The End of Time?

I am sitting here at 5 AM in the morning trying to type something for today's post. I slept for about 12 hours because I wasn't feeling to well. Plus, I haven't slept well for weeks. So, I decided to get up and write something. I started to write my next entry on Judeo/Islamic/Christian relations. As I got started, my Mom woke up and started asking me what happened with the local elections.

Did I tell you my Mom lives with me? It's a long story, but I suppose that makes me one of those sad spinster types. Although, technically, my Mom lives with me and I don't have twenty cats, just a dog. So, maybe I don't fit the stereo-type exactly?

As usual, I digress. I was beginning to write my entry when we started having some discussions about the terror alerts and politics. Somehow, we got off on the subject of world warfare and such. My Mom asked me if I had heard about the new GPS chip that they are experimenting with putting in dogs and cats so owners can find them easier. I stated, yes, I had heard about it, but I heard that it is being used in humans in Mexico on a voluntary basis in order to thwart would be kidnappers.

My Mom says, "I don't like that. I think that is the mark of the beast."

Well, that pretty much put an end to trying to make my entry on the whole middle east situation. Now, my Mom is one of those people that keeps her religion to herself, generally, but reads many books on the subject. I often find little pamphlets and things sitting with her purse. We don't spend a lot of time talking religion. Based on discussions this evening, I think she thought that I might be atheist or something, so she didn't want to bring the subject up. (I lived away from the home state for many years, so she wouldn't necessarily have an idea about my personal religious beliefs. Also, I do not attend church on anything near a regular basis, so I suppose she might have some reason to wonder). I think we definitely were living in a "don't ask, don't tell" situation.

Well, I was a little surprised by that remark, to say the least. It was 5 AM. She goes on, "The bible says that you are not supposed to have the mark of the beast on you. Once you have the mark of the beast, you have taken sides with the anti-Christ. Of course, if you don't take the mark, you will not be able to buy gas or food and you may be killed. But, at least you will go to heaven. And we're talking about eternity here. Not just right now which is, you know..."

"About a minute in time," I supplied helpfully. What can I say, I egged her on a bit.

"Yes, today is about a minute in time compared to eternity. Much better to live an eternity to heaven than to sell your soul to the devil for right now and spend eternity in hell." My Mom is now standing in the doorway to my very small office. I am pretty sure at this point that I am not going to get to the follow up entry on the Middle East. It's hard to think about that while your Mom is telling you about Armageddon.

"Well, you know Mom, when I read the bible, I always thought that the mark would be an external mark."

"Some people think that, but the truth is, no one knows what that will look like. Maybe it's the mark that can't be seen? The mark by which the government will know you and control you. The bible says that we will be under one government over the whole world and a leader will take power that is charismatic and convinces people that he should be the leader for life. He will be the anti-Christ. He will use this universal mark to decide who lives and dies. Who gets to participate and who is a drain on society. If you don't take the mark, you will be an outsider and you can be killed. He will start a world war. Armageddon."

At this point, I am merely listening, staring at the computer screen. I have no idea what I am going to write and am pretty sure that I don't have time to go through all the research materials for the Middle East project before I have to actually get a shower and go to work. So, I just nod my head and say, "uh, huh" while she continues to talk.

"The bible says that people will turn against each other. We already have husbands killing wives, wives killing children, children killing their parents and each other. And, we are in the middle of a religious war over there [Middle East] as predicted."

"You know, Mom. People have been predicting the end of time for thousands of years. Even in current history, people thought that each war was the harbinger of destruction. During the US civil war, many people thought that the branding of the slaves was the mark of the beast and that, because it was brother against brother, and we were living in the "new" country that could be interpreted as the "New Babylon", that that was the end of times." You can look this up in some of he historical documents and religious texts of the time. Lots of people congregating and praying that they wouldn't burn in hell for eternity and couldn't decide if this anti-Christ was in the form of Abe Lincoln or Jefferson Davis. "Also, World War I, where we saw the industrialization of the military. Nepalm and other burning weapons. Plus, it was a world war with many nations involved. Some of the fighting was taking place in the area once known as Canaan, now Israel, where Jerusalem resides. Lots of people interpreted that as the omen of the end of the world. Especially when the League of Nations was created. A world unifying body."

Basically, I was trying to point out to my Mom that we have had people crying out that this was the time of Revelations over history. I think I even recall the Crusades being touted as such. If you know a little history, the Europeans conquered Jerusalem and installed their own King. Effectively creating the "New Jerusalem" that is mentioned in the bible. That didn't last to long, but many a religious zealot was claiming the end was near.

My mom goes on, "Yes, but now we have globalized markets and the UN and other global organizations. It won't be long until we are joined under one ruler for the world. That didn't happen in those times. And, even those weapons were not capable of setting the world on fire. Now we have nuclear weapons and it only takes one crazy guy to set off the a nuclear weapons and start the world war with burning cities. This is what will allow people to create the one world body controlled by one man, the anti-Christ. A false prophet."

Now I'm kind of quiet because I am thinking about all the other times that people predicted the end of time. During World War II, we fire bombed the hell out of Dresden, Munich, Berlin and hit Hiroshima and Nagasaki with atom bombs. I'm betting there were a number of God fearing people in those cities that was sure this was the end of time. Even then, we were fighting in the deserts of Africa, Egypt, Palestinian Protectorate, etc. We were in Damascus and Jerusalem.

Is it me? Or, does it sound like every war fits the mold in some way for fulfilling Revelation's predictions. Of course, I have to agree on some subjects...

"Well, Mom, I suppose your right in a sense. We are in Iraq, where the city of Babylon once existed. I suppose some could construe that as the rebuilding of Babylon as prophesied in the bible."

Revelation Chapter 17:

3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

For the record, I am only pointing these verses out as a reference to the "end of the world" discussion and am by no means trying to equate the situation. As a student of history and literature, I've read the bible through a few times. It's been helpful in some conversations. Just indicating what the ultra religious may feel is the justification of their prophesies of Armageddon. The verse that predicts the single ruler over a global body, the anti-Christ, resides in this chapter as well:

12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
13 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.
18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

Frankly, I often refer to these versus as self fulfilling prophesies. In other words, we are always at war, there is always some city that might reflect the New Babylon and there is always some crazy bastard trying to pull together multiple nations under his demonic guise as the savior of the people. You could say that Napoleon even fit this description. Or, Hitler. Or, Stalin. Or, Mao Tse Dong. Pol Pot. The list is just about endless. Some believe that prophesy is directly related to New York, where the UN resides and reigns over the ten kings. Of course, there are only five permanent members of the security council with an additional rotating body of ten elected members. You can parse out the ten and say it fulfills the prophesy or add them together and say that fifteen doesn't equate. Better yet, that the five members hold such power, that it can never be overcome.

The bible goes on about Babylon:

1 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.
2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.(...)

7 How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.
8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.
9 And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,
10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour is thy judgment come.
11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:
13 And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.
15 The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,

My Mom went on to say that she believed the time would come when the REAL false prophet would arrive and nuclear holocaust would be the Armageddon. She feels that there is no stopping the prophesy. That God has already written our future in the stars and we cannot avoid it. Maybe it will take another hundred years. Maybe it will be tomorrow. We don't know. So she says we should always be ready.

She was also surprised that I knew anything about what the bible says. Ahh..It is always good to keep your parents guessing.

Just to add a little spirit to the discussion, who do you think this could be construed as? Revelation, Chapter 19:

11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.
20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

Yeah, I know what you're thinking, but this is just a discussion about the tenets of the religious zealots on "end of time" prophesies. So don't get your panties in a twist.

Who might we say fits this description in our little Armageddon play? Revelations 20:

1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

One aspect that isn't settled yet, is the coming of the New Jerusalem, which basically can only happen if there is truly "peace in the middle east". Jerusalem would have to be rebuilt, as described in Revelations, to meet the most important aspect of the prophesy:

1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;

Honestly, if you search the internet, you can find all sorts of interesting connotations of world events relating to Revelations. I actually saw an internet site that compared New York to the "New Babylon", the September 11 World Trade Center destruction to the destruction of Babylon and the "weeping and wailing of merchants made rich" as the financiers who were thrown out by the towers' destruction.

Frankly, as I pointed out before, these are almost self fulfilling prophesies that can be related to many times during history. Babylon and Jerusalem have been destroyed and rebuilt many times. Of course, Jesus hasn't arrived again, yet, and we certainly haven't known a thousand years of peace, so who knows? Of course, we can fulfill these prophesies again with some really horrible outcomes if we aren't careful. There are some crazy people in the world and a few of them have nuclear capabilities.

One part of the prophesy talks about the "red dragon". My Grandmother always told me she thought that was the Communist Chinese. Maybe. But it seems that we have tamed them with financial support. The other might even be North Korea. I have read some older books that refer to native Arabs as "red" men from their dark skin and time in the sun.

I often think that this is one of those scary stories, like a Steven King novel, that you should read while the lights are on and somebody else is in the house with you. When you are brought up in the church, you are taught to fear God and believe in his word. A little like our Islamist counterparts. Even if you leave the church in some manner, that first indoctrination stays with you and keeps picking at the superstitious part of your brain.

Generally, my rational mind keeps me from wondering down these paths, but every once in awhile, the superstitious me, prods me in the back and says, "What if?"

My Mom finally got off the subject and went to bed. Said she had to get up in the morning and go shopping. Me, I decided that this was the strangest conversation I had ever had at 5 AM and decided, if I was going to have to think about it, I would write it and see what the rest of you think.