The COVID-19 pandemic has plunged the world into a crisis the likes of which we have never seen before. It has disrupted and impacted our lives and work in unprecedented ways.
Seemingly overnight social distancing, self-isolation, travel restrictions, and policing our neighbors has become the new normal. All over the globe, this raging pandemic is causing significant loss and it has revealed how fragile life really is.
Did you see this coming? Probably not.
Do you know what is going to happen next? Most likely not.
If you think COVID-19 has significantly disrupted our world, what happens next will do more. The soon coming changes will impact the entire world.
The Silver Lining
Despite the catastrophic impact of the coronavirus pandemic, our dying earth has been given a chance to breathe with daily life and work coming to an abrupt halt. The silver lining of COVID-19 is that in just a few months after the lock-downs began, we saw a sizeable drop in CO2 emissions. No previous pandemic, no war, no protest, in the past century has had such a dramatic impact on carbon emissions.
”Pollution made COVID-19 worse. Now, lock-downs are clearing the air. Even before the coronavirus, air pollution killed 7 million people a year. Will today’s cleaner air inspire us to do better?”1
The Solution to Climate Change
With the lock-downs resulting in less pollution and a cleaner environment, there are climate activists who are actively advocating for a universal day of rest. More and more people are clamoring for a weekly day of rest—to permanently keep the environment clean. If you Google “green Sabbath” or “universal day of rest” you can read all about the push for a weekly day of rest.
The Green Sabbath Project is a non-profit organization with the mission of spreading “the message of rest as a radical way to help the environment, heal ourselves, and the world.” Their suggestion is to take a weekly day of rest where you don’t drive, shop, build, or work. They say, “If we each do this one day a week, we could stop creating the need for more goods, stop using up natural resources, and stop emitting carbon dioxide & other pollutants.” Green Sabbath Project hosts online discussions with environmental and religious leaders concerning the challenges and benefits of implementing a Universal Day of Rest.2
Forebodingly, Pope Francis, one of the world’s most revered and honored figureheads, also connects a day of rest with a better environment. In his encyclical called “Laudato Si: On Care for Our Common Home” he wrote: “On Sunday, our participation in the Eucharist has special importance. Sunday, like the Jewish Sabbath, is meant to be a day which heals our relationships with God, with ourselves, with others and with the world.”3
Many other spiritual leaders, such as Pastor Roberts Fields from Bethel Baptist Church in Montreal, have also shared the sentiment that a day of rest is needed in light of COVID-19 being sent from God as judgments. In his message titled, “Why God Took Sunday Away” he warns, “I believe that He (God) is sending us the message that He has not been pleased with what we are doing to His day of worship; therefore, He has shut it down for the time being."4
Certainly, there would be politicians who would welcome the idea of a day of rest. Some years ago, in a speech on the Arizona state Senate floor during a gun bill debate, Senator Sylvia Allen said she supports mandating church attendance. "How we get to back to a moral rebirth of this country, I don't know, since we are slowly eroding religion at every opportunity that we have," Allen said. "Probably we should be debating a bill requiring every American to attend a church of their choice on Sunday to see if we can get back to having a moral rebirth."5
A Universal Day of Rest
How would you feel if our government one day started mandating rest and even worship on Sunday because they believe it’s the solution to our environmental issues? Could this possibly happen in a country that believes in the separation of church and state? You might be saying to yourself, “This could never happen!” But think about this: If the authorities can mandate mask-wearing, compel social distancing, ban large gatherings, shut down churches and suspend civil liberties — then what’s to say that they couldn’t enforce a day of rest if it’s seen as a solution to climate issues and the moral decline in our world?
The United States in Bible Prophecy
Interestingly, the book of Revelation speaks of America’s role in current world events and that it will actually one day play a key role in mandating a universal day of rest. This may seem far-fetched, but I invite you to consider the following: In Bible prophecy, a beast represents a great nation (Daniel 7:17, 23). Virtually all reputable Bible scholars agree that the first beast of Revelation 13 represents the Antichrist, the same power as the Little Horn of Daniel 7. We want to know what nation the second beast of Revelation 13 represents. The Bible says, “Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon” (Revelation 13:11). Consider the following identifiers of the second beast:
- This nation rises out of the earth, (i.e., an unpopulated area), whereas the first beast rises out of the sea, (i.e., a populated area) (Revelation 17:15).
- This nation has lamb-like horns, (i.e., it espouses Christ-like principles) (John 1:29).
- This nation has horns with no crowns, whereas the first beast had crowns on its horns (Revelation 13:1). In other words, it has no kings.
- This nation achieves global superpower status near the end of time (Revelation 13:12, 16).
- This nation influences the world’s economy (Revelation 12:17).
- This nation eventually speaks like a dragon (Revelation 12:9).
- This nation eventually enforces worship (Revelation 13:12, 15).
How many nations on earth could these seven identifiers from the Bible possibly point to? The second beast of Revelation can be none other than the United States.
Revelation 13 reveals that the 1st and 2nd beasts will work together to mandate a universal day of rest. Verse 12 says, “And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.” In other words, it is the United States that will cause everyone in the earth to worship the 1st beast, the Antichrist, which appears to be a diabolical, global dictator.
If one day you started hearing on the news that Sunday rest and worship is being mandated, do you suppose you would remember this article? When the United States begins to enact laws making a day of rest and worship compulsory, I hope you will remember this spine-chilling prophecy in Revelation 13 about the two beasts that will work together in the final moments of earth’s history.
Call to Action
To discover more eye-opening information about this prophecy, read the book, “The Great Controversy.” This bestselling book covers the last 2000 years and shows how Bible prophecies have been fulfilled. It also covers America in prophecy, earth’s closing events, the mark of the beast, and God’s infinite love.
Download or read The Great Controversy as an eBook for free and/or you can purchase one to read/share with others! You can also listen to The Great Controversy for free.
Information about Time to Get Ready Ministries
The world is in turmoil. People are looking for answers. Jesus wants to come, but people have not been ready. We are an online magazine that publishes weekday articles to encourage, enlighten and empower people to get ready, so Jesus can come.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
- https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/04/pollution-made-the-pandemic-worse-but-lockdowns-clean-the-sky/
- https://www.greensabbathproject.net/our-vision-and-mission
- https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20150524_enciclica-laudato-si.html
- https://4the10.net/why-god-took-sunday-away.html
- https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/video-arizona-lawmaker-suggests-law-requiring-attendance-at-church-6630733
