THE PURSUIT OF A ONE-WORLD SYSTEM
Humanly speaking, man has always tried to achieve true and lasting peace and prosperity. Those are the goals that have long been touted by leaders, politicians, and governments. Mankind has also searched for relief from pain. But these pursuits have always been in vain and will continue to be. Yet they explain why there are people who are always looking for ways to make peace and prosperity happen. They set up programs and organizations in the hopes of reaching those goals. They want war and poverty and inequality to go away, but no matter what mankind tries to do, it fails. Satan has convinced people that if they only try harder, they will succeed. If only they can get everyone on board with the agenda, they can make things happen.
This is the kind of thinking that is behind all efforts made toward globalism, or a one-world system. But what many don’t realize is they will never be successful because, at heart, mankind is evil. Only God can bring about the success man so desperately wants, because only He has the answer to mankind’s problem of sin.
In recent decades in American politics, we have seen a growing number of clashes between nationalists and globalists. There are those who believe a country should function autonomously and make a priority of caring for the needs and concerns of its own people. And there are others who want America to submit to the globalist agenda.
We saw this happen during the 2016 presidential election, when Donald Trump ran against Hillary Clinton. In a campaign speech given in April 2016, Trump said, “We will no longer surrender this country or its people to the false song of globalism.” 1 In contrast, Hillary’s husband Bill, a former US president, founded the Clinton Global Initiative, which aims to create “a community of doers who are taking action on the world’s most pressing challenges, together.”2
This battle of agendas continues through today on many different fronts. And it’s one of the reasons the globalist community is so critical of those who don’t agree with them. In Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu has held to a nationalist position for the Jewish state, which has put him at odds with globalists. More recently, we’ve seen that with President Javier Milei of Argentina, whose policies run contrary to the globalist agenda.
At first glance, globalism seems innocent enough. We’re told that it’s all about cultures learning how to live together, appreciate one another, and make sacrifices for the common good. Globalist causes plead for people to give money and support that will make it possible to solve problems that will make the world a better place. What could possibly be wrong with that?
But in reality, globalism is about powerful leaders and organizations making decisions about how they believe the world should be run. They use their authority and resources to implement ideas and programs that supposedly are for the good of all, but ultimately, call for forced compliance or undermine human autonomy and freedom. And whether these power brokers know it or not, ultimately, they are paving the way for the future antichrist.
THE BIBLICAL WARNINGS ABOUT THE FUTURE WORLD SYSTEM
In Revelation chapter 13, God reveals to us some important details about this coming one-world system. In connection with the beast, or the antichrist, we read this:
He opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. All who dwell on the earth will worship him (verses 6-8).
People all over the planet will worship the beast. He will have complete power over the entire globe. And he will persecute the saints—those who become Christians during the tribulation. All of this reveals to us the enormous extent of his power. He will oversee a truly global government and will war against those who aren’t in agreement with him.
Daniel 11:36 gives us another glimpse of the antichrist’s power: “The king shall do according to his own will; he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods.” In Revelation 17, we read that those who initially rule alongside the beast will become “of one mind, and…give their kingdom to the beast” (verse 17).
That is where the world will end up. That is the direction we are headed as Satan uses the many means at his disposal for advancing his globalist agenda.
THE GLORIOUS ONE-WORLD GOVERNMENT OF CHRIST
Now, there is a good one-world government coming. After the tribulation, Christ will return and set up His kingdom here on earth. He will reign for 1,000 years over what is known as the millennial kingdom (Revelation 20:4-6). He will establish His perfect global government in Jerusalem, from which He will rule all the nations. At last, the utopia only the Lord Himself can bring will be here, and wars will finally cease. The prophet Isaiah says of this time,
They shall beat their swords into plowshares,
and their spears into pruning hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war anymore (2:4).
Even the animal kingdom will know true peace:
The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb,
the leopard shall lie down with the young goat,
the calf and the young lion and the fatling together;
and a little child shall lead them (11:6).
What a glorious time this will be!
None of mankind’s attempts to bring peace and prosperity has ever worked, from the Tower of Babel to the world empires of history to the League of Nations, Council on Foreign Relations, and United Nations. That’s because all of them have been and continue to be godless. You cannot succeed when God is left out. Only Christ’s earthly kingdom will bring what people have longed for.
Revelation 11:15 tells us that during the tribulation, when the seventh trumpet sounds, loud voices in heaven will proclaim, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”
Yes, the Lord Jesus Christ will reign forever and ever. His millennial kingdom on earth will last for 1,000 years, after which He will usher in the new heavens and the new earth and rule for all eternity.
God has incredible plans for the future, and we who are His children are part of those plans. We have much to look forward to—hallelujah!
Excerpted from Jan Markell’s new book, When Jesus Returns (Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 2024), pages 12-13, 16, 25-26
Jan Markell is the founder and president of Olive Tree Ministries. Her radio outreach, Understanding the Times, is now heard on 1,000 radio stations across North America and around the world electronically. She continues to host bimonthly prophecy events that are held by Olive Tree Ministries and Mark Henry Ministries, and she is the author of Understanding the Times.
- Julian Hattem, “Trump warns against ‘false song of globalism,” The Hill, April 27, 2016, https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/277879-trump-warns-against-false-song-of-globalism/.
- Clinton Global Initiative home page, https://www.clintonfoundation.org/programs/leadership-public-service/clinton-global-initiative/.