[Rick Shabi] The world is in a time of upheaval. That's no understatement. In the past few weeks, eye-opening changes and the attitudes behind them have been on full display. The Olympics are a major attraction that is supposed to bring unity to the nations through excellence in sport, but this year they've created a stir throughout the world in an unsettling way. Woke politics and the mindset have turned our world upside down, and now, it's being promoted everywhere it seems.

Gender-identity politics, officials in high places who don't even know if they're a man or a woman are making decisions that affect people's lives, drag queens are promoted as healthy entertainment our children should be exposed to, rather than being labeled as an embarrassment and an affront to nature itself. In your face, unnatural morality is showing up everywhere. Politics are in the air, with many encouraging parents to allow their young children to decide whether they want to be a boy or girl. One candidate has even said, "We need to be more woke."

[Kamala Harris] You know, we have to stay woke. Like, everybody needs to be woke. And you can talk about if you're the wokest or woker, but just stay more woke than less woke.

[Rick Shabi] What is going on? Certainly, none of these things we see going on around us, around the world, come from the minds of normal people who have any idea of the effects of what a spouse will have on the future of young minds. They have no idea of how a successful society works. It's as if an evil spirit has gripped the world and turned it upside down, not in a good way, but in a way that can only lead to disaster. It reminds me of a verse in the Bible that speaks of a society that has gone crazy or woke, as we may call it today.

We find it in the Book of Revelation, in Revelation 18:2. Where it talks of that society and says...and describes it as one that has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird. When you see pictures like this that seem to glorify drag queens, you know we've entered a time when demonic spirits are making their presence known. Normal, rational, sane human beings don't act that way. And governments and event administrators who should be promoting a lifestyle that leads to success, accomplishments, and a sense of well-being and discipline don't do that. A habitation for demons and a prison for every foul spirit.

That display at the Olympics has been talked about in a myriad of circles. It's offensive and disgusting to be sure, but on another level, it shows a disturbing attitude that needs to be exposed to every human being. The Bible describes the society that lies just ahead of us, known as the time of the end, as I've spoken in other messages. We see that that society is autocratic, tyrannical, and dictatorial. You will do what the king says, or you will pay the price. The Bible says that society is a dwelling place for demonic activity, but in Revelation 13, the Bible tells us that this government and system and king gets his power from Satan.

Look at this in Revelation 13:2, "The dragon gave him," the king, known as the beast, "his power, his throne, and great authority." We know from the Bible, in Revelation 12:9, one chapter earlier, that Satan is that dragon, and he deceives the whole world. That's right. The whole world buys into his nonsense. This king and system, controlled by that spirit of Satan, continues in power for three and a half years until Christ returns and makes the kingdoms of this world His own. And He ushers in a time of peace and well-being for all mankind. But notice what this end-time government and system does.

Again, we see it in Revelation 13 that describes that system. In verses 5 and 6, it says, "He," this king, "was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven." Next, it goes on to say he went to war with the saints and killed them. Revelation 17 says the system and king and religious leader are drunk with the blood of the saints.

Remember that image that was broadcast to the world at the opening ceremony? It was nothing short of blasphemy. How dare mankind offend God and humanity in such a way? Do we understand that it is God who gives us life and all the things we enjoy? Without Him, we are nothing, and we will soon learn, according to the Bible, what life is like apart from God. You saw that image with your own eyes, and it is showing signs of what is coming in this rising world power. Europe has had a history lately of bringing forth images that mock God and the Bible. Remember this image from the British Commonwealth Games in 2022? It shows a beast being glorified. It mocks the Bible, just as the demons and Satan would do.

In Revelation 17:3, it talks about that very image that you see displayed, "So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast, which was full of names of blasphemy, having 7 heads and 10 horns." And look at this image. Until a few years ago, this unusual statue showing a woman riding a beast sat in front of the European Union building in Brussels. It's as if Satan is mocking us and mocking God, showing in full display what the Bible says is coming in the last days. Those days will be terrible. Christ says there will be tribulation unlike any in the world before or ever will be again. Mark those words.

Where the leaders of this world are taking us is not to a good place. Blasphemy, a woke, lawless culture that defies God and worships demons and everything foul and unclean, brings heartache, misery, and destruction upon itself. America and the world, that's where all this is headed. No matter what your leaders tell you, if you follow the woke mentality that champions this abnormal stuff and mocks God, there will be a price to pay. The Bible makes it clear. And it is the Word of truth, directly from the mouth of your Creator who is still sovereign over this whole world. Pay close attention. Pay close attention to what is going on.

Interestingly, in the Bible, at the time of the end, it talks about four horsemen who ride across the world in the end time. One of those prophetic horsemen is a pale horse. Some of the commentators in the opening ceremony referred to the horse on screen as a pale horse. This is another reference directly from the Bible that marks the end time. Again in the book of Revelation 6:8, it says, "So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death," that's pestilence or a pandemic, we might call it, "and by the beasts of the earth."

Wow. Pestilence. Like the COVID-19 pandemic we lived through a few years back, and which many are predicting will come again, is associated with a government that is blasphemous, anti-God, anti-truth, which derives its power from Satan and is the habitation of everything unnatural, demonic, unclean, and hated. And a fourth of mankind dies due to the things he brings upon himself. You know, some leaders have recently stated that a population reduction is needed for the world. Wars, famine, and pestilence kill a lot of people. Will this prophecy be fulfilled by the selfish desires of our own leaders? The Bible talks about leaders that lead people astray.

In Isaiah 9:16, it says, "The leaders of this people cause them to err, and those who are led by them are destroyed." In Isaiah 5:20, it says, "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil, who put darkness for light, and light for darkness." They turn the world and definitions of things upside down. To those who are a part of this unnatural, demonic culture, God says in Revelation 18:4, "Come out of her, my people, so you don't have to partake of the punishment for her sins." America, Britain, Europe, and all people, look and listen to the times we live in. The Bible is speaking directly to the times we live in today. Times are changing fast, and things you can't fathom are happening. The end of this age is near. The hate, the lies, the division, the championing of unnatural things. It's time to wake up.

A time of woe and tribulation and misery is coming on this world. The only escape is to turn to God just as God Himself and Jesus Christ says, "Repent." Repenting, turn from your wicked ways and turn to Him. The kingdom of God is near. The return of Jesus Christ is imminent, and you have been warned exactly as God has admonished His Church to do. There is much more to discuss and much more for you to learn about this and what the Bible says will happen. And indeed is happening before our very eyes. It's not even hidden anymore. Will you turn a blind eye, or will you listen to God? God has much to say about how we can turn from the wickedness of this world and prepare for Jesus' soon-coming return. The United Church of God has many resources that will help you with this process. Go to ucg.org and learn how you can experience God's hope and deliverance.