The Other World Series

The Coming World Government

Lesson III

August 1, 2000

 

 

 

Leaders, who have no interest in what the Bible says, have for a number of years, been warning us that global troubles are upon us.  I quote from the World Federalists: “Thoughtful men in every country warn us that we are in mortal danger of destroying ourselves on several fronts.  The problems of war, pollution, population and poverty are planetary in scope.  World problems call for world solutions.  The most important business on earth is the management of our planet for the safety and well being of all mankind.  Canada in cooperation with other countries should sponsor the holding of a world-convention to draft a charter for an effective World Government.” (Emphasis mine)

 

The thinking of so-called ‘modern man’ is that such severe troubles are facing us, and that the only answer they can see is in a World Government with world law.  In the last hundred years this kind of reasoning has been revealed repeatedly. 

 

In 1899, the International Peace Conference was held in The Hague. The objective was the establishment of world peace.  In 1904, the U.S.A. called a second Peace Conference with the same objective.  In 1907, Russia also called such a conference.  But in 1914 these peace prospects were shattered by war.  That war was known as ‘the war to end wars’. Soldiers dying in battle were promised open gates to Heaven!

 

In 1920, the League of Nations was formed for the purpose of bringing world-peace.  The League was really an attempt to create a form of World Government.  In 1928, August 27th, the Kellogg-Briand Pact was an attempt to eliminate war.  F.B. Kellogg was then U.S. Secretary of State,  A. Briand the French Foreign Minister.  But all was in vain; for once again the world plunged into war in 1939.  Peace agreements were useless.

 

On October 24, 1945, the United Nations Organization was formed for “the purpose of maintaining international peace and security.”  But wars have continued to be a part of world history.  Hundreds of wars have been fought since 1946.  Perhaps we are safe in saying that the UN has been no more effective than the League of Nations.  Therefore, from a human standpoint, world trouble will eventually demand World Government.

 

If we have read the Bible correctly, one final form of human World Government is predicted.  We base this statement especially on Daniel chapter two.  In Daniel 2 verses 28-29 we are told that the image seen by Nebuchadnezzar has to do with the latter days.  It is a revelation of what shall come to pass.

Daniel 2:28-29

(28) But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these;

(29) As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came [into thy mind] upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass.

 

The image had five distinct parts.  Then a Stone ‘cut out without hands’ smites the feet and the toes of the image.  We take note, the Stone does not smite the legs, but when it smites the feet and toes, the whole image crumbles to dust.  Then the Stone becomes a great mountain that fills the whole earth.

 

Daniel 2:36-45

(36) This [is] the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.

(37) Thou, O king, [art] a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.

(38) And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou [art] this head of gold.

(39) And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.

(40) And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all [things]: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.

(41) And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.

(42) And [as] the toes of the feet [were] part of iron, and part of clay, [so] the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken

(43) And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.

(44) And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, [but] it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

(45) Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream [is] certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.

 

In verses 36-45 we have the interpretation of the symbols used in this image.  We are told that the head of gold represented Nebuchadnezzar and his Babylonian government.  That is now a part of history.

 

The arms of silver represent another kingdom, inferior to Babylon.  Most agree these arms represent the Medo-Persian government, which again is now history. 

 

The belly and thighs of the image were of brass, a third kingdom.  Most agree this represents the Grecian Empire under Alexander.  Again, this has become history.

 

In verse 40, the legs of iron symbolize another strong Gentile Kingdom.  We believe this can only mean the Roman Empire.  Now a part of history.

 

To this point all the parts of the image represent Gentile World Kingdoms that controlled Israel.  We know that the Romans were in control when Christ was born.  In Luke 2:1 we read, “And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.”  Rome was not yet in decline.  She was the Gentile World Kingdom when Christ came the first time, and Romans crucified the Saviour. 

 

Christ did not crush world governments then.  Outwardly they crushed Him.  But the point we want to keep in mind is that Christ came during the time represented by the legs of iron.

 

But that does not conclude the picture.  Daniel 2:41-43 speaks about the iron and clay of the feet and toes (not the legs).  This too must symbolize another or fifth World Gentile Kingdom, as all the other parts have represented Kingdoms.  Verse 44 says, “In the days of these kings.”  What kings?  We believe it can only mean the kings represented by the toes.

 

It seems to us that it would be inconsistent to say that the time of the “iron and clay” is the same as that of the “iron”, as surely as it would be inconsistent to say that the time of the “silver” is the same as the time of the “gold.”  Each part of the image represents a different time period of Gentile World Kingdoms.

 

Daniel 2:34-35

(34) Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet [that were] of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces

(35) Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

 

In Daniel 2:34 we read that the Stone smote the feet of iron and clay.  Thus we note the Stone falls on the part of the image made up of iron and clay and not the iron, the brass, the silver or the gold.  The Stone falling on the toes destroys the whole, then it becomes a Great Mountain and fills the whole earth (verse 35).

 

Daniel 2:44-45 interprets this to be the time when “the God of Heaven sets up a kingdom that stands forever.”  We believe this can only be fulfilled by the Second Coming of Jesus Christ at which time “the Kingdoms of this world become the Kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ” (Revelation 11:15).

Revelation 11:15

(15) And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become [the kingdoms] of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

 

We also believe, if the Stone falls on the toes, and if those toes represent Kings, or Leaders, then those Kings or Leaders must be future.  They must appear and be on earth when Christ returns, for He can only smite them if they are here to be smitten.  Although men like Napoleon, Hitler, Stalin and others have dreamed of heading a World Government, they have not succeeded.  The reason?  Only one more human World Government is predicted in Scripture.  It will be the last attempt of the Devil to bring peace to a troubled world without the Prince of Peace.

 

Most fail to see that the sinfulness, the unrest, the turmoil in our world is an evidence of the Devil’s failure, not his success.  It was the outwardly good people who thought they were good in themselves to whom Jesus said, “Ye are of your father the Devil” (John 8:44).  Goodness without Christ will finally be proven not to be goodness at all.  And World Government without Christ will also prove to be a complete failure.  Who dares to believe that the current peace accords are inspired by the Devil?  But time will prove it to be so.  Men today want peace but they do not want Christ.  And World-peace without Christ can only be a product of the Devil.

 

Because the iron is mixed with clay, in this last human world government, we believe it will find its roots in the old Roman Empire.  In the book Caesar and Christ the conclusion is as follows:  “When, in 1936, Rome celebrated the 2689th anniversary of her foundation, she could look back upon the most impressive continuity of government and civilization in the history of mankind.  May she rise again” (my emphasis).

 

Things have been happening in Rome.  In 1956 “the treaty of Rome” brought the European Common Market into being.  The Vancouver Sun reported in 1991, “Europe took another huge step toward becoming the most powerful economic force in the world.”  We believe that Romanism is the dominant power with the wealth of Rome behind it all.

In 1974 “The Club of Rome” came into being.  Ninety business men and scientists from around the world outline a strategy for survival.  Then in 1975, “The International Charismatic Conference was held in Rome.”  We have always believed that Rome has had her finger on this movement.

 

Paul Crouch of Trinity Broadcasting Network has stated: “I have come to the conviction that Martin Luther made a mistake.  He should never have left the Roman Catholic Church.  I am eradicating the word Protestant out of my vocabulary.  I am not protesting anything.  It is time for Catholics and non-Catholics to come together in the Spirit and one in the Lord.” (Quoted from Midnight Call August 2000)

 

We had better keep things clear in our minds.  We must first be one in the Lord before we consider being one in the Spirit.  When one is “pro” that does not mean “against” but rather for something.  Protestantism and Martin Luther were for the Authority of Scripture and the priesthood of all believers, and holding such views was not welcomed by the Roman Church. 

 

The last human World Government will arise in Europe and Western Nations (the iron) and mixed with Romanism (the clay) will not hold together. 

 

While writing this article on August 1st, 2000, I received information that “On August 28 through August 31, 2000, in the first gathering of its kind, the Millennium World Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders (opening at the United Nations) will unite several hundred pre-eminent leaders from the world’s great religious and faith traditions to pledge a commitment for the achievement of world peace.”  The movement along with those of the past is but another endeavor of our Enemy, the Devil, to prepare the way for a final human World Government this time tied to religion.  When this world-government appears, the Second Coming of Christ to this world will be near at hand.