Post by Michael James Stone on Jun 9, 2012 16:38:58 GMT -8
World Conspiracy in Light of the Bible – PART VI
Written by Johannes Pflaum
What does the Bible say about world conspiracy theories? Do they belong to the prophetic Word? In this series, we look into this and other connected questions. Read here Part 6.
In the book of Daniel, we are given a unique sketch of world history, right up to the appearing of the Antichrist and the salvation of Israel. The striking thing about this book is that God Himself is the active one, from chapter 1 to chapter 12. He holds all the strings in His hands and steers the events. He does not allow things to happen, but makes them happen!
It is He who delivers His people into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar in chapter 1, verse 2. Then Nebuchadnezzar has his troubling dream. Because the Babylonian priests and wise men were not able to tell him about his dream, he fears a conspiracy against him and wants to kill them.
It is not the result of a conspiracy, however, but God who is clearly putting this world ruler in his place. And in the midst of this scenario, we read the key words in world history, “Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: and he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: he revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him” (Daniel 2:20-22). This is the exact opposite of an alleged decades- or centuries-long world conspiracy, which is carrying out its plan step by step.
Conspiracy theorists attempt to convince us that behind everything, whichever president or head of state is elected, are the Freemasons or the shadow cabinets of this world. Whether we are talking about the First or Second World Wars, the division of Germany and then the collapse of the Berlin Wall, everything is supposedly being steered by the Freemasons. We read here the exact opposite.
Of course, the Antichrist will arise in the end. But it is God Himself and not any secret organization who instates kings and removes them, who changes times and seasons. This is a clear contrast to the world conspiracy theories.
Particularly in the time when the Lord is beginning to gather His people Israel again and to establish them outwardly, in the very time that we are living, He Himself is at work and not any secret organization in world politics.
To quote from Isaiah 43:4-6, “Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth.” With the rebirth of Israel, God is making it clear that He is giving nations for the gathering of His people—not the Freemasons or any other secret organization. It must give us food for thought that the whole of the world conspiracy theories fall in the time of the rebirth of the state and people of Israel, and seek to blind us to the working of God in the midst of world history.
Therefore, the question to each one of us arises, in whom or what do we put our trust? The Word of God as it stands? Or some spectacular conspiracy theories?
In Daniel chapters 2 and 7, it becomes very clear that the world empires cannot do what they want, in spite of all the intrigues and their apparent power. God shows the people and the world religions their limits clearly in these chapters.
A very detailed look into the course of world history is given us in Daniel 11. Here, details up to the appearing of Antiochus Epiphanes are shown us, who was a forerunner of the Antichrist. From verse 36 onward, it is surely about the last world dictator himself. What do we learn from chapter 11?
We do not find any trace of a world conspiracy or a long-term plan that is taking place step by step, and which all the rulers are submitting to more and more. Instead of this, this chapter gives us a glimpse into the depths of the sinful human heart. Each of these rulers is attempting to conquer the other, to trick him and deceive him. This chapter is about intrigues, hypocrisy, pride, secret plans and other things.
The rulers war against one another, have evil in mind, and therefore lie to one another (Daniel 11:27). The whole chapter is the sheer opposite of a long-term conspiracy. The rulers can attempt whatever they will, but in the end, God’s plan will be fulfilled. He is ultimately the active one and not the permitting one.
A man named Benedict Peters writes on this subject, “A second reason for the detailed prophecies lies in the fact that they make it clear to us that God is pursuing His purpose throughout all the changing scenes in world history. Kings may attempt to realize their own plans through war or diplomacy, with cunning and massacres.
Under the hand of God, without being aware of it, they have to serve the fulfillment of God’s purposes with His people and the whole world. It really is as they used to say in olden times: ‘hominum confusione, dei provisione’—‘in human confusion, God’s foreknowledge is found.’ God’s purpose is being carried out and will ultimately be fulfilled.”
As mentioned before, this chapter speaks from verse 25 onwards of Antiochus Epiphanes, a forerunner of the Antichrist. This proud and ruthless ruler would not come to power through a long-term conspiracy and building up, but through ruthless behavior and lies, as well as his own pride and arrogance. In Daniel 7:8 & 24, the Antichrist himself is spoken of. Here also, nothing speaks of a conspiracy, but of ruthless, self-glorifying and brutal behavior, “And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings” (verse 24). According to verse 20, three horns will fall. Instead of conspiracy, the Bible speaks in Daniel, as also in Revelation, of a blasphemous mouth and the speeches connected with it, through which mankind is deceived.
With the appearing of Hitler, we find a historical parallel to these events. He also did not need any secret brotherhoods and lodges to prepare the way for him for decades. No, in the short space of not even ten years, he gathered his adherents around him and paved the way himself, in a brutal and cunning way together with great and blasphemous speeches.
In the book of Daniel, we find no trace of any long-term world conspiracy that is being carried out step by step. On the contrary. The sinful human heart is revealed to us in the power struggle of the human ruler, and in the end, a brutal and ruthless dictator will come to power who treads down all the others. Over all the confusion stands God Himself, who is active and thwarts human plans and the time and freedom to act of the individual.
In this connection, I want to add something about the Freemasons and Bilderbergers: these organizations are also human battles for power and are permeated by the egoism of the individual. In this sequence of articles, I have already mentioned how national lodges are engaged in competition and disputes with one another. A former “Worshipful Master” reported in Idea Spektrum No. 42/2009 how, after his election, he was almost solely engaged in settling the quarrels of the brothers of the lodge among one another, which were based on jealousy and rivalry. This is a far cry from a united front.
David Rothkopf describes in a book on the “superclass,” of the ambitions of around 6,000 rich and influential people, who are continually attempting to extend their power. But a united front can hardly be spoken of.
Rather, connections and such organizations as the Bilderbergers are used to establish further contacts with others, to gain the greatest possible advantage for themselves. This all corresponds with what the book of Daniel teaches, even more than the theories about the remotely controlled world politics of the Bilderbergers and Freemasons in the background.