In recent years, there has been a lot of talk about conspiracy theories.
Whether it was “the vast right wing conspiracy theory” (popularized by Hillary Clinton),[i] or the unfounded “Trump-Russia conspiracy theory” propounded by Robert Mueller[ii], naïve people believed it.
More recently, the media is publicizing the so-called “Q-Anon conspiracy theory”[iii] and insisting that we ought to fear its followers.
Still others maintain that politicians and pharmaceutical makers are conspiring against the populace. Someone asked me recently if it is true that the new vaccine is “the mark of the beast.” I assured them that it is not true.
Some say, “It’s not a theory, when I can quote from the conspirators!” Part of the question is whether you believe these people – even conspirators – have as much power as they say that they have. For instance, in his (2003) Memoirs [iv], David Rockefeller wrote, “For more than a century, ideological extremists at either end of the political spectrum have seized upon well-publicized incidents such as my encounter with Castro to attack the Rockefeller family for the inordinate influence they claim we wield over American political and economic institutions. Some even believe we are part of a secret cabal working against the best interests of the United States, characterizing my family and me as ‘internationalists’ and of conspiring with others around the world to build a more integrated global political and economic structure — one world, if you will. If that is the charge, I stand guilty, and I am proud of it.”[v]
If you accept for the moment that Rockefeller wrote this, you are still faced with this question: “Is he deceiving himself?” In other words, do Rockefeller and his co-conspirators wield the kind of power they really believe they have? Do you believe what they believe about themselves? I don’t.
Please bear in mind that “the mystery of iniquity (lawlessness)” was already at work in the Apostle Paul’s day (2 Thessalonians 2:7-9). Those verses describe the Antichrist, and his remarkable ability to deceive. (Part of his deception will be causing people to believe that he has more power than he really has. And by all indications, many people already believe it!) Every other conspiracy pales in comparison to that one. But at “the consummation” (Daniel 9:27), “the desolator” will be destroyed! If God overrules that conspiracy, don’t you think He has the power to overturn the vain deliberations of pompous people?
And this highlights the real issue for us: Are we going to get caught up in modern conspiracy theories while we ignore the massive conspiracy described in Psalm 2? The psalmist wrote, “Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sits in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision”(Psalm 2:1-4).
How does the Lord treat the puny, pompous potentates who conspire against Him? He laughs them to scorn. Couldn’t we do the same?
When I was in school, I would hear tall tales retold by my fellow students. At home, when I would tell my father what I had heard during the day, Dad would always look at me in surprise and say, “And you believed it?!”
When we hear Christian people repeating these conspiracy theories today, we can almost hear our Heavenly Father asking, “And you believed it?!”
The Lord instructed Isaiah to preach to the people: don’t follow the way of others. Don’t call “conspiracy” what they call “conspiracy” and don’t fear what they fear; but fear the Lord instead (Isaiah 8:11-2). Look at what the apostles did in Acts 4:23-31; follow their lead. When they were faced with oppressive leaders, they prayed and God gave them boldness. The fear of God was their greatest fortress. Let’s trust Him and trust His timing for the days ahead.
As we have sung our paraphrase of Psalm 2 together, with one mind and one voice we have reminded each of God’s ultimate triumph. Do you believe “…that the most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomsoever he will, and sets up over it the basest of men?” (Daniel 4:17). If you believe that, then let’s not spend another moment worrying about silly conspiracy theories.
Pastor Gordon Dickson, Calvary Baptist Church, Findlay, Ohio 45840
This post is part of a message on Daniel 9:24-27, found here.
[i] “Vast Right Wing Conspiracy” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vast_right-wing_conspiracy
[ii] Aaron Mate, “The Mueller Report Indicts the Trump-Russia Conspiracy Theory” The Nation, April 26, 2019, accessed at https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/russiagate-trump-mueller-report-no-collusion/
[iii] Brett Forest, “What Is QAnon? What We Know About the Conspiracy-Theory Group” Wall Street Journal, February 4, 2021, accessed at https://www.wsj.com/articles/what-is-qanon-what-we-know-about-the-conspiracy-theory-11597694801
[iv] Accessed at https://www.google.com/books/edition/Memoirs/cKk_DwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1
[v] David Rockefeller quote accessed at https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/David_Rockefeller