Hi all,
I’ve been using Hitler as an historical example of fascism, and comparing history with what the Bible describes of a future government led by the man we call ‘anti-Christ’. Then I’ve compared them to how governments around the world have handled Covid and opposition to various policies and laws enacted to look for similarities.
Further insight given Daniel: Daniel 7: 15-28
“And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spoke very great things, whose look was more stout than his associates. I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them…”
The phrase ‘more stout’ literally means: “…had a greater appearance than his associates.” In other words, his appearance, his presentation, his presence, is greater than the remaining 7 horns (rulers/regions).” He has become the leader of the remaining 7 and the subdued 3 whether they like it or not.
Economic and political crisis is the means by which fascism rises to power. At that point the leader and the State becomes the single focus.
In The Revelation 8: 8 -12 we see the earth being hit 2x by asteroids/comets, which blocks out 1/3 of sun and poisons 1/3 of the oceans. (1 hits on land, 1 hits in an ocean). Chapter 9 opens with the dust cloud from those hits darkening the sun and causing skin sores for 5 months. Consider the economic and political crisis that results. With 1/3 of the sunlight blocked, with 1/3 of the oceans poisoned, there will be massive food shortages as an immediate result. Economic chaos would result. Starvation. Medical systems breaking down by being overwhelmed, and so much more. .
Out of these difficulties arises a man in Europe new to international politics. He isn’t one of the 10 main rulers, but he claims to have all the answers. He will be a great speaker and force his way to become the dominant one. He will then make the case that he has to have unlimited powers to govern – you’ll recall from last week The Revelation 17:13 says the other kings give their power to this ‘little horn’. Like earlier fascist leaders he will say the problems are so large they require full national unity – and Christians/Jews stand in the way of progress and the agenda.
He will “make war with the saints” scripture says as he shifts attention from these disasters to those preventing progress. They are to blame, they won’t unify with the rest of the people to give him the allegiance he requires to fix the economic and societal problems. In fascism if you don’t agree with the leader you are labeled unpatriotic. The problems are so large only 100% unity will fix them; this group stands in his way.
This is one of the most immediately prophetic things I am sharing for our day – watch for the blaming of Christians, conservatives, and those who disagree with government portrayed as the ones preventing the government(s) from accomplishing their agenda. The Revelation 11: 18 says ‘the nations were angry’ – watch for national anger to develop among the nations.
The man of sin: He will institute a digital currency to streamline economic issues as he brings government, economy, and religion under his power. He employs (possibly an invisible) digital tattoo on the head or hand of those who first must swear allegiance to him and his system. Of interest perhaps: https://news.rice.edu/2019/12/18/quantum-dot-tattoos-hold-vaccination-record/
People who swear allegiance get the tattoo (the ‘mark’), enabling them to buy and sell. Those who refuse to swear allegiance will either by executed or forced to live without economic access to the market place, meaning relying on home-grown food and a network of friends for supplies. Have we seen similar things in the past? Yes, in ancient Roman Empire, Germany, the USSR, and such; those outside the system lived by other means.
Hitler a forerunner
Fascism takes full control when a national emergency occurs. In prophecy it is a double asteroid/comet hit on the planet. In our day elements can be seen in the handling of the Covid crisis. In 1933 during the depression, and with great promises of making Germany a world leader, Hitler was named Chancellor. A few weeks later a fire started in the parliament building. He used this national emergency to take broad powers. Laws and actions in 1933 were enacted commanding the people to boycott Jewish businesses, but the people largely ignored the laws.
Jews, Christians, conservatives, political enemies, and others were given triangular badges (or double triangles) to wear which marked them as outside the political and economic system. They chose triangles because the road system used triangular signs as warnings, so everyone knew the shape meant ‘warning’.
The Jewish yellow Star of David is the most famous, but they also had pink ones for homosexual men, black ones for lesbians, prostitutes, the menally ill, purple for religious pacifists or cults (Jehovah Witness for example), and so on. These people had to function outside the economy. Jews were eventually forced into over 70 ghettos across Europe where they had to provide for themselves among themselves, with no access to the marketplace. Many starved before they were gathered out of the ghettos and sent to the camps.
When Hitler consolidated powers to himself it caused people take a stand either for him, or against him. He initially focused on helping the poor through national food programs, building infrastructure, and providing jobs. Mussolini in Italy formed the Fascist party and was asked by the king to form a government to stop the advance of communism. Once in control he too was focused on social programs to help the poor, including national work programs to build infrastructure, while brutally putting down opposition by intimidation, arrest, and worse.
Anti-Christ, the man of sin, will take advantage of natural and man-made disasters to subdue 3 rulers, taking their place, forge a national economic policy, taking unprecedented powers, requiring statements of allegiance.
Characteristic to remember: Fascist governments blame a group of people for what is wrong, and convince the rest of the population that 1 group is both to blame for their troubles. And perhaps more importantly, that group or those group stands in the way of progress. That justifies taking action against those people.
In our day: It means a free and independent press cannot exist. The Revelation 13: 13-15 and elsewhere makes it clear the man of sin is expert at propaganda about the wonders of ‘the beast’ and his government, causing people to be in awe of him. It talks of the man of sin doing miracles that impress all – that describes a manipulated press disseminating information to the public as the man of sin commands.
A biased media happened in World War II Germany, Italy, USSR, even Ancient Rome in terms of how information was distributed around the Empire. Today do we see media – the press, arts, entertainment – become united in their information for a national agenda? Do you see media mock or ridicule a group(s) who don’t agree with them, and blame them as ignorant and holding back society and the agenda? That’s fascism, and the spirit of anti-Christ.
Fascism by its nature must become increasingly aggressive and violent, for as the national agenda progresses so too does opposition to that agenda. In Nazi Germany what started as simple boycotts of Jews in 1933 escalated to vandalism of Jewish businesses and then ended with the death camps as mentioned above.
In the build-up there were court cases purposely singling out individuals to make examples. The press and the arts became the voice of the Nazi party. German culture in the 1930’s changed on all fronts to focus on blaming on Jews, Christians, Communists, intellectuals and others for the problems of the nation. Do we see similar things in our day concerning Covid or politics?
Characteristics to remember: The media becoming an arm of the government is alluded to in scripture of the man of sin’s rule. That is a sign of fascism, the end of a free and independent press and media. Watch for lies being repeated over and over until people start believing them. As fascism gains control great promises and simple solutions to complex answers will be presented to a non-thinking voting group and citizens, with the media and arts willing accomplices.
Next week our study will show the future man of sin’s regime requires (as fascism does) the giving up of individual rights….hope this is interesting, until then, blessings,
John Fenn
