2022 – Gateway to the Tribulation?

As the curtain draws closed on the year 2021 and we step into 2022 there are several noteworthy events occurring on the world stage that indicate civilization is rapidly progressing towards its day of reckoning with our Lord Jesus Christ.  For those who are spiritually awake, there is absolutely no doubt that we are indeed living in the last days and humanity is running out of time as the age of grace approaches its conclusion.  Several end time prophecies have now been fulfilled which should serve as a wakeup call to all believers and several more are currently unfolding in real time before our very eyes.

Let’s examine what has transpired in the last couple of centuries in direct fulfillment of biblical prophecy before we survey the horizon for the sound of the approaching hoof beats of the coming horsemen. 

The industrialization of civilization combined with the gutting of the earth’s natural resources by the wealthiest families on the globe at the expense of everyone else constitutes one of the most brazen yet unacknowledged conquests in the history of humanity.  While covertly manipulating world affairs and secretly pulling the strings of governments this plutocracy has enslaved the earth in order to satisfy their cupidity. 

Today a handful of families are the major shareholders in every investment company and every corporation, essentially controlling everything from food and transportation to finance, healthcare and the military complex.  It is a system of corruption at the highest levels and is the first horseman of the apocalypse (Revelation 6:2). This is the white horse whose rider is bent on conquest.  It represents a conqueror who subdues without bloodshed. From the boardrooms of ivory towers the cabal covertly finances, manipulates and exploits the earth and civilization with the ultimate intent of ruling the world.  As they gain in power and influence, they control society without getting their hands dirty and in the name of peace and safety they divide and conquer, creating problems so they can provide their solutions.

Society has witnessed wars and rumors of wars (Mathew 24:6) on an unprecedented level as the twentieth century has spawned more wars and deaths due to war than the previous nineteen centuries combined.  This is the second horseman, a red horse whose rider is, “given the power to take peace from the earth, and to make men slay each other.  To him was given a large sword.” Revelation 6:4.  Today, mankind has the weaponry to destroy the world several times over and even a restrained release of that power has the potential of unleashing a nuclear winter that could result in a large percentage of the world’s population dying.

In 1948, Israel became a nation again after nineteen hundred years of the Jewish Diaspora.  This was a direct fulfillment of Isaiah 66:8 and Ezekiel 36:8-12.  No other nation in the history of nations has accomplished anything like this (kindly refer to my article, Israel’s Prophetic Presence, June 10, 2021 for greater detail).  In 1967 Jerusalem once again came under Jewish control during the six-day war fulfilling Luke 21:24.  Today we see Israel as a hotbed of controversy as many nations are aligned politically against her and will one day soon embark on a military expedition to eradicate her in fulfillment of Joel 3:2 and Ezekiel 38-39. God will miraculously deliver Israel as he did in her early days.

Societal norms today are another fulfillment of end time prophecy as we witness absurd cultural values in our post-modern, post-truth era.  Materialism has become the god of the world as people worship and epitomize celebrities, athletes and the wealthy in fulfillment of 2 Timothy 3:1-5, Romans 1:28-32, Mathew 24:12. As we witness the rise of moral relativism, people openly treat Christians with contempt and mock God, demanding he show himself and prove he exists.

In his second epistle, Peter wrote, “First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.  They will say, ‘Where is this ‘coming’ he promised?  Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.’  But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water.  By these waters also the world at that time was deluged and destroyed.  By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgement and destruction of ungodly men.

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.  The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness.  He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:3-9.

As 2022 begins, civilization remains in a health crisis that has been exploited by the cabal as the mechanism by which they have transferred billions of dollars from the middle class into the pockets of the elite wealthy.  Additionally, in their lust for power and control, they have leveraged the pandemic to lock down society and institute vaccine passports that enable them to control where people travel, work and play. 

In a systemic and premeditated coercion of world governments, businesses and private individuals the deep state has moved civilization closer to the prophetic writings of the thirteenth chapter of the book of Revelation where the antichrist will impose his totalitarian regime upon all people.  No one will be permitted to buy or sell without his “mark.”  Today there are even grocery stores where admittance is restricted to those with a vaccine passport and there are calls for mandatory vaccinations for all people and proposals to deny health care for the unvaccinated.

We are currently witnessing supply chain disruptions that are increasing the cost of doing business and destroying business relationships generations in the making, that simply cannot be rebuilt overnight.  As thousands of ships sit at sea, unable to unload their cargo, the cost of steel, fertilizer, food and many other commodities has increased four to ten-fold.  The third seal of Revelation 6:5-6 is about to be broken, releasing the third horseman of the apocalypse.  This is the black horse and its rider holds a pair of scales.  “Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, ‘A quart of wheat for a day’s wages, and three quarts of barley for a day’s wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!’” Revelation 6:6.

The fourth horseman that will soon become visible is the pale horse.  “It’s rider was named death, and Hades was following close behind him.  They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by the sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.” Revelation 6:8.  The way that society is putting all of its eggs in one basket (vaccines), and forbidding any early treatments for COVID, which drive the virus to mutate and circumvent the narrow focused immune response of the vaccinated, it is just a matter of time until a highly lethal and highly contagious variant surfaces that will have a devastating effect on world populations.  The simplistic strategy of repeated boosters of the same old snake oil is a recipe for disaster of biblical proportions.

All of these factors will eventually combine to form the perfect storm for the pale horse to stampede over civilization in a trajectory leading to the Great Tribulation spoken of by the prophet Daniel (Daniel 12:1) and Jesus (Mathew 24:21).  Midway through this time of tribulation, the man of lawlessness will demand total worship from all of the inhabitants of the earth (Daniel 9:27, 2 Thessalonians 2:3).

As we raise the curtain of 2022 on the world stage, those who are spiritually awake and possess the situational awareness to know the hour is getting very late, must be ready.  We who are the bride of Christ must have our lamps trimmed and have extra oil at hand as we eagerly await the return of the bridegroom and the gathering of true believers in the rapture of the church (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17, 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, Titus 2:13). 

Jesus said, “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” Mathew 24:36.  However, we are not to be complacent but vigilant as we anticipate the return of Christ.  Paul adds, “But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that day should surprise you like a thief.  You are all children of the light and children of the day.  We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.  So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober.” 1 Thessalonians 5:4-6