In the summer of 2003, my husband, daughter and I traveled through southwest Oklahoma on our way to visit my son in Nebraska. We stopped at Indian City, located in Anadarko, OK. Once a small group of tourists had gathered, our tour guide began his memorized narration of the various tribal dwellings featured along the path. It was a warm day and some chose to take a short rest on convenient benches beneath a shady arbor while others took a closer look at the Pueblo display. J. J. Lonelodge broke from his rote speech to answer questions from the mostly Caucasian visitors. He told us about his recent survival treks, adding that current Native American leaders are encouraging their young men to relearn the old ways of living off the land. When asked why, J. J. told us that many tribal leaders are convinced that there is a great disaster coming upon the earth that will force humanity to survive as hunter/gatherers once more.
As a student of eschatology, this was quite intriguing, especially in light of recent “end time” pronouncements from evangelical teachers as well as a growing consensus among rabbinical leaders of an imminent messianic era.
After relating J. J.’s revelation to friends who join us once a week for unschooling learning adventures, we all decided to pursue an education in survivalism. We discussed edible vegetation, necessary equipment, farming skills, animal husbandry, natural medicine, and developing a commune in the event that we would not be able to purchase our necessities. Since we study current events, especially in light of prophecy, we were also learning about the sub–dermal microchips being implanted in humans for the purposes of healthcare information, security, and financial transactions. If these chips became the prophesied mark of the Beast, without which we could not buy or sell, we would choose to disengage ourselves from an economy enslaved to the government of Antichrist.
A popular radio personality that expounds on his interpretation of prophecy keeps warning his audience about the dangers of taking the mark of the Beast and swearing allegiance to the one–world government. Many people call in to his program, concerned that a national ID card or biometric techniques constitute “taking the Mark”, but this preacher reassures them that as long as they don’t proclaim an oath or “bow the knee” to the regime of Antichrist, they have not stepped over the line into apostasy.
Personally, I seriously doubt that diabolical agents wearing 666 insignia will come to pound on my door one day, demanding that I swear fealty to the UN flag under threat of snatching my credit cards, confiscating my property and sentencing me to the guillotine.
I can’t help recalling Christ’s warning: “You cannot serve both God and Mammon (money)”. Yet, that’s exactly what our culture does, doesn’t it? Besides blatant materialism, don’t we even rely on money to further the Kingdom of God? Christians use their luxurious homes, automobiles and technology to serve their communities and glorify God. But what if we had to make a choice: God or Money? Could we choose just one?
I believe Jesus was warning his future disciples that, in the end time, materialism would encompass all aspects of idolatry. Consider the manner in which every lust is employed as a sales pitch! Beauty, sexuality and competitive pride lure us to purchase the latest, greatest necessities and luxuries.
I’m sensing an escalation in another area of idolatry as well. We’ve become enslaved to convenience. Bartering evolved into the exchange of coins; money evolved into checks; and checks evolved into credit cards. Because credit cards are easily lost or stolen, sub–dermal microchips are the next logical step in financial convenience and identity theft protection. (Notice how one’s “identity” has become synonymous with economic veracity!) 1 Timothy 6:10 tells us of a love of money “for which some have pierced themselves with many sorrows”. Could this be the prophesied “Mark of the Beast” enslavement to economic idolatry? (During the Roman Empire, a slave was recognized by a hole through the earlobe.)
Our nanny government, wanting to protect and nurture us from cradle to grave, now mandates that everyone must have "health care" insurance to expedite improved healthcare (don't be surprised if the embedded microchip is next), forgetting to mention that more people die each year from medical malpractice than cancer. Thanks to a culture obsessed with youth, sex and materialism, death has become the ultimate enemy, avoided at all cost. And I do mean all cost.
Deceiving society into believing that they have conquered death, the medical profession squeezes as much money as possible out of its patients before they expire. (The patients of even the best doctors have a mortality rate of 100%.) It’s money that purchases more time to pursue youth, sex and possessions! Medicine flourishes as an idol today, especially among believers, just as in the time of Moses, when some of those who were healed from snake bites established a cult, worshipping the snake on the staff! The same caduceus that identifies the medical profession today.
Although nothing on this earth will last, we insure everything against loss and theft, including our health and lives, forgetting that all we enjoy is a temporary gift from God for the purpose of sharing with others.
The time will come when we must choose God or Money. The middle ground of mediocrity will be eliminated during a season when God’s people will be strong and do exploits in His strength and provision alone. Will we be like the Israelites who complained that life was more pleasant under the yoke of slavery? Or will we trust the Lord in the wilderness, willing to gather our daily bread from His merciful hand with undivided devotion?
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