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READERS CORNER: “Will there be a “captivity” in the last days?”
Many people are watching Europe and looking for a military power that desires to rule the world as in the days of Hitler. Or, a military power such as ancient Assyria that relocated many Israelites out of their land in 721 BC. The problem is that events just are not shaping up to fit that end-time scenario. At the moment, floods of immigrants are actually taking Europe “captive” from Moslem countries. Illegal immigrants also are invading the United States. Maybe we need to rethink this end-time prophetic interpretation?
Many times in ancient Israel when God was angry with His people, He allowed foreigners to oppress them while they remained in the Promised Land. God allowed His people to be oppressed by strangers. See Judges 2:14. It was more of an economic punishment that would sweep over them causing them to cry out to Him for deliverance from their enemies.
In an article written by long time COG member, Steven M. Collins titled “What Kind of Captivity” (http://www.stevenmcollins.com/html/what_kind_of_captivity.html) Mr. Collins' research points out that the banking system that we have today was actually invented by the ancient Babylonians. That banking system was linked to the sun-god temples, where at the time of harvest, a portion was paid to the sun-god temple as interest. Farmer's back then, just as farmers today, went to the money store to borrow money, to buy seed, to plant crops. A few lean years and the principal and compounded interest would yield financial hardship. As a point of interest, the Babylonian usury rate was similar to our current credit card interest rates.
God forbids the practice of usury because of the enslaving powers of debt- “the borrower is servant to the lender” (Proverbs 22:7). Whenever ancient Israel forsook God and fell into religious idolatry, they also were enticed by the banking practices at the sun-god temples. There were no Jubilee Years with the sun-god. The sweet soon turned sour and people were trapped.
At present, the USA is the largest debtor nation in the world. Foreigners are rapidly investing in the USA's lust for amassing debts that they can't repay. Gradually, with foreclosures and seizures foreigners will legally own more and more of the USA without even a shot being fired. This sort of economic take-over could lead to captivity. Actually, a captivity that most people won't even see coming.
The Book of Revelation reveals a future time when a global power will control “buying and selling.” Revelation 18 seems to indicate an alliance of the “merchants of the earth” and the “kings of the earth” with this entity being call “the beast”- “Babylon the Great.”
The “false prophet” then merges with that entity for a religious connection to a global economy. Today, Muslims are waiting for a great prophet to come. Jews are waiting for the Messiah. Christians are waiting for the return of Christ. It seems most people are waiting for something big. Take a global economy, add a few miracles from a false prophet and stir-a complete recipe for a world ruling government that could arise quickly and enslave everyone.
Many years ago, Herbert W. Armstrong warned the Church to prepare to lower their standard of living. Maybe we should heed that advice? We came out of false religion, now maybe it's time to come out of economic Babylon and get out of debt. Maybe there is also a connection with the 7th Church that is “rich and increased with goods”? We assume that to be just spiritual but could it also be people deeply in debt to appear outwardly to have physical blessings from God? (Just food for thought / study.)
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