How Bible Prophecy Events Impact the World

A reader a while back noted that many prophecies throughout the Bible only affect Israel and its people. The reader asked if this trend carried over to the Book of Revelation or if the Book of Revelation and the signs we are watching for are broader than that. I will address this question and explain why people should monitor events around the world and not just the Middle East in this article.

I believe the birth pangs signs mentioned in the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24, Luke 21, and Mark 13) are global in nature rather than localized to the Middle East. Christ described events and trends on a broad scale when He spoke about nations rising up against nations, kingdom rising up against kingdom, famines, pestilence, earthquakes, etc. In fact He made it clear that at least earthquakes would take place in “divers places” (diverse places). “Divers places” implies that they will take place in many different areas-not just the Middle East:

“(5) For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. (6) And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. (7) For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. (8) All these are the beginning of sorrows.” (Matthew 24:5-8)

If the birth pangs signs were meant to be localized to a certain area of the world Christ would have made it clear. Instead He emphasized to us to not be afraid of the events we hear about because they must happen, but the end is not yet (Matthew 24:6).

I believe the prophecies in the Book of Revelation also have a broader impact than just affecting the Middle East. In fact, I believe they have the potential to impact the entire world at the time of their fulfillment. The primary reason is that many of the prophecies in Revelation apply to the entire Earth. Below is just a small sample of the prophecies in Revelation that impact the entire Earth.

The red horse removes peace from the earth.

“(3) And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. (4) And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.” (Revelation 6:3-4)

Death and Hell will have power over a fourth part of the earth. This could either apply geographically or demographically. I believe it is unlikely that a fourth part of the earth applies to a specific geographic area:

“(7) And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. (8) And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.” (Revelation 6:7-8)

The fifth trumpet locusts torment people on the earth who don’t have the seal of God on their foreheads:

“(3) And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. (4) And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.” (Revelation 9:3-4)

The False Prophet requires everyone on the earth to get the Mark of the Beast on their right hand or their forehead:

“(14) And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. (15) And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. (16) And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: (17) And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” (Revelation 13:14-17)

The global nature of the events in the sample above suggest that the prophecies in the Book of Revelation are not restricted to a certain area of the world. The Book of Revelation is much broader than that.

Again, it is wise to watch the Middle East because it is an area of instability and is the area where many Bible prophecies will be fulfilled, particularly the confirmation of the “covenant with many”. However, it’s also wise to watch what’s going on in the world around us because the world is currently being prepared for the tribulation and there are many events prophesied in the Book of Revelation that will impact the world.

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Wayne Croley
Wayne Croley

Hi! I’ve studied and written about Bible prophecy since I was a teenager. My goal is to make Bible prophecy easy for you to understand while avoiding the sensationalism seen elsewhere. I am the author of several end time books, including Prophecy Proof Insights on the End Times, a comprehensive book about the end times. I hold an M.B.A. and degrees in Managerial Economics and Political Science.

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  1. Many people were given visions of the future during their near-death experience. Generally, these visions foretell a future of catastrophic natural disasters and social upheaval followed by a new era of peace and have actually already come to pass. Some of them did not happen as foretold. Many of these apocalyptic visions are to happen within the next few decades. Remarkably, these visions agree with prophecies of the

    • Some people are severely misled but that doesn’t automatically make them evil.
      We should pray for such people.
      There are people who are truly detstable, who preach a gospel of murder, urging people to kill other people without recourse to trial to prove their innocence.
      And that person happens to be the national leader of my country.
      I pray for that person to change from a saul to paul but God respects our free will and if that leader of my country won heed God’s call, he will be condemnation to hell for preaching a gospel of murder.
      Galatians 1:8

  2. Camping has a giant billboard with May 21, 2011 displayed nearby where I live. I plan to write about Camping’s latest prediction if I get an opportunity to snap a photo of his billboard.

  3. Stamping Out Harold Camping

    Is Second Coming date-setter Harold Camping worthy of death? He already has a zero batting average after his September 1994 prediction fizzle and, according to the Bible, is a false prophet.
    Nevertheless that California shaman, who should be ashamed, claims he’s found out that Christ’s return will be on May 21, 2011 even though Matt. 24:36 says that no one knows the “day” or “hour” of it!
    A Google article (“Obama Fulfilling the Bible”) points out that “Deut. 18:20-22 in the Old Testament requires the death penalty for false prophets.”
    The same article reveals that “Christians are commanded to ask God to send severe judgment on persons who commit and support the worst forms of evil (see I Cor. 5 and note ‘taken away’).”
    Theologically radioactive Harold Camping and his ga-ga groupies (with their billboards featuring “May 21, 2011”) should worry about being “stamped out” if many persons decide to follow the I Cor. 5 command.
    The above article concludes: “False prophets in the OT were stoned to death. Today they are just stoned!”
    PS – For many years Camping was not known as a pretrib rapture teacher. But now, for $ome my$teriou$ rea$on, he seeks support from those who believe in and teach an imminent, pretrib rapture which supposedly will occur SEVERAL YEARS BEFORE the traditional SECOND COMING to earth! For a behind-the-scenes, documented look at the 181-year-old pretrib rapture belief (which was never a part of any official theology or organized church before 1830!), Google “Pretrib Rapture Dishonesty,” “Pretrib Rapture Diehards” and “Pretrib Rapture – Hidden Facts.”

  4. Thanks for great article! Yes it just makes one sit up and take note! The birth pangs seems to be happening.
    melinda