BIBLICAL END TIMES PROPHECIES: WARS AND RUMOURS OF WARS

Posted on by

“And when you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains.” Mark 13:7 and Matthew 23:6

Pakistan said it shot down an Indian spy drone in its airspace yesterday. The incident, which India has not confirmed, marks the latest escalation following a deadly attack last week in the Indian-controlled region of Kashmir.

On April 22, at least four gunmen killed 26 people, most of them Indian tourists, in the resort town of Pahalgam. India says at least two of the assailants were Pakistani citizens and blames Islamabad for supporting separatist violence. Pakistan denies association with the gunmen.

Since the attack, the countries have downgraded diplomatic relations. India suspended a key water treaty enabling Pakistan to access 80% of the water it uses for irrigation and launched a test missile over the weekend. Pakistan closed its airspace to India and has threatened a nuclear response if India attacks.

India and Pakistan have fought three wars over the mountainous region of Kashmir since the two countries were partitioned from former British India in 1947

POPE FRANCIS’ CATASTROPHIC TEACHINGS

Posted on by

Pope Francis emphasized interfaith dialogue and respect for Muslims, building on the Second Vatican Council’s teachings, particularly Lumen Gentium 16 and Nostra Aetate 3, which state that Muslims “together with us adore the one, merciful God” and worship the Creator, linking their faith to Abraham. He taught that Muslims, like others, can achieve salvation if they seek God sincerely and follow their conscience, as per the Catechism of the Catholic Church (No. 846-847). His approach focused on shared values—mercy, peace, and fraternity—rather than doctrinal differences, such as the Trinity or Jesus’ divinity.

Key actions include co-authoring the 2019 Document on Human Fraternity with Grand Imam Ahmed al-Tayeb, promoting peace and coexistence, and citing Muslim poet Ali al-Khawas in Laudato Si’ to highlight shared spiritual insights. In Fratelli Tutti (2020), he drew on Muslim collaboration to underscore universal fraternity. His 2013 Holy Thursday foot-washing of a Muslim prisoner and visits to Muslim-majority countries like the UAE and Iraq reinforced his message of mutual respect.

However, his statement in the Document on Human Fraternity that “the pluralism and diversity of religions… are willed by God” sparked controversy. Critics, like some X users, accused him of relativism, arguing it undermines Christ’s unique role in salvation.

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

What Pope Francis taught made him a perfect candidate for the prophesied Biblical end-times False Prophet. In the article in The Spectator, “The Catholic Church must free itself from this ‘toxic nightmare’ written by the late Cardinal George Pell shortly before his death, described Francis’ papacy as ‘catastrophic’. Pope Francis is dead, so it will be interesting to see who the cardinals elect as his successor. Bearing in mind that 135 cardinals will elect the next pope, and Pope Francis picked 108 of them.

DID YOU KNOW THAT JESUS TOLD HIS DISCIPLES TO BUY SWORDS?

Posted on by

“He (Jesus) said to them, “But now let the one who has a moneybag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one.” Luke 22:36

Also, it must be remembered that Jesus used physical force to clear the temple of moneychangers (John 2:14-16). He gave a deadly warning to those who would harm “little ones” “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.” Matthew 18:5-6

Other New Testament writers taught that rulers “bear the sword” as God’s agents for justice (Romans 13:4); warned that any man who fails to provide (and by implication, provide protection) for his family is “worse than an unbeliever” (1 Timothy 5:8); and depicted Jesus at His return waging war on His enemies (Revelation 19:11-15).

Of course, the Old Testament also calls God a “warrior” (Exodus 15:3), and urges God’s people to rescue “the weak and the fatherless” from “the hand of the wicked” (Psalm 82:3-4), and “defend the oppressed” (Isaiah 1:17).

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a Lutheran pastor from Germany who was executed by the Nazis for his role in the plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler.

Bonhoeffer’s life — depicted in the recent Angel Studios film Bonhoeffer (2024) — poses an intriguing question for Christians: namely, is violence ever justified? Clearly, Bonhoeffer thought so. But what of the passages in Scripture that apparently teach pacifism?

The clearest of these come from the lips of Jesus Himself. In the Garden of Gethsemane, when Peter drew his sword and struck off the ear of the high priest’s servant, we read in Matthew 26:52, “‘Put your sword back in its place,’ Jesus said to him, ‘for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.’”

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus likewise famously taught, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.” Matthew 5:38-39

Indeed, we could compile quite a list of other “pacifist” passages, including:

It seems from these scriptures that violence is never an appropriate response for a follower of Christ. But by harmonising these two sets of Scriptures, I believe the position we come to is that there are certain limited circumstances where violence is okay, and possibly even the best course of action, not because violence is good, but due to the reality that we live in a broken world.

Look at John 18:11 for how Jesus Himself balances this contentious topic. There, he says to Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?”

Christ is eschewing violence in this instance, and pointing to Calvary as the real solution to the world’s problems. The cup is greater than the sword. Indeed, as followers of Christ, it is far preferable that we suffer for the sake of Christ than that we inflict suffering on others.

Yet at the same time, Jesus doesn’t eschew violence altogether. He says, “Put your sword away!” — not, “Peter, why on earth are you armed with a sword?” There’s a big difference.

Jesus didn’t take issue with the fact that Peter was armed, but that Peter was trying to use violence in the wrong way, at the wrong time, and for the wrong reason.

To play devil’s advocate for a moment, if it is true that Jesus taught pacifism, that would mean Christians can’t serve in the armed forces, we shouldn’t celebrate holidays like Anzac Day, and a Christian husband or father couldn’t defend his wife or children against a violent home invader.

There are few willing to concede on all of these points — but that is the stance that must be upheld if Christ really taught pacifism.

Which is why, throughout history, the majority Christian position on this topic is not pacifism. Rather, the majority of Christians have held that violence is justified in a narrow set of extenuating circumstances — namely, self-defence, defending the defenceless, and defending one’s nation against oppressive regimes. Hence Bonhoeffer.

One last clarification should be made on this topic. While Christians are justified in using violence in certain, limited circumstances, doing so in the name of Christ or on God’s behalf is an error to be avoided.

At the risk of repetition, violence is sometimes necessary — but not because violence is good or an expression of God’s will. On the contrary, when violence is justified, it’s due to the sad reality that this world is evil and broken, and all other options have been exhausted.

Put simply, God’s kingdom is never advanced by force or violence. That’s what Peter misunderstood in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Later in the same chapter of John, Jesus famously tells Pontius Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world.” This is Jesus’ declaration that, in the kingdoms of this world, wars will be fought, and nations will rise and fall, but none of that puts Him on His throne, and none of it could ever shake Him from His throne. Jesus is King, and he will always be King over the entire universe.

Not By Force, But By Faith

Does this mean that Christians should be passive? By no means. Jesus didn’t teach pacifism, and He also didn’t teach passivity.

When we look at the life of Jesus and the lives of His followers, we don’t see passivity. We don’t see people who avoid conflict at all costs, who never give offence, or who refuse to stand up to injustice.

What we do see is men and women who took the gospel to hostile places, who spoke the truth and stood for what was right no matter the cost, who challenged corrupt systems, and who protected the vulnerable even at great personal risk.

Today, we live in very peaceful neighbourhoods and a civilisation full of comforts. So it’s very easy for us to misinterpret the words of Jesus here and think he’s encouraging pacifism or passivity.

Jesus taught meekness, but he didn’t teach weakness. And again, to be clear, Jesus taught that His kingdom does not advance by violence.

So, if God’s kingdom is not advanced by physical force, how is it advanced? The answer to this question is all through the Bible, and in the book of Acts especially.

There we see God’s kingdom advancing through the preaching of the gospel, through prayer, through worship, through persuasion, through advocacy, through spiritual warfare, through acts of sacrificial love, through apologetics, and we could list many more examples besides.

In a word, God’s kingdom advances not by force, but by faith. Or as God says in Zechariah 4:6 – “Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit.”

Taken from an article by Kurt Mahlburg, Violence and Christianity: Is Physical Force Ever Justified? He is the Senior Editor and a regular columnist at The Daily Declaration. 

It is important to remember that next on God’s agenda for this world is Jesus Millennial Kingdom when Jesus and the Saints rule with a rod of iron in a world still beset by sin.

“‘The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I, myself have received authority from my Father‘. Revelation 2: 26-27

“From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron.” Revelation 19:15

THE BEST CANDIDATE FOR MYSTERY BABYLON

Posted on by

The author of Mystery Babylon – Unlocking the Bible’s Greatest Prophetic Mystery, Joel Richardson, explores biblical interpretations that identify Mecca as the epicentre of idolatry and spiritual corruption in the end times. We examine how the Kaaba—considered by some to be the greatest idol in human history—and the role of Islam in global geopolitics could fulfil the prophetic characteristics of the Great Babylon. Join us in this in-depth study that challenges traditional beliefs and offers a new perspective on end-time prophecies.

A CIVIL WAR IS BREWING IN THE USA

Posted on by

America is deeply divided, yet there is no single conflict at the core of the discord. Instead, an ideological divide is widening at an alarming pace. We have seen “cancel culture,” which initially aimed to suppress opposing voices, evolve into an “assassination culture,” where some openly call for the violent elimination of adversaries.

Evidence of this disturbing trend was highlighted by a recent Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI) report. Among those surveyed who self-identified as left-of-center, 55% felt that assassinating President Trump could be justified to some extent, while 48% said the same about Elon Musk. Alarmingly, 38% of all respondents believed it would be at least somewhat justifiable to murder Donald Trump. Researchers noted that these findings reflect a growing acceptance of political violence among ideological extremists.

Such a dangerous shift is taking root as assassination ideation becomes more normalized. We’ve seen Tesla dealerships vandalized and the murder of executives like Brian Thompson of United Healthcare met with approval in certain circles. Clearly, extremism begets extremism, and the future of America stands on precarious ground.

History and Scripture are unequivocal: a house — or a nation — divided against itself cannot stand for long. If America wishes to remain under a shared roof, it must find a path toward unity.

This is spiritual warfare, and because we are approaching the time of Jesus’s return, it will only intensify, so civil war between the States is a real possibility. If it does, expect China, possibly in collusion with Russia, to take advantage of it. We are in the end times, and wars and rumours of wars are prophesied.

“And you will hear of wars and rumours of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.” Matthew 24:6-8

RULING AND REIGNING WITH JESUS AND THE SAINTS ON THIS EARTH

Posted on by

In this video, Matthew Foley of the International School of the Word (ISOW INSIGHTS) interviews me about Jesus’ coming Millennial Kingdom.

I reveal to Matthew that I was reluctant when the Holy Spirit directed me to focus on what is next on God’s agenda for this planet. This Earth has had almost 6000 years of Satan as ruler of the nations. His rule is ending, and the nation God established for His purposes, Israel, will finally fulfil its destiny with its Messiah, Jesus, ruling all the countries of the earth for 1000 years. Jesus rules from a newly constructed Jerusalem on the highest mountain on earth. We discuss what the Bible says concerning Jesus’ ruling and reigning on earth with the resurrected Saints. The curse is not lifted, so people are still being born, and people are dying. Jesus and the Saints need to rule with a rod of iron, and people still need to repent and accept Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. You will need to watch the video to learn more, or go to the website http://www.millennialkingdom.net

DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY IS AN ESSENTIAL TRUTH OF CHRITIANITY

Posted on by

After His resurrection from the dead, Jesus gave His disciples the Great Commission: “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20). 

God consists of three Persons in One God. The doctrine of the Trinity is not a secondary doctrine, but an essential truth of the Christian faith. The Scottish theologian Thomas Torrance (1913-2007) wisely wrote, “The doctrine of the Trinity is the central dogma of Christian theology, the fundamental grammar of our knowledge of God.” Any other definition of God is false. 

Some recent research sadly revealed that only 11% of Americans believe in the doctrine of the Trinity. This statistic is truly alarming. After all, God’s nature is a foundational component of Christianity 101. 

Christian baptism is always administered in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Oxford theologian Alister McGrath said, “The doctrine of the Trinity wasn’t invented — it was uncovered.” And of course, the place where this glorious doctrine was uncovered is Holy Scripture. When Jesus was baptized, we see all three Persons of the Godhead in action. “As soon as Jesus was baptised, He went up and out of the water. At that moment, Heaven was opened, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on Him. And a voice from Heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased’” (Matthew 3:13-17).

Any religious group that rejects the doctrine of the Trinity is clearly outside of Christianity. After all, anyone who rejects the true nature of God is walking in spiritual darkness (see John 1:5) and without the guidance of the Holy Spirit (see 1 Corinthians 2:14). You see, it is a different spirit that leads people to reject the Trinity. The Apostle John wrote, “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).

Two such false prophets were Joseph Smith, who invented the Mormon religion, and Charles Taze Russell, who started the religious sect known as the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Both men rejected the doctrine of the Trinity, and both men manufactured “another Jesus” (2 Cor. 11:4) and “a different gospel” (Galatians 1:6). Millions of Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses have been led astray by the terribly flawed teachings of these two false prophets. (This excellent resource reveals the heretical doctrines of these two religious organizations and how to respond with the truth.)

United Church of God and Oneness Pentecostalism are two religious groups that rejects the doctrine of the Trinity. They teach that the Trinity is a product of pagan mythology and Greek philosophy.” Oneness Pentecostals maintain that “the only real ‘person’ in the Godhead is Jesus. Thus, this religious group is often referred to as the ‘Jesus Only’ movement.” They baptise only in the name of Jesus, rather than the way Jesus instructed His disciples to baptise. 

Mike Barden is a former Oneness Pentecostal who said, “I realizsd that I had fully embraced ‘another gospel’ than the one in the Bible!” Mike also said, “The unbiblical view of salvation within Oneness Pentecostalism creates great and unnecessary spiritual frustration for anyone seeking salvation. Instead of understanding the amazing grace of God that immediately frees an underserving sinner from the guilt of their sin, people in Oneness churches are taught that they are not yet saved if they haven’t spoken in tongues.”

Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, United Church of God, and Oneness Pentecostals completely twist the truth of Scripture to fit within the doctrinal agenda of their false teachers. These groups attack the doctrine of the Trinity, thereby blaspheming God and corrupting baptism, even when some biblical terminology is used during their baptisms. The Holy Spirit does not participate in these counterfeit baptisms because these heretical groups have perverted the message of the Bible. There is a different spirit at play whenever fallen angels use false prophets as their mouthpiece to promote “another gospel” (Galatians 1:8). Scripture warns us about “doctrines of demons” (1 Timothy 4:1).

Christian baptism is built upon the true nature of God. And the formula for baptism, which Jesus gave His followers, contains the beautiful truth about our Triune God. Simply put, believing in the three equal Persons who make up the Holy Trinity is foundational to following Christ.

POPE FRANCIS: SERVANT OR ENEMY OF CHRIST?

Posted on by

Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6, and yet Pope Francis believed all faiths lead to heaven.  Pope Francis, referring to the universal nature of God, claimed, “Since God is God for all, then we are all children of God.”

This video will show how far Pope Francis was from the truth of God’s Word.

Pope Francis did not believe Jesus was the only way to God, and yet Jesus said the following:

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:4-5

“If anyone does not abide in me, he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.” John 15:6

”

SATAN WILL HAVE AN EXPLANATION FOR THE RAPTURE

Posted on by

When millions of people are taken up from the world in the rapture, what will the world think has happened? Those people who believe they are Christians and know Biblical end times prophecies will know the rapture has taken place, and they are those of the church in Laodicea.

“So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.” Revelation 3:16-18

Hopefully, they will heed Jesus’ instruction and repent and seek Him. But what of the unsaved? The enemy, Satan, undoubtedly will have a counter explanation ready for when that happens; after all, he has read the Bible too.

STAN’S STRATEGY: Not only are demons manifesting in the heavenlies as aliens, but they are also sending messages to many on earth, which reveals their true character. In general, the entities communicate that the earth will soon undergo a period of cataclysmic changes. The descriptions they give are of what transpires when God pours out His wrath upon the earth. However, these so-called “aliens” are nothing more than demons pretending to be from some other galaxy. Their messages, as we will see, consist of some basic ideas that are the diabolical mirror to the Bible. 1. Cataclysmic events will come upon the earth. 2. They will help us overcome those events. 3. They will take those that can’t or won’t evolve to the next level. 4. Those that remain get to evolve to the next level now. 5. A man from among us will be raised with special powers and knowledge.

We can safely conclude that some time shortly after the rapture, the demons will most likely appear to the world as the saviors of the world and will provide an answer for the disappearance of over 700 million people worldwide. Many believe that the aliens/demons will say that they were the ones who seeded the planet (were the Creators of man) and have returned to help in our hour of greatest need. The reason that most of the world will not immediately turn to the God of heaven and earth following the rapture is because the enemy has been conditioning people for just such an event. The rapture is certain in that God has clearly said it would come to pass; therefore, Satan (as the father of lies, cf. John 8:44) must have some type of event in place to deceive the world when the event occurs.

Sometimes the message is that the people evacuated will be resettled to another planet. Sometimes the “aliens” tell us not to worry about where the ones taken will go. And sometimes we see it is the bad aliens who have come to catch people up into their spaceships; those brave enough to resist will survive, as portrayed in the 2010 movie Skyline, whose motto is “do not look up” because those that look at the light will be taken. Jesus told us to “look up” (Luke 21:28) when we see all these things beginning to come to pass. Could it be that Satan has found a clever way to encourage people to do just the opposite?

In her book Aliens Among Us, Ruth Montgomery writes of how the “aliens” have communicated: “We are coming in great numbers, not with any intention of harm, but to rescue the earth from pollution and nuclear explosions”. Some like Barbara Marciniak, a popular New Age author and channeller, in her book Bringers of the Dawn, writes of messages she claims she received from extra-terrestrials from the star system Pleiades. She discusses the disappearance that is coming on the world. The people who leave the planet during the time of Earth changes do not fit in here any longer, and they are stopping the harmony of Earth. When the time comes that perhaps 20 million people leave the planet at one time, there will be a tremendous shift in consciousness for those who are remaining.

It should be clear that Satan and his legions are making great preparations to have a counter explanation once the rapture occurs. She also shares another “message” from the ETs regarding the rationale for why millions of people will be taken. If human beings do not change—if they do not make the shift in values and realize that without Earth they could not be here—then Earth, in its love for its own initiation and its reaching for a higher frequency, will bring about a cleansing that will balance it once again. There is the potential for many people to leave the planet in an afternoon.

New Age writer Thelma Terrell claims to have received messages from Ashtar, the leader of an “alien confederation,” concerning the evacuation of millions around the globe. Those familiar with the Bible immediately see that Ashtar is nothing more than the same demon from Bible times (Asherah/Ashtoreth) but with a message that modern man wants to hear. Ashtar has communicated that “Earth changes will be the primary factor in mass evacuation of this planet.” Therefore, because of the impending events coming upon the earth, the “alien” ships will come in close enough to lift people off the earth “in the twinkling of an eye,”—even the terminology is borrowed from the Bible concerning the rapture. Our rescue ships will be able to come in close enough in the twinkling of an eye to set the lifting beams in operation in a moment. And all over the globe where events warrant it, this will be the method of evacuation. Mankind will be lifted, levitated shall we say, by the beams from our smaller ships. These smaller craft will in turn taxi the persons to the larger ships overhead, higher in the atmosphere, where there is ample space and quarters and supplies for millions of people.

The demons who are posing as “aliens” will try to convince mankind that they, in fact, are the saviours. The demons/“aliens” need to reassure those left behind that they in fact are the ones getting the better deal since then the aliens will return for “the children of all ages and races. The implication is that those taken were not part of the “children of all ages and races”. Do not be concerned nor unduly upset if you do not participate in this first temporary lift-up of souls who serve with us. This merely means that your action in the plan is elsewhere, and you will be taken for your instructions or will receive them in some other manner. Do not take any personal affront if you are not alerted or are not a participant in this first phase of our plan. Your time will come later, and these instructions are not necessary for you at this time.

The website Gateway to Oneness speaks of one named Cristah, the light worker, who receives messages from Ashtar. Cristah relays Ashtar’s message: “those who do not believe, will be left in the 3rd dimension,” and “those that are not of the light must stay and learn here in the 3rd dimension.” Cristah adds that Ashtar “says that the fate of earth’s inhabitants” will be handled on an individual basis.” The idea is that the disappearance of millions around the globe will be due to them being left in the third dimension, and those that then find themselves on the earth have transitioned to the fourth dimension.

Ashtar has been leaving messages with other channellers as well in order to make sure that his message is heard and spread. Johanna Michaelson is a former New Ager who is now a Christian. In her book Like Lambs to the Slaughter: Your Child and the Occult, she writes about the well-known New Age guru John Randolph Price, who also receives messages from Asher (a variation of Ashtar). Michaelson relays that, according to John Randolph Price, as many as two billion people could be wiped off the planet. This seemingly refers to the trials coming upon the earth versus the evacuation, nevertheless, the impact will be “we told you so” once the events begin to occur.

In his book Corrupting the Image – Angels, Aliens and the Antichrist Revealed, Doug Hamp provides many other New Age gurus’ messages that convey a similar message. In summary, the messages from the “aliens” and the New Age are clear: major earth changes and cataclysms are coming upon the earth. As a result, many will be removed from the earth in the twinkling of an eye by the “aliens” or will remain in the third dimension while everyone else moves into the fourth dimension. The rapture is certain, and Satan has prepared for the event through the movies and through channellers receiving messages from “aliens” about the impending event.

CHINA CLOSES THE DOOR ON FOREIGN MISSIONARIES

Posted on by

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) announced last week that, starting May 1, 2025, foreign missionaries will be prohibited from sharing their faith, preaching, and establishing religious organisations.

As reported by International Christian Concern, “Chinese state media claimed that the newly revised rules promote national security — a common justification for CCP persecution of religion — and help to protect ‘normal religious activities,’ referring to activities run under strict government oversight as part of state-run religious institutions.”

The restrictions apply to all religions and prohibit “non-Chinese citizens residing in the country from establishing religious organizations, preaching without authorization, founding religious schools, producing or selling religious books, accepting religious donations, or recruiting Chinese citizens as religious followers.” They further stipulate that any foreign clergy entering China may only preach if invited to by a state-run religious organization, and that all content must not “interfere with China’s religious affairs” and must be pre-approved.

This latest crackdown on independent religious groups is part of a larger pattern of religious persecution under Xi’s regime. China’s state-run media outlet the Global Times recently boasted, “China’s public security authorities intensified efforts to dismantle cult organizations in 2024. They have worked to curb the growth and spread of cult organizations, mitigating potential threats to national political security and maintaining social stability.”

Xi’s campaign against religious freedom largely began in 2016 when he declared that he wanted to “Sinicize” all religion in China. This effort has led to the CCP officially recognising only a handful of religions and triggered the rise of state-run institutions like the protestant Three Self Church and the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association. In response, the underground “house church” movement of believers who wish to worship free from government oversight has grown significantly — but so has the government crackdown on the movement. Church raids by police have become commonplace.

This is just another of the end times signs. The Bible tells us that China (kings from the East) will be involved in the last great battle of Armageddon when Jesus returns to rescue and restore Israel.

“The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east. And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs. For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty.” Revelation 16:12-14