The world is moving into a vacuum for world leadership. The cry will be for a world leader capable of meeting global challenges and acceptable to all – East and West, religious and secular, Arabs and Jews.

The person will be looked upon not as a citizen of a specific nation but as a world citizen. All nations will want to work and cooperate with him, and will willingly accept his authority over them to solve their social, economic and political woes.

Does the Bible address a situation of this nature?

Indeed. Rev. 13:18 speaks of a time just before the Second Coming of Jesus when nations will be perplexed and will welcome the emergence of a man who will bring peace and unity among all nations.

This leader is called the Antichrist by John the Apostle (1 Jn 2:18, 22; 4:3, 2 Jn 7) and is pictured as a leader who proclaims peace but ends up as a great world dictator. Many will be deceived and worship him as God (Rev. 13:1–18; 2 Thes. 2:4) but will then see that his leadership has been empowered by Satan. Jesus then returns to destroy the works of Satan and establish His Kingdom.

The events happening before us could very well be setting the scene for the emergence of the Antichrist. They remind us of the imminent return of Jesus Christ. Every believer must see these events as a wake-up call to holy living and a reminder of the urgency to be a witness for the Lord.

While we cannot tell the exact day of the Lord’s return, we can be sure that in the light of all that is happening, it will be soon.