1. General comments
a. among those who study end-time Bible prophecy, is general
agreement: will be
a world government
controlled by Satan before Lord returns to set up his
kingdom
b. many believe will be revived Roman Empire (Europe)
i. based on their interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream
(Dan 2)
ii. I believe is very unlikely; reasons in SNN
c. others believe will be UN; this is my opinion
d. problem with UN interpretation: UN has been laughing stock,
embarrassment to
world leaders
because so ineffective
e. but UN is changing; most Americans totally unaware that
events in US are
directly related
to changes in UN
f. many things our President is doing are implementing international
agenda
developed by
and for UN
g. I feel is important for you to see what is happening and
why, so you
i. will respond properly
ii. will become increasingly zealous for God as see his kingdom about
to be
born on Earth
2. Previous session:
a. Purposes of UN, from UN Charter
i. to maintain peace and security
ii. to encourage nations to be just in their actions toward each
other, with
emphasis on equal rights and self-determination of people
iii. to help nations cooperate in solving international problems
iv. to serve as an agency through which nations can work
b. Six major organs of UN
i. General Assembly: includes representatives of all UN member
states; has
oversight of all other organs, committees and agencies; controls budget
and determines each member state’s assessment
ii. Trusteeship Council
iii. International Court of Justice
iv. Economic and Social Council
v. Security Council: responsible for maintaining international
peace and
security; has power to decide what action UN should take to settle
international disputes; all UN member states are obligated to adhere to
Security Council resolutions and make resources available for Security
Council actions.
vi. Secretariat: administrative/support staff; Secretary-General
has broadest
powers of all UN officials; as requested, Sec-Gen investigates situations
and makes recommendations; very influential position
c. Regional organizations
i. not part of UN, organizations formed by nations having common
regional interests
ii. typical regional orgs: NATO, European Union, League of Arab States
iii. regional orgs are very important to UN for their input, military support
d. NGOs, Non-governmental Organizations
i. are special-interest or advocacy groups, independent of
any government
ii. UN relies on NGOs for expertise, recommendations
iii. NGO present studies, recommendations, draft resolutions to UN
e. Problems made UN ineffective
i. wide diversity of nationalities/cultures represented in
UN agencies made
them extremely ineffective, wasteful
ii. veto power of Security Council permanent members during Cold
War
made Security Council extremely political in nature, ineffective at
restoring peace and security when needed
iii. result: UN became laughingstock, few took it seriously
f. Beginnings of Change at UN
i. January 1992, Security Council asked Sec-Gen for recommendations
on
ways to strengthen UN and make it more efficient
ii. Sec-Gen (Boutros Boutros-Ghali) responded with major report entitled
“An Agenda for Peace”
iii. “An Agenda for Peace” recommends more aggressive Security Council
response to threats to peace and security, actual and imminent
iv. presently seeing increased involvement of UN in national internal
affairs
v. Ex: Kosovo. some leaders declared NATO’s invasion of Kosovo
an
illegal war, but was not
vi. NATO was enforcing UN Security Council resolutions and was
following UN’s new philosophy of coercive intervention (explanation
later)
3. This session:
a. look at how UN is likely to become the basis for the New
World Order
4. Comments
a. point out again: this is not typical Bible study
b. purpose: inform you about major events happening in world
that will shape
future and fulfill
Bible prophecy
c. is not kind of info you get from mass media; is all public
info, but need to know
it’s available
and where to look for it
d. previous session might have been too dry for some, may have
lost interest
e. was concerned about nature of material, but believed it
was what I needed to
present
f. I need to show you major trends and processes, because it
will help you
understand what
is happening in the world
g. what is happening in the world? the labor pains are beginning
for the birth of
God’s kingdom
h. as you see this perspective, will realize once again we
cannot place our hope in
world system.
God alone is our hope; he always has been our only hope, and
always will
be our only hope.
i. this is not a cynical or doomsday presentation; I’m reporting
essential facts we
seldom hear
__________________________________________________
The Commission on Global Governance
1. We will examine this Commission
because I believe it is having great influence on
world politics, including the UN and views
of world leaders.
a. As we look at the Commission, you will recognize many topics
and buzzwords
we hear frequently
in today’s news.
b. Commission on Global Governance not only reflects philosophy
of world
leaders, is
largely responsible for shaping it.
2. Definition
a. Commission on Global Governance is an NGO formed to promote
a specific
agenda
b. January 1990, former West German Chancellor Willy Brandt
invited members
of several independent
commissions to meet, discuss opportunities for global
cooperation
on issues requiring multilateral action. (“multilateral action” is that
which requires
participation of more than two parties)
c. April 1991, follow-up meeting included about 36 public figures
in Stockholm;
group issued
“Stockholm Initiative on Global Security and Governance,” in
which they proposed
that an international commission be set up to explore how
to build a more
effective system of world security and governance.
d. co-chairs of this group met with UN Sec-Gen Boutros Boutros-Ghali
in April
1992 to explain
purpose of proposed Commission; he commended the initiative
and assured
them of his support.
e. by September 1992, the Commission on Global Governance was
established
with twenty-eight
members from around the world. All have served in their
personal capacities,
not under instruction from any government or organization.
f. “The Commission on Global Governance was established in
1992 [to investigate
means for] strengthening
global co-operation to meet the challenge of securing
peace, achieving
sustainable development, and universalising democracy.”
g. I gave detailed explanation to show generally how NGOs are
formed, their
relationship
to UN; but specifically how this very important NGO has come to
power
3. “Terms of Reference” excerpts,
report of Commission on Global Governance
a. “Cultural variety and indigenous values suffer as homogenisation
is
promoted by
global exposure to Western communication and entertainment
industries and
other purveyors of Western lifestyle. This tends to create
divisions between
younger and older generations and to prompt
counter-movements
that sometimes take extremist or obscurantist
positions.”
i. suffering from exposure to Western influence; specifically
American
influence, since written by European leaders
ii. a negative perception of America, almost universal among world
leaders
b. “In a world turning into a global village, the rights and
responsibilities of
its different
actors must be redefined — and respected — as we move
towards a new
global democracy.”
i. notice “global village”; common terminology among world
leaders
ii. from American perspective, “global democracy” implies active
involvement of populace; instead is about relationships between nations,
not allowing a single nation (such as US) to dominate world scene
iii. “global democracy” is a democracy of nations, not individuals; is
an
ideal that many world leaders advocate, and is emphasized in selling
their plan
iv. Sec-Gen Kofi Annan on interdependence, related to concept of
global
village; address to the Second Committee of the General Assembly, New
York, 1 December 1997: “The future well-being of humankind rests
increasingly on the courage and foresight of its leaders to realize the
full meaning of interdependence, and to translate it into practical
actions.”
v. strong theme: one world, global village, interdependency
c. [The task of the Commission] “The Commission will study
measures that
could strengthen
the system of collective security under the Charter of the
United Nations
to prevent or halt conflicts between states.”
d. [The task of the Commission] “The Commission's concern with
security will
extend to the
considerations that should govern international action, whether
preventive diplomacy
or coercive intervention, to deal with conflicts within
states that
may trigger wider involvement or that cause outrage on
humanitarian
grounds.”
i. “coercive intervention” in internal national issues
ii. reason #1: to prevent internal issues from triggering international
ones
iii. reason #2 (possibly much more significant): “to deal with conflicts
...
that cause outrage on humanitarian grounds”
iv. international community’s definition of human rights violations
supersede national policies
v. sounds good on surface, but cannot judge this from American
perspective; this is not one world where everyone has same standards
vi. in essence, if international community doesn’t like what is happening
inside a nation, may use coercive intervention; too open-ended
e. “The values upheld by the international community must be
reinforced by
the regulatory
framework of the global rule of law. As sovereign states remain
the primary
units of the international system, the changing nature of state
sovereignty
and the relationship between national autonomy and
international
responsibility will be germane to the work of the Commission.”
i. international values to be codified into “global rule of
law”;
international standards are not same as American standards, but
international rule of law supersedes American law and practices.
ii. notice “the changing nature of state sovereignty and the relationship
between national autonomy and international responsibility”
iii. philosophy (which is legitimate): what a nation does within its borders
affects its neighbors and the rest of the world; a global community
iv. therefore, national autonomy yields increasingly to international
agenda
f. “A central concern will be the need to accelerate development
in less developed
countries, so
that absolute poverty may be brought to an end and the living
standards of
billions of people raised to acceptable levels.”
i. a very honorable goal
g. “Another important concern will be the environment, with
its close links to
development
and population growth. Both affluence and poverty contribute to
environmental
stress, and so does population pressure which often
accompanies
poverty. Grave environmental problems beyond national
remedy, such
as greenhouse warming, ozone depletion and, in some cases,
natural disasters,
have linked the fate of nations more closely together.”
i. we’ll see this trilogy of concerns in other places: (1)
international peace
and security, (2) eradication of poverty, (3) environmental issues
ii. these are the big three, viewed as closely related; many global
programs
will address all three
iii. “both affluence and poverty contribute to environmental stress.”
iv. affluence is wasteful of natural resources and creates waste
and
pollution; philosophy of “sustainable development” to correct this waste,
protect environment
v. poverty stresses environment because people whose basic
needs are not
being met are unconcerned about protecting environment
h. Commission’s direction obvious from its “Terms of Reference”
(previous
quotations),
which states its goals
i. now the Commission has issued its report (“Our Global Neighborhood”),
reflects no
significant changes in philosophy
4. Commission on Global Governance
issued its report, “Our Global Neighborhood,” to
present its recommendations
a. The Commission’s Definition of Governance (OGN, Chapter
1)
i. "At the global level, governance has been viewed primarily
as
intergovernmental relationships, but it must now be understood as also
involving non-governmental organizations (NGOs), citizens' movements,
multinational corporations, and the global capital market."
(1) NGOs and other groups to be more influential in global
governance
(2) special interest groups actively influencing international policy
ii. "As this report makes clear, global governance is not global
government. No misunderstanding should arise from the similarity of
terms. We are not proposing movement towards world government,
for were we to travel in that direction we could find ourselves in an
even less democratic world than we have -- one more accommodating
to power, more hospitable to hegemonic ambition, and more reinforcing
of the roles of states and governments rather than the rights of people."
iii. notice continuing emphasis on democratic process (protection of peoples’
rights and involvement in government)
iv. reflects their intent
v. remind you: they view the UN General Assembly as democratic,
protecting people’s rights and allowing participation in government
vi. my question: how much voice do you and I have in General Assembly?
answer: Virtually none. We vote for a presidential candidate whom
someone else selects, then president appoints the US ambassador to the
UN (recommended by someone else), where that representative has one
voice and vote
vii. you can actively participate in local government; you can influence
your
state legislature; you have less influence over your federal
representatives; you have no influence over the US ambassador to UN
b. technically, it’s a democratic process; from perspective
of American citizen, it’s
not
5. Regarding: The Rule of Law (excerpts
from “OGN,” Chapter 1)
i. [Global governance] "will strive to subject the rule of
arbitrary power
-- economic, political or military -- to the rule of law within global
society."
(1) we’re hearing frequent references to “the rule of law” in the
news
(2) what it means is writing of international law to govern
international affairs, based on UN Charter but separate from it
ii. "The very essence of global governance is the capacity of the
international community to ensure compliance with the rules of society."
(1) assuming voluntary compliance will bring about desired change
(2) practical experience indicates it won’t happen without force
(3) suggests possibility of UN action against member states that
reject UN decisions
a. Regarding: The Environment (excerpts from “OGN” Chapter
3)
i. [Environmental problems such as climate change, loss of
forest cover,
and loss of biological diversity] "pose a danger to the very survival,
not just the well-being, of whole societies. In this sense, together with
nuclear war, they constitute the ultimate security risk."
(1) notice: environmental problems constitute the ultimate security
risk
(2) radical environmentalism, typical position of NGOs and world
leaders
ii. "Action must be taken now to control the human activities that
produce these risks so as to keep them within acceptable limits."
iii. "[T]he Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Convention on
Biodiversity, and the protocol on ozone depletion and its amendments, to
name a few -- must be rapidly and substantially strengthened."
(1) these conventions are already enacted by UN agencies, represent
radical environmentalism; Commission on Global Governance
says they “must be rapidly and substantially strengthened.”
(2) we will examine some of these in next session
(3) we’ll show that environmentalism may be the strongest and most
emotional of the trilogy of international issues: (1) international
peace and security, (2) eradication of poverty, (3) environmental
issues
b. Regarding: Sustainable Development:
i. "Population, consumption, technology, development, and the
environment are linked in complex relationships that bear closely on
human welfare in the global neighborhood. Their effective and equitable
management calls for a systematic, long-term, global approach guided by
the principle of sustainable development, which has been the central
lesson from the mounting ecological dangers of recent times. Its
universal application is a priority among the tasks of global
governance." [OGN Chapter 1]
(1) sustainable development is a priority among the tasks of global
governance
(2) simplified definition of sustainable development: development
that does not use up resources that may be needed by future
generations or cause waste/pollution that reduce quality of life for
future generations
c. Regarding: The United Nations (OGN Chapter 7)
i. "The time is now ripe -- indeed overdue -- to build a global
forum that
can provide leadership in economic, social, and environmental fields. .
.
. We propose the establishment of an Economic Security Council
(ESC). . . [to] assess the overall state of the world economy . .
.
provide a long-term strategic policy framework . . . secure
consistency between the policy goals of the major international
organizations . . . and promote consensus on international economic
issues.”
(1) recommends a new UN Council to govern world economy
(2) very interesting in light of Rev 13:17, global control of
commerce; people unable to buy or sell without world ruler’s
mark
(3) whether Economic Security Council is formed, global control of
economy and commerce is essential; almost guaranteed to happen
ii. “It is time for the evolution of a consensus on the concept of
global
taxation for servicing the needs of the global neighbourhood.”
(1) UN has serious financial problems
(2) financial assessments on member states, inadequate
(3) many proposals considered for taxes on international activities
and currency exchanges
(4) global taxes are inevitable; ultimately increase your cost of
living
6. These are some of the recommendations
by Commission on Global Governance, from
its report issued in 1993/4
7. Due to Commission’s influence
as NGO and because Commission members are world
leaders, many of its proposals are being implemented
UN Restructuring
1. UN is in process of deciding
what its next stage of evolution will be
2. UN’s documents, press releases,
public statements reflect UN’s determination to be
world’s savior
3. Statements by Sec-Gen Kofi
Annan:
a. [Address to UN Staff, New York, 9 January 1997] “There is
no alternative to
the UN. It is
still the last best hope of humanity.”
b. [Address to the Council on Foreign Relations, New York,
22 April 1997]
“Clearly we
cannot meet the challenges of the new millennium with an
instrument designed
for the very different circumstances of the middle of
the twentieth
century.”
c. [Address to the United Nations Association of Japan, Tokyo,
13 May 1997]
“The Security
Council’s composition reflects the world of 1945 and not the
economic and
political realities of today.”
d. [Renewal Amid Transition: Annual Report on the Work of the
Organization, 3
September 1997]
“To succeed in the new century . . . the United Nations must
undergo fundamental,
not piecemeal, reform.”
__________________________________________________
Comments
1. I agree with UN’s concerns
about peace, human rights, development and environment.
2. Not a pacifist, see wars as
result of sinful nature.
3. Advocate of human rights. Advocate
of individual prosperity & well-being. Advocate
of environmental stewardship (biblical).
4. However, USA is unique in this
world, <5% of population
5. whole world may support these
causes, but I am opposed to their method of
implementation at global level.
6. Reluctantly agree with need
for binding legislation, but realize it’ll have very stressful
impact on US.
9/13/99 Journal
What hope can I offer people when I teach [about the Beginning
of Birth Pains], so
they aren’t filled with despair or fear?
Tell them I love them, that I always have their benefit in mind.
Man looks on the
outward appearance, as in the selection of Saul as king, but my primary
concern is a person’s
spiritual maturity. So when I prepare a situation for one of my people,
I do it to give them
opportunity for growth. Yes, I want people to be thankful in every
situation, and I want them to
enjoy life, but my greater interest is in their long term growth.
The end times will be difficult and will include some very stressful
experiences. It will
be a dangerous period, full of fearful events. But I am able to preserve
my people — provide
and care for them — as well during times of great distress as during
times of peace and
prosperity. It does not matter what their circumstances are, because
I am greater than all
circumstances. I am the I AM. That is not a statement of pride, but
a simple statement of fact.
How can I encourage people and build them up so they can flourish
during these
difficult times?
Tell them what I just said to you. For the joy set before me,
I endured the cross; I
considered it nothing compared to the benefit it would provide. You
must do the same. Don’t
view hardship merely as something to be endured to earn a reward. Accept
hardship as
discipline, as my word says. Discipline not only strengthens you, it
purges you. My people
must be purified; they must shed all those things that preoccupy them
and distract them from
me. I will have a holy people, a people dedicated to my purposes, not
their own. I would have
a people who love me more than themselves.
[It’s a matter of priorities.]
How do we become radical for you and your kingdom without becoming
foolish in
your eyes?
Seek me with all your heart, make my righteousness and kingdom
your top priority.
And don’t worry about what others think of you. I will lead you and
develop you. You focus on
serving me and I will do in you what needs to be done. And I will use
a wide variety of means
to accomplish that, including the distress of the end times.
Conclusion
1. We are beginning to see radical
changes in world political structure and these changes
are certain to lead to events prophesied in
the Bible.
2. Global governance is taking
form now, will lead to NWO, which I believe will be the
final human empire that rules the world before
the Lord returns to set up his kingdom.
3. But this is not a time for
despair or cynicism; it’s a time for hope.
4. We are experiencing the contractions,
the labor pains, and we don’t even realize it yet;
but they’re becoming increasingly obvious.
5. Your hope must be in God, nothing
else, no one else.
6. Keep this in mind every time
you pray, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven.”
7. Allow him to use the world
situation to purge you of self-interest and make you into his
own image.