I promise… no religion or preaching
Numerous friends, acquaintances, and others are convinced our world will end soon. Google Trends confirmed this topic is one of the top search items like Amazon deals and Netflix's top series, so I figure a lot of people are curious to find out what it’s all about.
I debated whether to investigate this topic because it is contentious for a lot of people. But sometimes the most controversial subjects make the most interesting investigations. I conducted this investigation without prejudice or any preconceived notions on my part. I was also aware I would not discover irrefutable evidence to prove or disprove any of this. The events of the end times are speculative, but as I said, an interesting study. First, let’s take a look at what we know for sure.
The Bible is actually a history book
On this point, there is no argument. Many people mentioned in the Bible have been confirmed by historians to be real people who lived during the history chronicled on its pages. For example, the entire Old Testament book of the prophet Isaiah was discovered in 1946 on the north shore of the Dead Sea by Bedouin shepherds exploring the Qumran caves. Known as the Great Isaiah Scroll, it was carbon-dated back to the Third Century B.C. when Isaiah was alive and kickin’.
Other history books contain accounts of leaders like Nebuchadnezzar, Caesar Agustus, and Herod Antipas. There are too many biblical people confirmed by history to list here. There is one specific person I should mention, however, who is of significant importance to a lot of people:
Roman Empire history scholars have positively confirmed there was a prophet from Nazareth named Jesus who was crucified in Jerusalem on the Passover of April 5, 30 A.D.
Where did the Bible come from?
Most of us are aware that our modern-day Bible contains both the Old and New Testaments. The Old Testament is the Hebrew Bible and is a written history of the Israelites. The New Testament is the story of Jesus Christ and the early Christian church based on the writings of Mathew, Mark, Luke, John, and other Apostles of Jesus. Also included are letters written by Paul (formerly Saul of Tarsus). Paul was a Roman citizen who never met Jesus. He was tasked by Rome to hunt down and kill Christians. He converted to Christianity on the road to Damascus and then he traveled around the Mediterranean Sea establishing Christian churches and writing letters to guide them. The letters became part of the New Testament as Ephesians, Corinthians, Galatians, Romans, etc.
My investigation revealed that our modern Bible didn’t come into being until around 350 A.D. when “Ta Biblia” was published. Before that happened there was a lot of infighting and arguing. One side said the Hebrew Bible had no business being included with the New Testament while the other argued the New Testament fulfilled prophecies contained in the Old Testament. Obviously, the latter won the argument and our modern Bible was born.
So, is the Bible true or not?
I’ve heard people criticize the Bible saying it is just a bunch of hooey. They point to specific stories like the Garden of Eden and Noah’s Ark. They pose great questions like; how can a snake talk, or how did Noah gather all the animals on Earth into one boat? They say there is no proof either story is true and they’re absolutely right. There are no photographs, DVDs, or audio recordings. Therefore, no solid evidence that the events chronicled in these old stories ever happened.
Instead of trying to decide whether these stories are true or not, why not look at them in a different light? Maybe their purpose is to serve as examples of the best and worst of human behavior.
If you look at the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden as a life lesson, it becomes a story about refusing to accept responsibility and blaming someone else. Adam blamed Eve for tempting him with the forbidden fruit while Eve passed the buck to the snake claiming it tricked her. The snake was unfairly blamed because it was only a tool used by Satan and was summarily sentenced by God to crawl on its belly forever. I assume the snake blamed Satan for the loss of its legs.
Noah’s Ark could just simply be a story about faith. The world was going to hell in a handbasket and people were turning their back on God and living wicked lives. God chose one good man named Noah to save the human race. He told Noah He was going to bring a huge flood and “put an end to all the people” on earth. God ordered Noah to build a boat and gave him the exact dimensions in cubits. Oh, and I learned that a cubit is an ancient measurement of length based on the distance from the tip of the middle finger to the elbow. Usually around 18 inches.
There’s no doubt Noah’s neighbors thought he was absolutely nuts when he started building a huge wooden boat so far away from any body of water. I’m sure they laughed and ridiculed him. If there had been standup comedy back then, he would have been the brunt of jokes and SNL skits. The laughter stopped when it started to rain, however, and the flood waters began to rise. By then it was too late and everyone perished in the flood except Noah, his family, and the pairs of animals he brought on board. I’m sure this story of faith was shared around evening campfires for generations.
Okay, what are the signs of these End Times?
In Mathew 24: 5-12, Jesus and his disciples were leaving the temple in Jerusalem to hang out on the Mount of Olives. Jesus pointed back to the temple saying it would be destroyed one day. (Note: This came true in 70 A.D. when the Romans sacked and burned Jerusalem)
A few weeks before this, Jesus told his disciples that he would be tried and killed during the coming Passover in Jerusalem, but He would return. I’m sure this really upset them and they probably didn’t understand what was going on.
So, when they arrived on the Mount of Olives, the disciples asked Jesus when he was coming back. Jesus told them he would return at the end times. Then they asked Him when the end times were going to happen. At first, Jesus dodged the question about when and gave them a whole bunch of end-times signs to watch for. Stuff like false prophets claiming to be Him, wars and rumors of wars, nations rising up against nations, famine, earthquakes, people turning away from God, and the rise of wickedness. Then Jesus told them He had no idea when the end times would happen because only God knew and had not told anyone.
The Old Testament also contains many other end-times prophecies and predictions, but none more than Revelation. This is book is at the end of the New Testament and was written by the apostle John sometime between 54 and 95 A.D. John says God sent him an angel who showed him the images and told him to record what he saw. The book contains bizarre and scary images, confusing numbers, and other stuff that doesn’t make any sense. Some parts sound like John was on an LSD trip.
Further investigation revealed Revelation is basically about the final showdown between God and Satan sometime in the future. According to John, Satan increases his persecution of Christian believers until Christ returns and defeats Satan and his demonic armies in the Jezreel Valley in Northern Israel near Tel Meggido. (“Armageddon” in Greek)
Biblical scholars agree the author was the apostle John. By the time he wrote Revelation, the Romans were busy enforcing Emperor worship and slaughtering anyone who believed otherwise. All of Christ’s disciples were killed. Many were tortured before they were killed, while others were crucified upside down. Nice folks the Romans, huh?
But the Roman Emperor of the time (either Nero, Domitian, or Vespasian) for some unknown reason decided not to kill John but rather to isolate him in the Roman penal colony on the Greek island of Patmos. Scholars believe this is where Revelation was written
So, is The End of Days fact or fiction?
As expected, my investigation didn’t reveal any concrete answers to that. There is no absolute proof one way or the other. I did learn, however, that there are some striking similarities between what’s in the Bible and what is happening today. There are many predictions that fit into what the World Economic Forum, World Health Organization, and others are planning to implement in the near future. Here’s one that is obviously Biblical. Oh, and the “He” referred to in this passage is apparently working for Satan and could be The Antichrist.
“He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, slave and free, to receive a mark on his right hand or his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark which is the name of the beast or the number of his name.” Revelation 13:16-17 (King James Version)
For many years, the World Economic Forum, the World Bank, and central banks from other countries have been pushing for a digital identity for everyone on the planet. This chart is from their website:
Once everyone is hooked up to Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC) and cash is no longer legal tender, everyone will have to “buy and sell” using a digital ID.
Here’s a one-minute video of Augustin Carstens of The Bank for International Settlements in Geneva explaining why bankers and governments want to move away from cash to CBDCs. Oh, and Augustin’s bank determines policy for all the central banks in every country in the world. (US Federal Reserve, Bank of Canada, Bank of England, etc.)
Bank of International Settlements - Geneva
The central banks in many countries are “exploring” implementing CBDCs while China already has a social credit system with a CBDC. The Chinese government has the power to limit where someone’s debit card can be used and control what they buy. They can also shut down anyone’s bank account for whatever reason.
But that’s a communist country you say. That can’t happen in a democracy. Au contraire. Remember Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau freezing the bank accounts of anyone who organized or dared donate money to a peaceful protest against his government’s policies? Once any government has total control over your money, you will never have your financial freedom back without a fight.
Even the U.S.A. is getting on board the CBDC bandwagon. Here’s the U.S. Federal Reserve “exploring” the subject:
Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)
But wait, it gets worse.
Scientists have perfected wearable digital technology including under-the-skin implants. Many people now using this technology are unaware of the dire consequences of relinquishing control of their finances. Will governments mandate that everyone must have computer chips under their skin to purchase goods and services as well as access their CBDCs and bank accounts? If Mr. Carstens and other bankers have their way, there is no doubt.
More importantly, will this be the fulfillment of the prophecy of John’s Revelation? (See: Revelation 13: 16-17 above). Will only those who receive these implants be allowed to buy or sell?
Here’s a BBC news document:
Microchip Implants for Payments
Isn’t it strange that something contained in a vision received by a man on a Greek island two thousand years ago is becoming a reality today?
Strange, or part of some cosmic plan? That’s the real question.
S.U.I. (Still Under Investigation)
When I was in the police force, this is how we signed reports for unconcluded criminal investigations. It indicated to our bosses there was more investigation necessary to prove the case. So, are we living at The End of Days? There is certainly plenty of circumstantial evidence, but I didn’t discover any irrefutable proof, so the file is S.U.I.
I hope I piqued your curiosity about the times in which we live, and that you conduct your own investigation. It’s an intriguing rabbit hole to go down. And who knows? You may decide for yourself what to believe.
But, you know what? It doesn’t matter what you believe. Albert Einstein said it best:
“Just because you don’t believe something, doesn’t mean it isn’t true.”
Until next time, take care and remember the credo of Homicide Detective Roy Wood in my Mystery/Thriller novel Weeds in The Garden of Love :
“If you consider all possibilities and never rule anything out, you’ll never be surprised.”
Steven J. Daniels
The Skeptical Investigator