A United Nations of Religions?

by Michael G. Mickey

(3-21-06)

Rabbi Yona Metzger. Heard of him? If not, you need to commit his name to memory because he is presently an active player in trying to bring about something that may well be of prophetic interest.

As seen in an Israel National News article dated 2-19-06, Rabbi Metzger, met with the Dalai Lama, a Buddhist monk who is the leader of Tibet, during which he suggested that representatives of the world's religions establish a United Nations in Jerusalem, representing religions instead of nations.

Echoing his earlier call for a 'UN of religions', as seen in a BBC report, Rabbi Metzger has again called for the creation of a world body with representatives from the major religious groups while addressing the International Congress of Imams and Rabbis for Peace in Seville, Spain on 3-20-06. Was the Rabbi's concept well-received? I think so as the report states "imams and rabbis at this conference, which opened on Sunday, say the world is in crisis and it is time they acted to restore justice, respect and peace."

Interestingly, a topic I've addressed in a past commentary reemerged in the BBC report on Rabbi Metzger's pet project, coming out in favor of it - the Alliance for Civilizations, which is a "lobby group for international conflict resolution, supported by the United Nations and initiated by Spain's Prime Minister, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero."

It was back in September of 2004, as seen in a BBC report, that Spanish prime minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero called for an "international effort to resolve cultural and religious differences between the Western and Muslim world." Reading about Metzger on Wikipedia, I learned that Metzger first advocated his 'UN of religions' in late 2004. Coincidence?

As I've pointed out previously, an interesting detail of Zapatero's Alliance of Civilizations is Zapatero envisages his proposed Alliance of Civilizations could "prevent hate and misunderstanding from developing by looking at political and cultural issues - everything from joint peace keeping missions to interfaith dialogue."

Are you getting a good picture in your head now as to why I find the content of this commentary so intriguing, particularly at this juncture when it seems so much of prophetic interest is taking place in the world around us?

First, Zapatero calls for an alliance of civilizations that could look at everything from political and cultural issues to peacekeeping and interfaith dialogue. Then Israel's chief rabbi calls for a UN of religions to be established in Jerusalem of all places, which Zapatero's Alliance of Civilizations comes out in support of! Wow!

What am I getting at? All around us there is evidence, concrete evidence, that what Bible prophecy tells us is going to take place is, indeed, going to!

In the prophetic future, according to the Word of God, a leader of Roman descent, the prophesied Antichrist, is going to confirm a seven-year covenant of peace in the Middle East. He will confirm this covenant "with many." (Daniel 9:26-27)

Revelation 13:8-9 tells us all the world, except for those who choose Christ, will worship the Antichrist.

After the Antichrist confirms peace, the world will be plunged into terrible crisis as the seven-year Tribulation Period begins to unfold. As the Tribulation Period unfolds, a False Prophet will prominently appear on the world stage. Eventually, if not right away, he will throw his full support behind the Antichrist.

Revelation 13:12-15 tells us the False Prophet will "exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 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. 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."

What the Bible clearly outlines is that a day will come when there will be one voice of government the citizens of the world will be expected to yield to - the voice of Antichrist. For that to happen, there is going to have to be a large body of governmental powers in agreement - a body something like Zapatero's proposed "Alliance of Civilizations."

For a single man, the False Prophet, to convince "them that dwell on the earth" to make an image of the beast and worship it, there's going to have to be some form of centralized religion, in my opinion - a point of reference for the ignorant masses if you will. Something like a "UN of religions" will likely be required.

To be certain, I am in no way suggesting that Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero and Rabbi Yona Metzger are the Antichrist and False Prophet in the making. I pray that no one be led to believe that as neither I nor anyone else can know that on this side of the Rapture of the Church! What I hope I'm pointing out is how easily Bible prophecy could be fulfilled, potentially in the not-too-distant future. Essentially, I'm saying what I always am - that a lot of prophetic posturing is taking place in the world around us!