In this series of articles we have been examining, from a Biblical perspective, those events that serve as signs of the coming end of the age. In Part 1 we discussed the reemergence of the State of Israel. In Part 2 we examined the unification of Europe. In Part 3 we examined the emergence of Eurabia. In Part 4 we examined the move toward a Global Economy. In Part 5 we discussed the move toward a Global Government. Now in Part 6 we illustrate the growing tendency of governments to control people during the COVID-19 Pandemic. We use this control as an illustration of the devastating control  the one-world government will wield durng the last half of the Tribulation.

I have a personal confession to make: I hate wearing the COVID mask! I find it uncomfortable. It makes me hotter than I need to be. After awhile it stinks. It fogs up my glasses. It muffles other peoples' conversations. I can't tell if someone is smiling behind their mask or smirking.

And frankly, I do not think it is necessary. In one of his more honest moments, Dr. Anthony Fauci actually admitted so! If you watch the video Fauci admitted that the mask doesn't really give you the protection you think it does. Why should we think that a thin mask is going to stop microscopic COVID virus particles from entering our mouth or eyes? And the masks don't even cover our eyes!

You see, I have had experience wearing a common mask when I was sanding joint compound while working on drywall, preparing for painting. I would take off the mask and see where dust particles inched down my face on either side of my nose. Now the mask kept out some of the drywall dust, but not all of it. I have also used a chemical mask with cartridge filters when working with strong chemicals. Now those might be more helpful in fighting the Coronavirus. But not simple masks.

I know the arguments. The mask is more about showing love to other people than about protecting yourself. Then I ask myself, "So why are people wearing them outside when they are twenty feet away from anyone else?" And, "Why do they wear the mask when they are alone in their car?????"

I'll tell you why. It is fear. Fear created by a real virus that appeared to be deadly. But by now we know a whole lot about this virus. And it is not as deadly as we have been made to believe. For example, if you put 78,000 people into a stadium from the beginning of the year to now, and gave them plenty of food and water, how many of them, statistically, would have died of COVID? The answer is, only about 8. I can handle those odds.

Would you like to know the truth about how many people have died of COVID alone in the US? According to the latest statistics from CDC, as of August 26, 2020 if you count the people who have died this year from COVID only, with no other co-morbidities such as cardiac problems or pneumonia problems, etc., only 6% of the total number of COVID deaths have been from COVID alone. That means that of the 161,392 total COVID related deaths, only 9,683.52 were from COVID alone. All the rest of the deaths had, on the average 2.6 additional causes or conditions. So by itself, without any other conditions present, you are more apt to die from a car crash than from COVID. (You have to go to Table 3 and click on it to gain this information.)

I lived, during the early portion of this year, until about August 1, in South Dakota. South Dakota has very lax regulations about COVID masks. During that time I never wore a mask, except when I had an elderly parishioner whose children requested I wear one when visiting their parent. And I wore one when I went into the hospital or a medical clinic. I walked around in a Walmart store with plenty of people, and most people did not wear masks. And South Dakota was a pretty safe place. Yes, some workers in slaughter houses got sick, and I can understand why, with their working conditions. But we didn't walk around panic-stricken.

So I think, personally, there is something more going on here than mere science. This has been the first time in history that the healthy were asked to quarantine themselves. Stay home! Don't go anywhere! Why should we quarantine the healthy? And to me, the mask is just an extension of quarantining the healthy.

So what is going on here? The government wants to keep us safe? I believe Dr. Dan Erickson, of Accelerated Urgent Care in Bakersfield CA, who said clear back in April of this year: If the government says they want to keep you safe, this isn't about science, and it isn't even about COVID. It is about control!

Now I will have plenty of people in my audience who will scream that this is about showing love and compassion on other people. Alright. Have it your way. You are missing my point.

Here is my point: The COVID mask is an excellent illustration and symbol of the government's ability to control its population. And the government is using fear to force you to do what it wants you to do.

Now, fast-forward in time to the time the Bible describes as the Great Tribulation, or the time of unprecedented trouble in the world.

People will be panic-stricken at the wars, the pandemics, the plagues, at the extremes in temperature, at stars going berserk up in the heavens. And a very powerful, persuasive, smooth-talking world leader will rocket into public awareness.

If you think we have anarchy going on in American cities now, wait until then. This man will be the ultimate Anarchist. The Apostle Paul called him "The Man of Lawlessness!" (2 Thess. 2:3). He will make himself out to be the Messiah, the Savior of the world (2 Thess. 2:4). And most people will believe him! And he will require people to worship him as the Messiah.

How will he force them to do that? He will assign every one in the world an identifying number (Rev. 13:16-18). If you don't accept his number, you will be in deep trouble. Because you will not be able to buy or sell anything without that number. You will not be able to buy food or go to a restaurant to eat, or buy gas, or make your housing payments or get a paycheck or pay your taxes or get a tax refund without his number. But if you take his number, you are consenting to worship him.

What are you going to do then, my friend? Will you permit the government to coerce you to "wear the mask" or in this case "wear the number?" If you take the number, you seal your terrible, eternal fate in God's eyes. Here is the truth:

Signs of the End of the Age,  Part 1: The Rebirth of the State of Israel 

Prepared by James T. Bartsch
September 30, 2020
Published Online by WordExplain.com

Email Contact: jbartsch@wordexplain.com

Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE ®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)