Confronting Globalism - Part 1
As an installment in the ATM Isaac Initiative, this multi-part series will take a look and explore the spirit behind globalism, God’s recent moves regarding it, and how I believe we, the church, should begin to address a coming spiritual and geo-political upheaval.
Globalism, narrowly understood by most regular people, is the general trend towards a more global and interconnected of commerce and communication. Brought about by rapid technological changes (especially of telecommunications, the internet, and international jet travel), the world is certainly a much “smaller” place. Today, sharing thoughts, ideas, and even merchandise with someone in Tel Aviv or Beijing is as easy as calling your auntie across town. This idea of togetherness and "connectedness" is enchanting for most people, as many wish to truly to connect to others around the world and share in God’s gift of humanity. Couple that with many Christians’ understanding of biblical concepts like preaching the gospel, caring for the sick and poor, and helping widows and orphans, a lot of Christians today (especially in the US) are globally minded and eager to engage with others abroad (or in arranging for those abroad to come to the US – more on that some other time). However, that is only an entry-level understanding of globalism, while that is true, it is so much broader than that!
While capturing the heartstrings of well-meaning people, when taking a broader view, globalism in practice is the ideology that allows multi-national corporations, world banks, and major world governments the ability to pierce national boundaries and gain access to the world’s resources wherever they are. Those resources include water, precious metals and minerals, oil, drugs, and even human capital. Space doesn’t allow here, as each item above is worthy of its own post, but you can surely google how the poppy fields and rare earth minerals are being extracted from Afghanistan, or about human trafficking in Syria and Haiti, just to name a few. It’s the driving spirit behind American foreign policy and global interventionism. It’s this ideology that is the main source of conflict, turmoil, and death in the world today. At a crossroads are Western Christians who are waking up the horrors of war and financial and environmental rape of other nations of the world while feeling some call to be light in an ever-darkening world.
But even more than that, globalism is actually animated by an evil, anti-Christ spirit. Biblically speaking, we know that God Himself didn’t like the idea of a single unified people with a mission to promote themselves and so confused the language of all the earth at the Tower of Babel and scattered the people in their languages abroad, across the face of the earth. Why did he do that? His reasons are His own, but it’s not in dispute that was His will. Additionally, Acts 17 tells us that God Himself has determined the times and boundaries of the dwellings of each nation. Any spiritual or geo-political move to alter national boundaries and violate the nations themselves is illegitimate and anti-Christ. However, looking at the temptation of Christ in Matthew 4, we find an amazing thing. Upon receiving Satan’s offer to Christ for all the kingdoms of the world if He would only worship him, Jesus does not scoff. Why? When Jesus was before Pontius Pilate and Pilate pleaded with Jesus to tell him if He were the Son of God, saying he had the power to release Him, Jesus scoffed. He said, “you could have no power against me unless it had been given you from above”. Jesus doesn’t scoff at Satan. He knows his offer is 100% legitimate. He is the prince of the power of the air and rules this realm. It’s his will to unite all nations* under one banner and so plunder the nations that Christ has died for and is returning to claim. His plan is oppression, hunger, rape, murder, and despair. This is the fruit of Satan as provided through globalism. But the Father has another plan (see part 2 for God’s recent moves to thwart globalism).
* We did not get to define nations, which is a key point. Perhaps we can tackle that in the comments section
Part 2 coming soon. Interested to hear your comments.
