Humanity loves a conspiracy - ever since the Garden of Eden when satan said in Genesis: “Hey, let me tell you about this conspiracy.”
4 The serpent said to the woman, “You most assuredly won’t die! 5 For God knows that when you eat of it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
Since the beginning of the outbreak of Covid-19, almost every congregational leader I have spoken to has been inundated with questions about conspiracies. Do you think Covid-19 is a biological attack from the Chinese? Is this an attack against the United States by the New World Order? Is this the beginning of the One World Government?
The more faulty and changing information that has been provided about the virus, the more these conspiracy theories grow in number and in boldness. YouTube and social media is filled with videos of people sharing every conspiracy imaginable and what believers should be doing to prepare to revolt and to fight against each and every one.
I have answered these questions one on one so many times now that I thought I would publicly answer in my blog this week. So, here is my answer. Maybe.
Could the virus, and all of the related issues, be a part of a grand conspiracy leading to a one world government and ultimately what many people call the Battle of Armageddon? Sure, it could. Is it? I don’t know and honestly I don’t care. While that may seem shocking to you, the truth is that whether or not this is the “final conspiracy of all conspiracies” and the end of the end of the end of the end of the world, nothing will change in my message. My goal has never been to keep the status quo or to make sure our current world remains intact in its current political and cultural environment. My goal is to prepare as many people as possible for the world to come. I see many people who claim to be believers in the Bible who are shaking in their boots in fear because “the end is near!” or as Chicken Little used to say, “The sky is falling!” They are stocking up on supplies and ammunition and warning their neighbors that they better do the same thing.
When my congregation members ask me what they should do in response to all the things going on, my answer is simple: pray, fast, and share the Good News. I have not found anywhere in the New Testament where we are commanded to spread the message of conspiracies. We were told to share the Good News. I know the Bible tells us what is going to happen in the end times and that things are going to be bad, but that isn’t a conspiracy it openly foretold. It wasn’t meant to scare us, but to prepare us. Prepare us for what? Not to build underground shelters, storing massive amounts of food that will last forever. No. Remember in Luke 21:8 when Yeshua (Jesus) warned His followers about coming deceptions? He said,
8 And He said, “Watch out that you are not led astray! For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He’ and ‘The time is near!’ Do not follow them.
Most of the time when teachers share this verse, they focus on the “False Messiah” aspect of the verse and leave off the part about staying away from those who say, “The time draws near.” He knew that just as satan used a conspiracy to deceive Eve, satan is still using conspiracy theories to deceive and scare G-D’s people today.
So, the bottom line is that even if these are the last of the last days - even if this is a vast conspiracy to take over the world - even if we are seeing a one world government coming into power - our response should not be to respond in fear, nor to try to save the world. NO! Our response should be to share the Good News and to remember what Yeshua also said in Luke 21:28 and Luke 21:36:
28 Now when these things begin to happen, stand straight and lift up your heads, because your salvation is near!”
36 But stay alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things about to happen, and to stand before the Son of Man.”