not want to have standards or shackles of any kind constraining their plans and conspiracies, whether morally or otherwise. If the Bible should say that, “The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, ‘Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles’” (Psalm 2:2-3), then debasing money and defrauding citizens of their wealth is really only a small thing to them. Such actions, according to the Bible’s definition, are most certainly considered immoral. (Please see the 2-part series entitled Shamans Shamed: A Lost World of Political Economy – Part I and II.)

We already live in a day where it is impossible to live outside of a banking system. We must repeat this as some still do not realize this: It is impossible to survive outside of the banking system. Without belaboring the point further, we point out that with the advent of Anti-Money Laundering laws, access to a bank account is essential. Without a bank account (whatever its future form) you will not be able to buy or sell. You cannot participate in any type of sanctioned commerce.

Political Economy demands that the financial system must preserve itself. Actions such as these fall into the amoral world of Political Economy. And, morality is not a concept that holds any influence over the accepted rules of play in geopolitics. Today, policymakers primarily only represent a world of materialism and its most powerful constituencies. Therefore, a monetary role for gold or silver could not be tolerated. A number of scriptures align with this view. For one, the Bible tells us that the world will be marked by great deception and materialistic idolatry. A monetary “sentinel” like gold would be highly inconvenient during this time for this and other reasons.

The reality is that gold remains a basic, physical element found upon earth. It is not something with eternal qualities or with Biblical certification of real wealth. A study of the role of gold in the monetary systems of the past few hundred years reveals that its reputation as a reliable and solid foundation for security is certainly overstated.

As already pointed out, gold lost its official monetary function some time ago, though many may not realize this fact. It is no longer money (although they are a few places where this is still the case, such as Turkey). The boom in paper money this past century has far outstripped the new supply of gold.

More recently — over the past three decades or so — the value of gold holdings of the world’s central banks has been in a steep decline viewed relative to total stated value of outstanding paper money. In our view, this is the “corrosion” of gold underway that James prophesied about.

The historical role of gold and silver has been turned upon its head. Even if it were possible to return to a monetary system based on gold, as some gold proponents advocate, this would hardly solve the world’s economic and financial problems today. When the hearts of the world are swept up into a frenzy of greed and materialism, no system upon earth is beyond corruption. All the same, it remains valid that a lawless monetary environment can occur much more easily without gold or some other precious and relatively rare item serving a governing monetary role.

As already reviewed, the last days will be marked by an enormous heaping up of wealth. Hoarding of any magnitude can only occur during periods of massive wealth transfers — times of rampant deception and theft. This is not to say that some have not become rich honestly. A fiat money system and volatile, manipulated securities markets are instrumental in bringing about such conditions. In order for money of this type to take over, the monetary worth of more timeless things that are in limited quantity like gold and other rarities must be debased or discredited in some way.

Gold in the Bible

Just what does the Bible say about gold today and its past and future roles, especially at the time that Jesus Christ “restore[s] everything” (Mark 9:12, Matthew 9:28, Revelation 21:5). We note five different dispensations (or ages) in which gold serves differing functions. They are as follows: 1. Old Testament times; 2. the Last Days (beginning with the revealing of the Church); 3. the Tribulation “bust” period; 4. the Millennium, and finally; 5. the Eternal Jerusalem.

The Old Testament role was quite straightforward (the one that historians today still remain fixated upon). Gold served as money or an adornment. Corruption certainly existed; for example, people would shave gold coins until the coins were little more than nubs. Despite this, gold remained physical gold and its value was not systematically destroyed nor manipulated through a fiat financial money system.

The next period is the Church Age, or what is called the last days (meaning the time leading to the Rapture and the Tribulation). That is the time in which we live now—the period during which the “spirit of the antichrist” (1 John 4:3) and the Great Deceiver are working furiously. Gold plays a relatively minor part of what becomes a highly sophisticated and advanced Babylonian system. James prophesies about this time: “Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days” (James 5:3). As we have already concluded, this process of “corrosion” is already well advanced if not near complete.

The Bible mentions actions involving gold in the Tribulation period. At that time, gold holdings will be of little help, proving to be a totally ineffectual hedge against a collapsed monetary system. The Lord says, “They will throw their silver into the streets, and their gold will be an unclean thing. Their silver and gold will not be able to save them in the day of the Lord’s wrath” (Ezekiel 7:19). Nevertheless, people will continue to hold on to their materialistic and financial idolatries despite the terrible times. “The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts” (Revelation 5:20-21). Materialistic idolatries will continue even though the entire financial system and gold is bust.

What role will gold next have in the Millennial period? According to Scriptures, we do know that gold will continue as a form of wealth. Several prophetic verses mention that wealth at that time will flow to Israel from the rest of the world. “Surely the islands look to me; in the lead are the ships of Tarshish, bringing your sons from afar, with their silver and gold, to the honor of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor” (Isaiah 60:9). (See also Isaiah 60:5, 61:6, 66:12). It would not be unwarranted (though difficult to prove conclusively) to expect a money system based on gold during that time. There are a number of other prophetic statements referring to gold; for example, referring to Israel, “Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land is also full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots” (Isaiah 2:7).

Finally, after the Millennium, the New Holy City Jerusalem will descend to earth (Revelation 21:10). It is a majestic edifice. “The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass” (Revelation 21:19). “The great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass” (verse 21). We see that gold will be one of its main structural materials. Given the Holy City’s dimensions—for example, 12,000 stadia (1,400 miles) square and tall, its walls 144 cubits thick (over 200 feet)— it will require perhaps more than a thousand times as much gold as exists above ground today. After all, only a little more than 150,000 tons of gold are known to exist at the present time (barely filling an Olympic size swimming pool!).

Points to Ponder

According to New Testament scripture, one thing is more valuable than gold — our faith. “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith — of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire — may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed” (1 Peter 1:6-7). Our faith, evidenced through the “hearing and doing” of the Word and the “fear of the Lord” is utterly precious for eternity.

In Revelation 3:18, the Church in Laodicea is admonished by the Holy Spirit: “I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.”

Many theologians believe that the Laodicean church prefigures the Church in the end times. Whether or not this is so, this verse issues an urgent call that our generation must hear. Even while gold may corrode and financial wealth collapse during the end times, no matter what happens, we can have one treasure that will endure to yield great reward — a faith more worthy than gold.