Technology And The End Of The World: A Call For Christian Vigilance In Ghana—Part 1

I do not consider myself to be a great writer or thinker although I am tempted to call myself an “armchair theologian” not because of my extensive knowledge of Biblical issues but simply because I like to view the world from a Christian perspective. As you read this article, I hope you will forgive me if my writing style isn’t as elegant as others but I really and truly do hope that you understand the simple message I wish to convey.

Ghana is home to various cultures and religions and it’s a place where the Christian Faith has thrived in for many years. Since my childhood days, I have heard of the impending end of the world, the rapture, the Judgment Day, Heaven and Hell. These major themes in Christianity, I believe, have helped many Christian Ghanaians live or try to live a righteous lifestyle.

But I wonder why there is so much silence about the Biblical warnings of the end of the world by major men of God in Ghana these days. Why the silence? The deafening silence of God’s coming wrath on this world, for me, weakens the position of Christianity as the way of life mankind must abide by. The Churches are filled with preaching of God’s blessings and Greek interpretations of the Biblical texts but little is said of the end of all things. Men of God are quick to showcase their prophetic prowess and distribute their anointing oils but little is said about the end of the world.

I strongly believe that the right preaching will initiate a right living among Ghanaians and help every Ghanaian understand the world around them. The Bible is so clear about future events that any Christian who reads his or her Bible should be able to understand how political, economic and social actions taken by government as well as other world-actors will ultimately lead to the end that is to come.

The Ghana government has recently played a major role, in my view, to help initiate the end that is seen in the Bible. In the Book of Revelations, chapter 13, we read of a one government system to be dominated by the enemies of God in which no person will be able to buy or sell unless they have the “mark of the Beast” which is “666”. Countless debates and discussions have been generated about what the 666 mark is but what is certain is that, the 666 mark is the one mark that seals one’s fate as God’s enemy, assuring of an eternal damnation in the Lake of Fire.

How will this mark of the Beast be distributed and enforced and how will this Anti-Christ government know who has the mark of the Beast or not? How will they be able to make sure that those who refuse the mark are not able to “buy or sell”? My simple answer to these questions is very simple: TECHNOLOGY!

We live in a world where people are able to communicate with one another in an instant because of technology. We are able to hear and follow events on the other side of the globe as they go on through technology. So, it isn’t too hard to imagine a world whereby people will be prevented from conducting business without some sort of technological identification especially now that businesses are increasingly being conducted through telecommunication technology (internet, e-commerce, mobile money).

In Ghana, when we go to the bank, we are sometimes asked to provide our identification cards (ID) or we are not allowed to vote without a voters’ ID card or we cannot travel outside the country unless we have a passport. The Bible has basically said that there will be a grand identification process that would determine how one lives in comfort or otherwise and technology will play a huge role in that. So, how is Ghana playing a major role to facilitate this end time catastrophe?

Well, Ghana begun with the biometric system which captures the bio-data of individuals due to our unique characteristics so as to reduce the risk of impersonation especially in our sacred voting exercises during elections. This came about due to the frequent electoral malpractices by certain individuals who voted multiple times. This biometric system has been extended to the passport office and other government agencies.

The second I can readily pinpoint is the renewed effort of the National Identification registration. Soon, the government will be able to capture information on every Ghanaian into its database. Many have applauded it and said it’s necessary since it will help curb crime, help people access financial credit and boost government’s ability to mobilize revenue.

The third that jumps to mind is the very recent Digital Address System that is supposed to help locate every piece of land within Ghana’s territory. As the Vice President puts it “even if you live in the middle of River Oti, we will find you”. This system is said to be good as it will help government and its agencies tax everyone, especially the informal sector, thereby, raise the needed funds for national development.

Most likely, information gathered through these various systems will be integrated, providing government with accurate and holistic information about who we are, where we live, where we bank, and what we do. In other words, government will know every single thing about us.

It is obvious that the biometric system, the national identification system, and the digital address system all seem to have good motivations behind them and it’s no wonder people will applaud these as great developmental initiatives for Ghana. At this point, you may be tempted to ask me if I am against technology and development. My answer is: NOT ENTIRELY. But when you look at the other side of these seemingly good technological advances, you will have to confess that Ghana is moving speedily and surely towards a time where citizens will be unable to escape the ever-watchful eye of the government.

Imagine then, that with all these advances made and there is a coup which ushers in a murderous-dictatorship regime, how do you think political enemies and critics will be treated? Where will they run to within Ghana? What about a dictating, murderous one-government world system? Where will critics and political enemies run to within this world?

Personally, I thought government would focus on our roads and build more hospitals in rural communities and fix our railway systems and build proper schools in our villages but the decision to pursue such technological policies raises my antenna and suspicions about the coming one-world system. I believe in the Bible and with its track-record of historical and archaeological collaborations, I cannot doubt its predictions about the future.

All I ask is for Ghanaians to be vigilant, especially Ghanaian Christians so we will not be ignorant of the times we are in. I also urge Christian leaders and Pastors to preach what the Bible says so their congregations can ask the right questions and ensure that government is not planning anything strange right under their noses. I also urge the Members of Parliament, especially the Christians there to be cautious, smart and see-through every policy with the Christian eye. The best they can do is to pass laws that will at least protect the privacy of citizens and ensure that government does not use information it extracts from us for evil.

Ghana is currently part of ECOWAS, the African Union and the United Nations. Should there be a declaration of a one world/government system, Ghana will have adequate and up to date data on all of her citizens for the Anti-Christ if the Ghana government is able to succeed with its information-gathering quest of its citizens. We cannot escape the inevitable but we should not rush into it either.