Nik’s Notes

That first word in the passage is critical. “For…” indicates that the writer is expanding on his opening statement. Paul is telling Timothy, quickly and succinctly, that the times of the end (define them how you will) will be perilous. times. And the second verse through the seventh is a description of that peril. Not one mention of anything resembling a political ideology, nuclear war, global conspiracy or economic mandate. Not one warning against men’s ploys to enslave others in political, economic or legal bonds. Instead, a clear description of a type of man. A man in the sense that it is a set of qualities that will be found - to a greater or lesser degree - in “men” (the second word in verse 2) that will be around in “the last days”. And what will their existence mean? “Perilous times”. Read the list of qualities - they are fairly self-explanatory - and get a picture of society run and participated in by men that are like this. See what warnings the Lord is most concerned about as you peruse this passage. Paul, in his first letter to Timothy (4:1) says that the Spirit of God is very clear about what to expect in the “latter times”. Another clear warning from God. About what? Politics? RFID chips? Global agendas? No.

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron.
Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
1 Timothy 4:1

Now, one could argue that things like Communism, Globalism etc… are doctrines of devils. And one might well point out that the men who form such doctrines or ideologies are likely under that demonic influence and, thus, are more proof that we need to avoid Globalism and other end times dangers. Were you to do that, you would be missing the point. You would be pointing at deceived, fallen men and pinning the doctrines of devils more on them than on the devils. You would be putting man as the main conspirator and placing God further in the background than He needs to be - especially in perilous times like these! To do so is not to heed the clear word given to Isaiah here :

Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces. Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us.
For the LORD spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying,
Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.
Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.
Isaiah 8:9-13

I’d underline select portions of this passage, but the whole thing is extremely appropriate to the topic at hand. First, God speaks through Isaiah saying that men that take counsel together will not succeed. Plain and simple. The end that they find will be one of dire judgment and none should desire their place. And God is with those that withstand evil. He is with those that simply refuse to conspire together. And the second verse (v.10) is the Lord’s clear word to Isaiah (and to us) that we are not to get caught up in conspiracies. They are dangerous. The Lord does not say they are nothing, but that they are to be avoided. But it appears He goes further when, in verse 11, He puts another context on verse 12. Verse 12 says (among other things, in context) that for one to fear a conspiracy (or a gathering of counsel against that which is revealed as good and Godly) is pretty much as bad as being an accomplice to that conspiracy because it lends credence to its operations. More importantly, it serves another vile purpose - for man to take his eyes off of God. And when he does that, he is just as likely to become a part of a conspiracy as he is to merely fear a conspiracy. We should, instead, let all our fear, reverence and concern be laid up to God Himself. Let Him be our fear, our dread, our focus. Not the conspiracies of men - though they seem to be hinted at in prophecy. We must be like David who wrote this :
The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.
One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.
For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
Psalm 27:1-5
Remember, the warnings of perilous times are attached to characteristics of man and his behaviour, not on his conspiracies, agendas and ideas. While they may be evil, wicked and ill-advised, the real peril is in the nature of man. In the eyes of the Lord, a covetous boaster is a perilous thing. In the eyes of the Lord blasphemy, disobedience, lack of trust, not keeping one’s word and high-mindedness are all of greater danger than the global agendas of multinational corporations. Why? Because erosion of national sovereignty can, of itself, have little eternal effect - while continued depravity (which is described in Paul’s letter to Timothy) absolutely has great eternal effects. What is the picture of a man who is in perfect peace? What is the picture of a man who is not concerned about taking the mark of the beast - whether literal or metaphorical?
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:
Isaiah 26:3,4
If a man has all the qualities of godliness, will having a microchip implanted beneath his skin change the Lord’s judgment of that man? If the Lord has told him to stay away from that chip, absolutely. Disobedience is one of the marks of peril Paul mentioned. Will the Lord judge a man harshly because he was a member - even the CEO - of a massive multinational global corporation? If that man, before the Lord, bore all the qualities of uprightness, does that count for nothing?
Let us return to Genesis 11 for a moment. Why did God confound the speech of man at the plain of Shinar? Was it simply because they built a huge tower (or were in process of it)? No. It was, primarily, because they wanted to make a name for themselves. Unity is a powerful force. If many act in unity, there is very little that can be done about it. But if that unity is enacted with a vision to self-rule, then it is very destructive. Yes, globalism seems to be rebuilding the tower of Babel brick by brick and it seems very close to completion. Yes, man’s exaltation of self and his innate power and (ugh) “godness” (as well as “goodness”) are nasty things. In fact, THAT is one of the marks of peril (lovers of themselves….having a form of godliness but denying its - that is, God’s - power). So why have men focused on the side issues instead of the heart of the matter? I’m not sure, but I think it’s because the conspiracies that tend to drive the numerous end time ministries would lose their teeth as men began to see the REAL conspiracy - the Satanic ploy to win men’s hearts - that many of those ministries unwittingly contribute to!
And if you understand what I am trying to get at in this message, you will understand when I say that even those end time ministries that take time to make a salvation appeal (because those that know Christ will either be kept from all the tribulation supposedly coming on the earth or that they will at least have an eternal home even if they have to endure economic and military calamity) are missing the point. They aren’t being deceptive, but their appeal for salvation (after warning about the mark of the beast, the coming war etc….) is based upon the conspiracies (or “confederacies”) of men and so they are not appealing to men based on GODLY fear (or creating Godly sorrow that leads men to repentance). Godly fear comes only when men realize their lives do not in any way come close to meeting God’s standard. When men fear the judgments of God because of their flouting of God’s laws and their rejection of Christ, then the fear of God has begun to tear away the unGodly foundations of those lives and build one that is fixed firm in Him and Him alone. But an appeal for man to come to God because of the calamities of politics, economics and war that are coming on the earth are usually more destructive than helpful. True Godly repentance comes from true Godly sorrow which is brought on by true Godly conviction about truly (and fully revealed) unGodly natures. Not from man’s threats.