Pastors Leslie & Adeline Chua

Christians are familiar with the signs that will precede the return of Christ and signal the end of the present age. Jesus gave a list of these signs in His famous Olivet Discourse, which includes wars, rumours of wars, famines, earthquakes, deception, false Christs, false prophets, lawlessness, a great falling away of the church, etcetera.

These are obvious signs. Like birth pain, the increasing frequency and intensity of these occurrences are obvious to anyone with eyes to see and ears to hear.

Jesus also pointed out other signs, which are less obvious and more obscure. For example, the Lord said, “For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man” (Matthew 24:37).

This seemingly simple prophetic statement carries layers of meaning. On the surface, it means that day will come as a surprise to many people. It will be sudden, swift, and devastating just like the Flood. On a deeper level, one must consider the events during Noah’s days, including the bizarre roles played by the fallen angels and Nephilim that culminated in the judgement of the Flood (Genesis 6:1-4).

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Having an awareness of these obscure signs
will help Christians to be watchful and vigilant
when navigating the perilous time of the End.
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For this pastoral reflection, I will be considering a matter that is even more obscure but less bizarre than fallen angels and Nephilim. I use the term obscure in the sense that it is not normally talked about and understood in the discussion concerning the signs of the End Times.

These signs are obscure but important. Having an awareness of these obscure signs will help Christians to be watchful and vigilant when navigating the perilous time of the End.


Levers of Control

These obscure signs of the End have to do with control.

Take the 666 mark of the beast as an example. It is a powerful lever of control. According to the Bible, no one can buy or sell without the mark (Revelation 13:16-17).

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Essentially, the 666 mark is a mechanism of control.
The Anti-Christ will use it to control nations and peoples.
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Think of the implications. It does not just concern the individuals and small businesses buying and selling stuff. 666 has to do with the global financial and trading systems.

Without the mark, banks will not be permitted to make transfers to one another, commercial enterprises cannot transact, and your employer will not be able to credit your salary into your account. Life as we know it will grind to a halt.

Essentially, the 666 mark is a mechanism of control. The Anti-Christ will use it to control nations and peoples. Through it, he will control the supply and demand of money. He can easily track every single transaction and every movement of money with the sophisticated technology available to him.

The 666 mark is the ultimate lever of control. Ultimately, all earthly powers are derived from money. Whoever controls the money has control over the nation. Mayer Amschel Rothschild famously said, “Give me control of a nation’s money and I care not who makes its laws.”

No wonder the collapse of the final earthly empire is told through the lens of trade and finance in Revelation chapter 18. In a single hour, economic Mystery Babylon will go up in smoke when God judges her. Stripped of its wealth and means to wealth, Babylon collapses.

Other levers of control are emerging. The way they rise is stranger than fiction, and thus surprising. It is swift and devastating.


Control of Words & Speech

Anyone keeping tab on the culture will not fail to notice the redefining of words. The meaning of words and the ideas these words convey are twisted beyond recognition.

For example, the term, gender, has always meant the biological sex of a person. It is no longer the case now. Nowadays, gender refers to the sexual identity a person chooses for himself or herself with no bearing to his or her biological sex.

Anyone who objects to such absurdity and dares to express his views publicly would be considered a bigot. His opinions would be deemed offensive and labelled as hate speech.

Fascinatingly, crazy as it sounds, bizarre propositions such as this are quickly accepted and adopted. There are armies of zealots waiting to pounce on those who think otherwise. It is hard to wrap one’s head around it. It must be spiritual. This is the best explanation. Spiritual deception has reached a delusional level.

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Presently, the influential mainstream media in the U.S.
and social media giants
have joined in the act
to control speech and public opinion.
They lean toward supporting
the cultural chaos and anti-biblical stances.
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In the past communist regimes of China and the Soviet Union, and the fascist regime of Nazi Germany, the authorities were the ones policing speech. Strangely now, it is the masses doing the policing. Stranger still, this phenomenon is taking place in the U.S. and the West, the bastion of democracy and free speech.

The totalitarian regimes of communist China and Nazi Germany understood the importance of silencing contrary voices to control the masses. So, they control what could and could not be spoken. They jailed, tortured, and killed those with dissenting voices.

History will repeat itself. The Anti-Christ regime will force all people to take on the 666 mark and force them to worship his image (Revelation 13:15-16).

Presently, the influential mainstream media in the U.S. and social media giants have joined in the act to control speech and public opinion. They lean toward supporting the cultural chaos and anti-biblical stances. They are driven by their own agenda, and they would censor contents that differ from their position.

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Also considering many other signs,
the spirit of Anti-Christ is clearly at work today.
Controlling words, semantics, and speech
is a step in the direction toward totalitarianism,
which is what the Anti-Christ regime is all about.
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Freedom of speech and opinion is at stake in the West now. As always, whatever happens in the U.S. has a huge impact on the rest of the world.

More importantly, the seismic shift toward greater control in the public domain could potentially be a sign of the soon emergence of the Anti-Christ.

Also considering many other signs, the spirit of Anti-Christ is clearly at work today. Controlling words, semantics, and speech is a step in the direction toward totalitarianism, which is what the Anti-Christ regime is all about. This is an obscure sign. But its importance cannot be overemphasized.


Controlling of Thoughts

In the dystopian novel, 1984, George Orwell shared this insight – “If you can control speech, you can control thought.”

Indeed! Our speech reveals our thoughts and beliefs. Therefore, controlling speech is as good as controlling our thoughts and beliefs.

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In the dystopian novel, 1984, George Orwell shared this insight –
“If you can control speech, you can control thought.”
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In a dictatorial regime, people must think twice before they speak. This is also the current climate in our culture. People are attacked and mocked for believing and saying things contrary to the mainstream narratives, which often do not make sense if you care to think a little deeper.

Political correctness has taken on a new significance. People tiptoe around certain sensitive issues, afraid to voice their beliefs lest they be ostracized.

Things will get worse. As we approach the end of the End Times, many of our biblical beliefs and values will clash with the culture and politics of the day.

You cannot compromise. Rather you must not compromise. Yet, if you do not flow along with the mainstream norms and narratives, you will feel like a social pariah. You will stick out like a sore thumb, and you can sure that you will be ostracized. You may even be maligned and persecuted.

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In a dictatorial regime,
people must think twice before they speak.
This is also the current climate in our culture.
People are attacked and mocked
for believing and saying things
contrary to the mainstream narratives,
which often do not make sense
if you care to think a little deeper.
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What will you do? Consider what will you do if you are forced to take the 666 mark of the beast?


Curbing of Civil Liberties

Another obscure sign is the curbing of civil liberties. This is a clear and present danger.

The COVID-19 crisis opens my eyes to see how fragile our civil liberty is. Most of us take our freedom for granted.

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Another obscure sign is the curbing of civil liberties.
This is a clear and present danger.
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Measures like contact tracing, social gathering restrictions, wearing masks, etcetera, are mandatory for obvious reasons of safety and protection of self and the general public.

I understand the necessity of these measures despite the inconvenience they bring. However, in the hands of the wrong people, things can quickly unravel.

A crisis can be easily used to curb civil liberties for all the wrong reasons. We have heard of power-hungry politicians, past and present, saying never to waste a crisis.

Crises are the best time to seize control in exchange for providing solutions to the problems. The reason is simple. During crises, people would willingly exchange their liberty for safety and protection. This is human instinct. Fear always makes you vulnerable.

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I am not arguing for or against the case
for vaccines and control measures, but merely making the point
that civil liberties globally will be subject to more curbs going forward.
I say this in the context of the eschatological passages in the bible.
Increasingly, there will be more plagues and pestilences
as the world heads toward the end of this present age.
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I can also understand the rationale for the vaccine passport. It is in the interests of national governments to keep out people who might be infected with the COVID-19 virus. But again, there are long-term implications on the issue of civil liberties.

I am not arguing for or against the case for vaccines and control measures, but merely making the point that civil liberties globally will be subject to more curbs going forward.

I say this in the context of the eschatological passages in the bible. Increasingly, there will be more plagues and pestilences as the world heads toward the end of this present age.


How Then Shall We Live?

Looking at the current trajectory, the trend is leaning toward more control on speech, biblical beliefs, and civil liberties, ultimately culminating in totalitarianism.

I believe this is building up to prepare for the emergence of the Anti-Christ. I do not know how long the process will take, but looking at many other signs, the time is near.

The days ahead are going to be perilous. We can expect more pandemics and crises of different kinds ahead. Deception will increase in intensity and subtlety. So, expect our faith to be tested.

Given all this, how then shall we live?

Be watchful. Keep one eye on the bible and the other eye on the current affairs and world events. Know what is going on. Ignore them at your own peril. God said, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6).

Know that we are living in an unusual time. It is not business as usual. So, do not merely look at things superficially. When reading the news and opinion pieces, go beyond the headlines. Read and consider the contents carefully. Ask questions. Think deeply. This is not the time to be lazy. Pray. Ask God for discernment, understanding, and wisdom. The Holy Spirit will speak to you and reveal what is hidden.

Another thing. Live in faith and courage. Do not fear. Do not give in to fear. Do not fear death. Our days are in the hands of God. Fear will cause you to compromise your Christian faith. Fear will make you walk into the trap of deception.

Above all else, trust in the grace of God. He who has begun a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6)