Fall of Empires (5b) Locusts and Drones

The Terrible Beast begins to exert force on the nations of the world using military power. For most of history, war was a personal struggle between one king and another, with each being supported by a small retinue of followers. Most kings could not afford a large number of troops, so the armies involved were quite small. Battles could last for several years, but were usually quite localised. Ordinary people did not get involved in war, unless they lived close to the battlefield. The greatest threat to their lives came from looting soldiers who had not been paid or supplied with provisions.

The nature of warfare changed dramatically during the nineteenth century with the development of total war. The emergence of nationalism changed war from a contest between two kings into a struggle between nations. Kings fought over territory. Nations tend to fight over causes, and everyone in the nation is drawn into the war effort by reducing their consumption and manufacturing equipment for the army. Civilians became the target for artillery and bombs. In total war, civilian casualties often exceed the number of military casualties.

As the Time of Distress gets underway, wars between nations will morph into personal struggles between political and military leaders (Dan 11). Assassinating evil political and military leaders will be morally acceptable. Personal attacks against undesirable political leaders will be an effective tool for projecting the Beast’s power in the world. The fear of a personal strike will cause many hostile leaders to submit to the Terrible Beast.

The weapons of war will change. Concentrating large numbers of infantry in one place will be unnecessary, because sophisticated military weapons will make personal attack against hostile political leaders viable. Unmanned predator drones will be efficient tools for strategic assassinations. They wi;l be used to intimidate all people who oppose the Terrible Beast.

And out of the smoke locusts came down on the earth and were given power like that of scorpions of the earth. They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. They were not allowed to kill them but only to torture them for five months. And the agony they suffered was like that of the sting of a scorpion when it strikes. During those days people will seek death but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them (Rev 9:3-6).

Unmanned predator drones will intimidate the people by reminding them that they are under surveillance and under threat of attack. They will only kill a few people, but will torment many.

Remotely controlled weapons will be used to project military power of across great distance. Many military engagements take place been combatants on different continents. Targeted missiles will strike against military targets and strategic assets.

The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. On their heads they wore something like crowns of gold, and their faces resembled human faces. Their hair was like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth. They had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle. They had tails with stingers, like scorpions, and in their tails they had power to torment people for five months. They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon and in Greek is Apollyon (that is, Destroyer) (Rev 9:7-10).

The political powers will claim that they are using military power for good purposes, but they are actually being controlled by the Devil.