It is clear that the impact of COVID-19 on the global economy will be—and already is—tremendous. But could this move us in the direction of a far more concerning outcome? And will we as Christians stand firm in our convictions even if the consequences are serious?
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Transcript: Welcome to Five Minutes With Pastor Lutzer. I'm so glad that you joined us today, as I continue what I have called a trilogy on the pandemic on COVID-19. Last time, I emphasized that it reminds us that life is uncertain.
Today, I want to talk briefly about its economic impact. The fact that businesses have shut down. The fact that our sports teams no longer are playing together. All of this has incredible ripples. I know that two trillion dollars is a lot of money, but nobody really knows how long that will last. One thing is absolutely sure: when this is over, we are going to be much more government dependent. And where that will lead will be very interesting.
But also it's a time for globalism. If you have followed some of the articles that we find coming out of all of this, we'll discover that the globalists have always wished and hoped for some event that would enable them to enable and to push ahead their agenda. For example, in 2019, which was last year, there was an article—and before I read this, I need to say that USA Today in 2017 already had an article entitled, "You Will Be Chipped... Eventually," speaking about the fact that eventually all of us will have a microchip.
Back to the article. "ID 2020 launches technical certificate mark." It talks about how technology is uniting with other disciplines to bring about this certificate mark, which all of us will be required to have. And what happens if we don't comply? Well, let me read the article directly. "But with the application process developing this certificate mark, we will have enough data and input to take a pretty good snapshot—" that is, of individuals —"and if we ever learn about or suspect non-compliance or fowl play, we will reserve the right to revoke the certificate."
Now just think about this. Put this together with a cashless society. I'm told that in England today, because money actually conveys germs, you never know how many people have handled it, that it's almost impossible to pay anything with cash. We are moving toward a cashless society, and I can see all of the benefits that that might bring about.
But of course you understand the huge negatives—credit card, for example, in a store and it is rejected, well, you can always pay with cash. But when there is no cash, if your credit card, if your certificate—your digital certificate—is rejected, what then? You say, "Well Pastor Lutzer, is this Revelation chapter 13?" Well I need to emphasize that when it comes to prophecy, we have to be very careful. I've often said that I would rather be factual than to be sensational, and I've always believed that when it comes to prophecy, it is much better to say much too little than a little too much.
But this I will say: this gives us an idea as to what will almost certainly happen someday in the future, though we don't know when. The control of individuals; the mark—and I read this yesterday in Revelation 13—on the hand or the forehead, and it says that the rich and the poor and the great and the small and the free men and the merchants all will need it to buy and sell.
Yes, I don't know whether or not this portends the future directly, but I need to say this: that in the Bible, what you will find is that God often gives us a preview as to what is gonna happen. Yesterday, I very quickly looked through the book of Revelation to find all of the natural disasters that are taking place in the world today, and how many of them are going to be in the future. You find earthquakes. You also find famines. As a matter of fact, in the book of Revelation it talks about the heat that is going to be on the Earth. All of these things that we see today in our broken world are going to be intensified in the world to come. And economics is going to be the thing that eventually is going to control. It will be the thing that everyone will need. And as a result of that, we will find the implications to be massive.
My word to you today is simply this: are we willing to be Christians who are committed to our values and will not compromise even if our lives are at stake? That's the question. Jesus reminded us, "Do not fear those who are able to destroy the body and then after that, they can't do anything; but fear him rather who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell—I say fear him," and then Jesus went on to say that even the hair of your head is numbered and a sparrow does not fall to the ground except that your Heavenly Father sees it.
I know that what Jesus said is true, but I also know that you and I have to trust Him in ways that we have never had to trust Him before. If you've never received Him as Savior, come to Him. Difficult times are on their way and we need a Savior who takes us all the way to the finish line.
God bless you. Join us next time as I answer the question as to whether or not this virus is the judgement of God. And as for today, you go with God.