The stage is set. The deception is already here. The language of the coming delusion floods movies, government hearings, podcasts and social media feeds while humanity stares into the skies waiting for salvation from the stars.

During a recent appearance on Rebecca Lamb Weiss’ podcast, pastor and author Billy Crone laid out what he believes is one of the greatest end-times deceptions preparing to engulf the planet: the idea that aliens will explain away the biblical rapture.

“We did a mega deep dive just last year UFOs, aliens, and the coming mass abduction,” Crone said. “And I titled it that way on purpose because the world will see a mass abduction. But what they’ll be told is it was from the aliens as to why these people disappeared. The Bible calls it the rapture.”

Crone described a world already conditioned to accept extraterrestrials as humanity’s saviors.

“Rapture means an abduction,” he said. “We’ll be abducted, snatched quickly away by the Lord Jesus Christ, the church, meet him in the clouds, and then the wrath of God comes down, the seven-year tribulation. But they’re not going to hear that. They’re going to hear it was aliens.”

According to Crone, the groundwork for that deception began generations ago.

“In order to fall for the lie of UFOs and aliens, you have to first fall for the lie of evolution,” he said. “Because when these things come off their so-called crafts, what’s the first thing they say about themselves? We’re a higher evolved.”

Order James Lasher’s New Book, “The Revelation of Jesus” on !

Crone argued that Satan slowly prepared the modern world for this moment through entertainment, philosophy and spiritual deception.

“He had to start this thing, this last days lie explained away the rapture that it was the aliens, not the rapture,” Crone said. “He had to start this 150 years ago and first get the planet to buy into lie evolution. And then sure enough in the 60s and 50s and the black and white movies and here comes alien this, alien that.”

Now, Crone believes humanity has reached the tipping point.

“Today UFOology is the new religion for the 21st century,” he said. “More people believe that aliens have visited planet Earth than that Jesus is the Son of God.”

The discussion moved deep into the prophetic warnings of Scripture and what Crone sees as the rise of a coming one-world system foretold in Revelation.

“They’re preparing the mindset for the seven-year tribulation, the antichrist kingdom for a one world government and a one world religion,” Crone said. “It’ll be a one-world political structure government and a one-world religion, all working together to bring what? Peace and utopia to the planet.”

Crone warned that Christians themselves are increasingly being targeted as obstacles to global unity.

He referenced alleged New Age “channeled” messages predicting the disappearance of millions of people from Earth and connected them directly to the church being removed during the rapture.

“These people no longer fit here anymore,” Crone quoted from one message. “They are stopping the harmony of the earth.”

“You know what the Bible calls that?” Crone asked. “2 Thessalonians 2, the restraining influence.”

The warnings did not stop with UFOs. Crone connected the rise of artificial intelligence, digital surveillance and biometric systems to the infrastructure of the coming beast system described in Revelation 13.

“The first day in office, he launched the AI Stargate program, a $500 billion investment to speed up the development of AI,” Crone said while discussing President Donald Trump’s artificial intelligence initiative. “I believe that AI is the lynch pin to pull off Revelation 13.”

He continued: “How are you going to monitor people, know where they’re at at all times? How are you going to the mark of the beast, the buying and the selling? How are you going to control all that? … You need something superhuman. That’s where AI comes in.”

Crone also pointed to global surveillance systems and AI-powered monitoring as evidence the world is moving rapidly toward prophetic fulfillment.

“Citizens will be on their best behavior because you’re going to be watched at all times,” Crone said while quoting comments from tech leaders involved in AI development.

Throughout the interview, Crone returned repeatedly to one central message: deception is accelerating and the church must remain grounded in Scripture.

“The Bible’s the only book on the planet that tells us in minute detail exactly how it’s going to play out,” he said. “Demons are real. Satan is real. This is not a game.”

Crone warned that the coming delusion will sweep across a world already desperate for answers, unity and peace.

“The Bible says there’s coming a delusion on this planet that people are going to fall for because they refuse to love the truth,” he said. “And I think part of that delusion is the alien factor.”

As governments discuss UFO disclosure, artificial intelligence expands at breathtaking speed and society drifts further from biblical truth, Crone believes the world is watching the final pieces fall into place before the rise of the Antichrist kingdom and the return of Jesus Christ.

“We have got to be getting close to the rapture,” Crone said. “Because they are setting up the antichrist kingdom and the planet is ripe for it.”

James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact media@.

Federal scrutiny surrounding Hasan Piker has reignited fierce debate over the kind of rhetoric allowed to flourish on streaming giant Twitch while many conservatives say their own voices are routinely censored for opposing left-wing ideology.

During a recent episode of “The Michael Knowles Show,” Michael Knowles reacted to reports that Piker had been subpoenaed by federal investigators over a controversial Cuba trip that allegedly violated U.S. sanctions regulations.

Knowles celebrated the development, arguing that Piker has spent years pushing radical anti-American rhetoric and inflammatory political commentary to millions of young viewers online.

“I’ve been calling for Hasan Piker’s arrest for months and months and months,” Knowles said during the broadcast, accusing the streamer of openly promoting hatred toward America and conservatives.

Federal investigators reportedly issued subpoenas connected to Piker’s March trip to Cuba alongside activist groups accused of potentially violating Treasury Department sanctions rules.

The controversy has also renewed scrutiny over Piker’s long history of inflammatory statements regarding Israel, conservatives and the United States itself.

Among the most infamous remarks, Piker previously declared, “America deserved 9/11.” He also said, “I would vote for Hamas over Israel every single time,” while describing Hamas as “a thousand times better” than Israel.

Order James Lasher’s New Book, “The Revelation of Jesus” on !

The Anti-Defamation League documented additional comments from Piker in which he said, “I do not have a single issue with Hezbollah as a form of militancy,” and referred to Israeli settlers as the “Jewish KKK brigades.” Critics have accused him of repeatedly crossing the line from political commentary into outright anti-Semitic rhetoric.

Piker’s critics also point to his attacks on conservatives and Republicans. In one widely condemned moment, he said Republicans would “kill Rick Scott” if they truly cared about Medicare fraud, comments that resulted in a temporary Twitch suspension.

Despite repeated controversies, Piker remains one of the largest political streamers on Twitch, wielding enormous influence over younger audiences. Meanwhile, conservatives and Christians have increasingly accused major tech platforms of applying vastly different standards depending on ideology, particularly on issues surrounding gender identity, transgender activism involving children and biblical morality.

That double standard has become impossible to ignore. Platforms that aggressively police dissent against progressive orthodoxy continue providing enormous reach to figures openly praising terrorist-linked groups, attacking Israel and demonizing political opponents.

The rise in anti-Semitic rhetoric online mirrors a broader global trend that has exploded since the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attack against Israel. Jewish communities across Europe and America have faced escalating harassment, threats and violence while anti-Israel demonstrations have spread across universities, city streets and social media platforms.

This demonically driven hostility toward Israel carries profound biblical significance. Scripture repeatedly warns that in the last days, the nations of the world will turn against Jerusalem and the Jewish people.

What once seemed unimaginable is rapidly becoming normalized in global culture. Rhetoric that openly demonizes Israel now draws applause in many corners of politics, entertainment and digital media. Figures with massive platforms continue shaping millions of minds with narratives steeped in anti-Westernism, anti-Americanism and hostility toward the Jewish state.

We are quite literally watching the spiritual battle lines form in real time.

James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact media@.

Pastor Greg Laurie delivered an urgent, and in many ways prophetic, warning tying the rebirth of Israel, the rise of global anti-Semitism, Iran’s aggression and the coming Rapture directly to the end-times framework laid out in Scripture.

Speaking from Romans 11, Ezekiel 37 and multiple New Testament passages, Laurie said the world is watching Bible prophecy unfold in real time as hostility toward Israel intensifies and global instability accelerates.

“One of the signs of the times according to the Bible is Israel would be regathered to her homeland,” Laurie said. “And on May 14th, 1948, a modern-day miracle happened against all odds. An incredible opposition. Israel declared themselves a nation again and it set the prophetic time clock ticking.”

Laurie rejected replacement theology outright, the belief that the church has replaced Israel in God’s prophetic plan, pointing instead to Romans 9 through 11 as evidence that God’s covenant with the Jewish people remains intact.

“God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew,” Laurie said, quoting Romans 11.

He pointed to the explosion of anti-Semitism following Hamas’ Oct. 7 massacre in Israel as another major prophetic indicator.

“You would have thought after that horrible massacre of innocent Jewish people that there’d be an outrage and people would rise up in favor of their Jewish friends and nation Israel,” Laurie said. “And in some ways the opposite has happened.”

Order James Lasher’s New Book, “The Revelation of Jesus” on !

Laurie noted anti-Semitism has surged globally, including on American college campuses, while chants such as “from the river to the sea” openly call for the elimination of Israel.

“When they’re saying ‘from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,’ they’re effectively saying we don’t want Jews here,” Laurie said.

He also connected current geopolitical alignments to the Gog and Magog prophecy found in Ezekiel 38, specifically naming the growing alliance between Russia and Iran.

“The Bible speaks of a large nation from the north of Israel that will attack her,” Laurie said. “Many experts believe it’s modern-day Russia.”

He added that Persia, the ancient name for modern Iran, is specifically listed among the coalition of nations that will eventually move against Israel.

“In other words, God is saying there would be an alliance between Magog and Persia or maybe Russia and Iran,” Laurie said.

Laurie stressed that Revelation, Ezekiel and other prophetic books all point toward a future global confrontation centered on Israel and Jerusalem. The isolation of Israel on the world stage and the growing hatred toward the Jewish people mark the continuation of conditions Scripture foretold thousands of years ago.

But amid the warnings of judgment and conflict, Laurie repeatedly returned to what he called “the blessed hope” of the church: the Rapture.

“We call it the rapture of the church,” Laurie said. “The rapture is when Christ descends from heaven, and we are caught up to meet Him to receive our new resurrection bodies, and we’re reunited with loved ones who have died in faith.”

Laurie defended the doctrine as a biblical teaching rooted in the words of Jesus, Paul and the early church fathers, rejecting claims that it originated in modern theology.

“The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, the trump of God, the dead in Christ will rise first, and we’ll be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air,” Laurie quoted from 1 Thessalonians.

He warned believers not to become spiritually asleep as prophetic events intensify around the globe.

“This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is,” Laurie said, quoting Romans 13. “Time is running out. Wake up.”

Laurie said the imminent return of Christ should drive Christians toward holy living, spiritual readiness and urgency in sharing the Gospel before the tribulation period begins.

“Jesus is coming,” Laurie said. “Let this comfort you. Let this motivate you. Let this wake you up.”

James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact media@.

Oscar-winning actress Dame Helen Mirren was aggressively confronted on the streets of London by a pro-Palestine activist in another sign of the growing hostility toward both Israel and those who publicly support the Jewish state.

According to a Daily Mail report, the incident unfolded as Mirren walked with her husband, director Taylor Hackford, when a man approached the couple and launched into an anti-Israel tirade after recognizing the actress for her outspoken support of Israel.

The video was first posted to Instagram by an account called “Anti-Fascist Action UK,” where the confrontation was circulated online.

At first, Mirren appeared calm and cordial, smiling and asking the man if he was okay. The encounter quickly escalated.

“And there is Helen Mirren, the avowed Zionist,” the man said in the Instagram video. “You said Israel should last forever because of the Holocaust.”

Order Jonathan Cahn’s New Book, “The Altar of Pergamon” on !

The activist accused Mirren of supporting the removal of Palestinian homes before hurling additional profanities at both her and Hackford.

As the confrontation intensified, Hackford repeatedly told the man to leave them alone.

The incident reflects the growing wave of anti-Semitism spreading throughout much of the West since the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attacks against Israel. Actors, musicians, athletes and public figures who support Israel increasingly face harassment campaigns, online abuse, protests and public intimidation.

Mirren has long defended Israel’s right to exist and opposed cultural boycotts targeting the Jewish state. Last month, she joined celebrities including Amy Schumer, Mila Kunis, Sharon Osbourne and Boy George in signing an open letter supporting Israel’s inclusion in the Eurovision Song Contest.

The Daily Mail also revisited Mirren’s comments while promoting the 2023 film “Golda,” in which she portrayed former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir.

“I believe in Israel, in the existence of Israel,” Mirren said during a 2023 interview with Israel’s Channel 12. “I believe Israel has to go forward into the future, for the rest of eternity … I believe in Israel because of the Holocaust.”

The irony surrounding the account that posted the confrontation was impossible to miss. A group branding itself as “anti-fascist” openly celebrated the public intimidation of an elderly supporter of Israel while using tactics rooted in coercion, mob pressure and ideological intimidation.

The Bible prophesies that this hostility toward Israel will only intensify in the last days before the return of Jesus.

The prophet Zechariah declared that Jerusalem would become “a burdensome stone for all peoples” and warned that “all nations of the earth” would eventually gather against it (Zech. 12:2-3).

Ezekiel 38 describes a future coalition of nations coming against Israel, while Revelation 12 describes Satan making war against the people connected to God’s covenant purposes.

The growing aggression toward Israel and those who support her no longer exists only in geopolitical debates overseas. It now unfolds openly on the streets of Western cities, throughout entertainment culture and across public discourse.

James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact media@.

Memorial Day once stood as one of the few moments in American life where politics paused and the nation collectively honored those who gave their lives defending freedom. That sense of reverence is now being tested in a culture increasingly willing to mock nearly anything sacred, including the memory of fallen service members.

During a recent episode of his podcast, conservative commentator Graham Allen blasted MMA fighter Sean Strickland and media personalities Candace Owens and Nick Fuentes over rhetoric surrounding Memorial Day that Allen said reflects growing contempt for patriotism and military sacrifice.

“This is a testament to the brain rot that people like Candace Owens, Nick Fuentes, all these people have done,” Allen said. “They have caused a brain rot in our society that now Memorial Day is a psy-op.”

Order James Lasher’s New Book, “The Revelation of Jesus” on !

Allen pushed back against arguments reducing military sacrifice to political failures or controversial wars, saying America’s honored war dead span generations and conflicts far beyond modern political debates.

“The Revolutionary War, Civil War, World War I, Vietnam, all of this,” Allen said while criticizing attempts to frame Memorial Day solely through the lens of Iraq-era politics.

He warned that an entire generation is being conditioned to view patriotism and remembrance with cynicism rather than gratitude.

“These people that have created this brain culture in our society to now say that Memorial Day is a scop,” Allen said. “They don’t actually care about America. They don’t actually care about our veterans. They don’t actually care about those that have paid the ultimate price.”

Allen also condemned efforts to politicize Memorial Day after referencing a deleted Democratic National Committee social media post tying the holiday to political attacks over Iran policy.

“Memorial Day is supposed to be a sacred day that is not about politics,” Allen said.

The outrage surrounding the controversy points to something deeper happening inside American culture. A nation once rooted in faith, honor and shared moral foundations increasingly treats even sacrifice itself as disposable. The same culture that mocks patriotism now openly ridicules biblical truth, attacks Christian values and chips away at the spiritual foundations that once unified the country.

Yet Memorial Day still matters because the men and women buried beneath white crosses and weathered headstones were not fighting for internet outrage or political tribalism. Many believed they were defending their families, their freedoms and the Judeo-Christian values America was built upon.

Their sacrifice deserves more than cynicism. It deserves gratitude and reverence.

James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact media@.

The Middle East is shaking under the weight of history, prophecy and war. Missiles fly across ancient battlefields. Iran’s military infrastructure burns. Arab nations move toward normalization with Israel. Global leaders scramble to negotiate peace in the very region the Bible says will become the epicenter of the last days.

On a recent episode of the Verdict with Ted Cruz podcast, Sen. Ted Cruz described President Trump’s military campaign against Iran as “the single most consequential decision of President Trump’s presidency.”

The reason reaches far beyond geopolitics.

This is the reshaping of Persia before the eyes of the world.

Cruz laid out four objectives behind the military operation against Iran:

• Prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons
• Destroy Iran’s missile capabilities
• Neutralize Iran’s navy and threats to the Strait of Hormuz
• Cripple Iran’s terror infrastructure funding Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis

Then came the staggering assessment of what the strikes accomplished.

“The missiles are almost entirely gone,” Cruz said. “The missile manufacturing capability is almost entirely gone. Not only that, the drones are almost entirely gone and drone manufacturing is almost entirely gone. Not only that, the air force is in rubble … and the navy is sunk on the bottom of the ocean.”

He added: “Iran spent 47 years building a military and in 39 days, the United States military utterly and completely eliminated it.”

The modern world calls the nation Iran.

The Bible calls it Persia.

Order James Lasher’s New Book, “The Revelation of Jesus” on !

And Persia stands at the center of end times prophecy.

In Ezekiel 38, Persia joins the Gog-Magog coalition that marches against Israel in the final prophetic age. Scripture specifically names Persia alongside a northern alliance that launches a massive assault against God’s covenant land.

That means Persia survives.

The current regime may collapse. The ayatollahs may fall. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps may shatter. The military machine may lie in ruins.

Persia remains. A transformed Persia. A renewed Persia. A Persia preparing for its prophetic role in the Gog-Magog war.

Cruz openly stated his desired outcome.

“The outcome I would like to see is regime collapse,” he said. “Not to have Iran governed by Islamist radicals who chant death to America.”

That statement carries prophetic weight because the Gog-Magog coalition does not require the current Islamist structure to remain intact. Persia enters the prophetic battlefield in some form regardless of who governs it.

At the same time Iran weakens, another prophetic puzzle piece moves into place: peace.

Cruz repeatedly pointed to expanding the Abraham Accords as one of the most important developments in the region.

“If the president is able to bring the Arabs and Israelis into the Abraham Accords, into peace agreements, into normalizations, into trade and commerce … that would truly be an historic milestone,” Cruz said.

That development sends shockwaves through the prophetic landscape.

Scripture describes a coming period where the world embraces peace and security before sudden destruction erupts during the Great Tribulation. The Bible describes a deceptive calm before global chaos breaks loose.

Now the world watches:

• Arab nations moving toward normalization with Israel
• Persia being militarily reshaped
• Global pressure surrounding Jerusalem
• The Strait of Hormuz becoming a flashpoint for global commerce
• Massive diplomatic pushes for Middle East peace

The prophetic map is forming in real time.

For decades, prophecy teachers warned the Middle East would become the center of world attention in the final days. That reality now dominates global headlines every single day.

The astonishing part is not merely the destruction of Iran’s military capabilities.

The astonishing part is that Persia remains on the board exactly where Scripture said it would be thousands of years ago.

Empires rose and fell. Borders changed. Kings died. Civilizations disappeared.

Persia stayed.

Now the ancient prophetic power once again stands at the center of a rapidly transforming Middle East while Israel rises into unprecedented prominence on the world stage.

The alliances are shifting.

The war drums are sounding.

The stage is being set for the next chapter of biblical prophecy.

To watch the full podcast episode, click here (Editor’s Note: Crude topic matter).

James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact media@.

Remember that part in the Bible where it says Christians must enthusiastically support sodomy at their jobs, because it’s loving their neighbors? Neither do I, but that hasn’t stopped both Los Angeles County and the media from painting it that way.

Now, a lifeguard who says he was punished for not displaying the rainbow flag at his station is suing the county and several supervisors after being suspended 15 days without pay for taking down several flags.

According to Fox News, Captain Jeffrey Little, who has spent over 20 years in the L.A. County Fire Department’s Lifeguard Division, is suing based on religious discrimination regarding the flags.

In his suit, filed in 2024, Little said that both the county and fire department supervisors adopted and enforced a policy beginning in 2023 that required the Progress Pride flag — that’s the one that mixes the rainbow LGBT flag and a separate chevron for transgender people (part of LGBT already, but why let the facts get in our way?) — to be flown thoroughout the month of June in recognition of “pride month.”

“Little, a devout Christian, argued the policy conflicted with his religious beliefs about marriage and sexuality and sought a religious accommodation exempting him from personally raising the flag or ensuring subordinates raised it. Little said the county initially granted this accommodation before revoking it just two days later,” Fox News reported Monday.

Order Jonathan Cahn’s New Book, “The Altar of Pergamon” on !

In the suit, Little also alleged Lifeguard Division Chief Fernando Boiteux told him that his “religious beliefs don’t matter” when it comes to exemptions to the policy. I understand that comprehending the religious protections in the Constitution isn’t, like, necessary to save drowning people (or to facilitate the saving of drowning people), but it would be nice if he’s in any position of power, and ignorance doesn’t make him any more correct. (Also, given that this is Los Angeles County, I can only assume this boss probably isn’t too good at facilitating saving drowning people, either. I have my reasons.)

“Little says he is not asking the county to end its Pride flag policy but is seeking a permanent religious accommodation exempting him from personally raising the flag or directing others to do so, along with damages and removal of disciplinary findings from his personnel file,” Fox News reported. And, after a federal ruling, he’ll be headed into court with Los Angeles County and several of his supervisors.

A court agreed, saying in a May 8 decision that allowed the case to go forward that “the court found it plausible to infer the county did not engage in good faith efforts to accommodate the employee, which was sufficient to survive the county’s motion to dismiss.”

“At the end of the day, the law requires favored treatment for religious beliefs and the county’s message to him and to others like him that their religious beliefs don’t matter clearly is unconstitutional and discriminatory,” said Paul Jonna of the Thomas More Society, Little’s attorney.

Jonna “told Fox News Digital that Little took down the flags under the belief he was acting within the accommodation granted by the county and with the understanding that some stations were not required to fly the Pride flag because they lacked sufficient clasps under the county’s own flag policy. Jonna said other Pride flags had previously been removed from stations earlier that month for the same reason.”

But have sincere religious beliefs and refuse to abandon them to get a government job? Sorry — that’s not for you. At least, not if you’re a Christian.

Ask how this is being covered in the legacy media, and you couldn’t do better summing it up than this sentence from the Los Angeles Times in June of 2024:

It’s too bad, but probably inevitable, that the Progress Pride flag has become a battleground in the culture war. And it’s too bad that Little didn’t try just a little harder to love his neighbor.

I’m not sure where this definition of love — forced abnegation of religious principles — would be foisted upon any other form of orthodox religious belief. (Judaism, alas, might be joining Christianity in this department, and for even more pernicious reasons.) But it seems to be prevalent among pretty much everyone who doesn’t seem to realize the First Amendment not only was meant to protect Christians, but it still protects them, too

However, watching this crowd try to split the cultural baby would be fun: Can you imagine the chaos in the state offices if this guy had been a Muslim and they had to figure out who to kowtow to more, the LGBT crowd or the Muslim crowd?

And that’s the good news about discovery in this case as it goes forward: We’ll very possibly find out, in very explicit detail, on emails and texts, exactly what they thought about Christian values compared to other worldviews. Nice work, Los Angeles.

This article originally appeared on The Western Journal and is reposted with permission.

Artificial intelligence. Global surveillance. Digital IDs. “Peace and security.” Exploding anti-Semitism. A silent church.

Jan Markell, Founder of Olive Tree Ministries and Pastor Billy Crone warned that the infrastructure for the biblical end times is no longer a subject to be ignored.

It is being built in real time.

During a recent episode of “Understanding the Times,” Markell and Crone warned that the convergence of artificial intelligence, global governance systems, escalating hatred of Israel and the collapse of biblical teaching inside churches are pushing the world toward a prophetic breaking point.

One issue dominated the conversation: artificial intelligence.

Crone called AI one of the most prophetically significant developments in modern history, comparing it to Israel becoming a nation again in 1948.

“I believe it’s just as big of a prophetic watershed moment as Israel becoming a nation again,” Crone said.

Revelation 13 describes a future global system capable of monitoring commerce, enforcing obedience and controlling populations worldwide. Previous generations lacked the technological infrastructure to accomplish that. AI changes everything.

The discussion highlighted several developments they said are helping build the technological framework for a future global control system:

• AI-driven surveillance systems are rapidly replacing human oversight and creating the ability to monitor transactions, conversations and behavior in real time on a global scale. Crone argued this level of constant worldwide monitoring was impossible until the arrival of AI-powered systems capable of processing enormous amounts of data instantly.
• Digital IDs and biometric technologies are becoming normalized across governments, banking systems and travel infrastructure. The discussion pointed to real ID systems, facial recognition and biometric checkpoints as major steps toward centralized control systems tied to personal identity.
• Cashless payment systems and implantable chip technology are advancing at extraordinary speed. The interview referenced payment chips placed under the skin and financial systems increasingly tied to digital verification methods instead of physical currency.
• AI is beginning to replace large portions of the workforce, especially routine office jobs, accounting, legal work, graphic design, data processing and administrative tasks. The discussion warned that massive economic disruption could create social instability that global systems would attempt to solve through centralized control.
• Major technology leaders are openly discussing the arrival of “digital superintelligence” and AI systems capable of functioning like a “digital god.” Crone warned that humanity is moving toward dependence on machines for guidance, decision-making and governance.

“We haven’t had the infrastructure,” Crone said. “There’s AI. So, I’m convinced with the birth of AI, finally, you can pull off everything.”

The conversation then shifted toward another major prophetic concern: the emergence of global governance systems under promises of peace and security.

Markell focused heavily on President Donald Trump’s proposed “Board of Peace,” describing it as a multinational coalition operating outside the framework of the United Nations while pursuing many of the same global objectives.

Order James Lasher’s New Book, “The Revelation of Jesus” on !

Both Markell and Crone connected the initiative to Daniel 9:27 and 1 Thessalonians 5:3, passages warning about end-times peace agreements and sudden destruction.

“This is a global group that really is circumventing the UN,” Crone said. “And would like to be a UN.”

The discussion repeatedly returned to the biblical warning that the final world system will emerge under promises of peace.

Their concerns included:

• International coalitions are forming that increasingly operate above traditional national structures and borders. The “Board of Peace” was presented as an example of a global body attempting to manage world conflict outside the existing UN framework.
• Israel, Muslim nations and major world powers are now being discussed together inside emerging peace structures. The conversation specifically referenced countries like Qatar and Turkey participating in the same discussions involving Israel.
• Revelation describes “ten kings” sharing authority before surrendering power to a central figure. Crone argued that growing regional governance systems and multinational alliances increasingly resemble the kind of shared authority structure described in biblical prophecy.
• The Bible warns that the tribulation period begins with a peace agreement involving Israel. Crone repeatedly returned to Daniel 9:27, emphasizing that a future peace broker will eventually emerge on the world stage.

“And then you go back to Daniel 9:27,” Crone said. “What is the thing that starts the 7-year tribulation? Somebody is going to broker a peace deal.”

The emotional center of the interview came when the conversation turned to Israel, the October 7 Hamas massacre and the explosion of anti-Semitism around the world.

Markell described the attack as one of the most spiritually revealing moments in recent history. What stunned her most was not only the brutality of the massacre itself, but the silence inside many churches afterward.

“How do you ignore the second most stunning event to the Jewish people since the Holocaust?” Markell asked.

The discussion warned that October 7 exposed deep spiritual problems inside Western churches and culture:

• Anti-Semitism exploded globally after the Hamas attack, spreading across college campuses, protests, media narratives and political movements. Crone said the speed and intensity of the hatred revealed how quickly the world is turning against Israel.
• Many churches refused to address the massacre or openly support Israel after the attacks. Markell said countless Christians contacted her shocked that their churches ignored one of the most devastating attacks on Jewish people since World War II.
• Replacement theology has weakened biblical understanding of Israel’s prophetic role. Crone argued that decades of ignoring Bible prophecy left many Christians spiritually vulnerable to anti-Israel ideology.
• The coming tribulation period involves unprecedented persecution against Israel. Crone said the growing hatred toward Jewish people reflects the spiritual conditioning necessary for the future rise of the Antichrist system.

“If we’re getting close to the 7-year tribulation, we should expect this anti-Semitism,” Crone said. “It is getting worse.”

The discussion also delivered a direct rebuke to churches that abandoned Bible prophecy teaching altogether.

Crone said churches spent decades replacing biblical teaching with self-help messages, entertainment and emotional comfort while avoiding difficult truths about judgment, deception, spiritual warfare and the return of Christ.

“We’ve had 30 years in the church. They’re not teaching the whole counsel of God. They’re certainly not teaching Bible prophecy,” he said.

The interview ended with a warning that the signs Jesus described are no longer distant possibilities.

Technology is accelerating. Global systems are consolidating. Hatred toward Israel is intensifying. Churches are growing quieter about prophecy while the world races toward the conditions described in Revelation.

“Newsflash,” Crone said. “You do realize that prophecy did not stop just because Trump got into office again. It accelerated.”

James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact media@.

A growing divide inside conservative media erupted this week after the hosts of the “Chicks on the Right” podcast blasted Megyn Kelly and Tucker Carlson over their recent comments surrounding Israel, AIPAC and Rep. Thomas Massie.

Hosts Amy Jo Clark (Daisy) and Miriam Weaver (Mock) accused Kelly of pushing anti-Israel narratives during a discussion about Massie’s political struggles and sharply criticized her handling of political analyst Carl Cannon during the exchange.

“She would not let him finish either,” Daisy said. “She just was talking right over him. She just would not let him make a point.”

The hosts argued Cannon was attempting to clarify that AIPAC donations come from American Jewish supporters rather than directly from the Israeli government.

Daisy pointed to lobbying statistics she said showed Israel ranked far below several other foreign nations in lobbying influence between 2016 and 2024.

“China’s number one,” Daisy said. “Where’s the dismay about China? You don’t hear anybody talking about China.”

The hosts argued that the disproportionate focus on Israel compared to nations such as China, Qatar and Saudi Arabia exposes deeper bias inside portions of conservative media.

“That’s how you know when there’s anti-Semitism is when the focus is always on AIPAC or only on AIPAC,” Mock said.

Order James Lasher’s New Book, “The Revelation of Jesus” on !

The criticism intensified when the conversation shifted to Carlson’s recent remarks dismissing concerns about Islamic extremism influencing voters in Kentucky.

Carlson sarcastically mocked claims that Massie’s political opposition was tied to fears over jihadism, joking about “Islamic jihad, whatever that is.”

The response from the podcast hosts was immediate.

“Oh my God, dude,” Mock said after playing the clip.

Daisy accused Carlson of becoming disconnected from concerns many conservatives hold regarding border security and radical Islamic ideology.

“People in Kentucky do care because they’re looking at places like Texas and they’re seeing how it’s being literally invaded here,” Daisy said. “And they’re like, we kind of don’t want that to happen.”

The confusion and frustration expressed by Daisy and Mock point to something much deeper than a political disagreement inside conservative media. What we are witnessing is a growing spiritual fracture over Israel itself.

Scripture repeatedly shows Satan waging war against the purposes of God, and throughout the Bible, Israel remains central to those purposes. From Pharaoh ordering the death of Hebrew children in Exodus, to Haman’s genocidal plot in the book of Esther, to Herod’s slaughter of infants after the birth of Jesus Christ, the biblical pattern is unmistakable. The enemy continually targets the covenant people through whom God brought His promises into the world.

That conflict does not disappear in the New Testament. The apostle Paul warned in Romans that God’s covenant with Israel remains significant, while the book of Revelation describes the dragon making war against God’s prophetic plan and covenant purposes. Zechariah prophesied that Jerusalem would become “a burdensome stone for all people,” while Genesis declares God will bless those who bless Abraham and curse those who curse him.

The modern unraveling surrounding Israel inside political and media circles reflects more than shifting ideology. It exposes a spiritual battle over truth, covenant and discernment.

For years, figures such as Carlson were viewed by many conservatives as reliable voices on nationalism, border security and Western values. That is why the reaction from Daisy and Mock carried such visible disbelief. Their frustration was not merely over a policy disagreement. It was the shock of watching familiar voices adopt rhetoric they now view as hostile toward Israel while dismissing concerns about radical Islamic ideology.

The Bible warns repeatedly that deception will intensify in the last days. Isaiah wrote of a time when people would call evil good and good evil. Jesus warned believers to remain watchful so they would not be deceived. Paul described a coming “strong delusion” that would overtake many.

The growing hostility toward Israel, even among portions of the political Right once firmly supportive of the Jewish state, reflects that spiritual confusion in real time.

To watch the full clip, click here (Editor’s Note: mild language).

James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact media@.

For years, the warnings sounded absurd.

Now they sound familiar.

On a recent episode of Roseanne Barr’s podcast, the comedian-turned-cultural firebrand pulled listeners deep into what she described as the real battle unfolding behind the headlines: a biblical civil war stretching from the days of Moses to the chaos consuming the modern world.

“This is a war that goes on,” Barr said. “That’s the real civil war in my opinion.”

What began as a conversation about the book of Exodus quickly turned into something darker and far more prophetic. Barr connected the rebellion in the wilderness, the golden calf and the corruption surrounding Pharaoh’s system to what she sees emerging again in modern politics, media and global power structures.

“It is about good and evil,” Barr said. “It is about Satan and God.”

The discussion carried the tone of an end times decoder ring. Every institution was placed under the microscope. Governments. Media. Marxism. Globalism. Israel. Religion. Artificial narratives. Psychological manipulation. Even the growing hatred surrounding biblical faith itself.

Order James Lasher’s New Book, “The Revelation of Jesus” on !

And beneath all of it, Barr insisted the same ancient spirit remains at work.

“They hate God,” she said. “They don’t even believe in God. So they have to break people’s connection to God.”

Barr repeatedly returned to the Exodus story, specifically Moses leading Israel out of Egypt. But in her telling, the true mystery hidden inside Scripture was not simply Israel escaping slavery. It was the infiltration that came with them.

“There’s a civil war,” Barr said. “That’s the Jewish civil war. It’s always been going on since we left Egypt.”

She pointed to the biblical account of the golden calf and argued that the same spirit of rebellion and corruption still exists today through systems that glorify power, control, greed and manipulation.

“They think they’re smarter than God,” Barr warned.

To Barr, modern society is not collapsing randomly. The unraveling is spiritual.

“This is Lucifer’s reign,” her son Jake suggested during the discussion. Barr responded by warning listeners not to surrender to hopelessness but instead recognize humanity’s responsibility to fight spiritual darkness with truth and faith.

“We have the power to do so,” Barr said. “If you believe in God, you definitely can solve it and fix it because that’s why God created you.”

The conversation repeatedly circled back to Israel, antisemitism and the growing hostility toward the God of Abraham.

“They attack Trump supporters because they’re Christian Zionists,” Barr said. “They like Israel. They like the Bible. They like the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”

At times, the episode sounded less like political commentary and more like an underground transmission warning about a spiritual deception consuming the nations.

“They elevated Satan to be equal to God,” Barr said while discussing what she described as pagan corruption of biblical truth. “But he is not.”

Barr insisted the ultimate battle is not race, politics or ideology. It is whether humanity chooses hatred or love, rebellion or repentance.

“Love is the strongest thing in the universe,” she said. “Love is God and God is love.”

And while much of the modern world races toward anger, division and confusion, Barr believes the veil is beginning to lift.

“The mission is that we open eyes,” she said. “The veil is removed and everybody sees themselves clearly.”

The conversation echoed warnings found throughout Scripture: deception in the last days, nations in turmoil, hostility toward God and Israel and a world increasingly unable to distinguish darkness from light.

The signs are no longer hiding in the shadows.

They are flooding headlines every day.

James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact media@.