Most pastors avoid UFOs like a live wire. It’s messy, controversial and guaranteed to invite criticism from every direction. That’s why it’s genuinely surprising, and honestly refreshing, to hear ministry leader John Bevere wade directly into the conversation, not as a provocateur, but as a shepherd.

On a recent episode of The John Bevere Podcast, Bevere and his son Arden tackled what many church leaders quietly sidestep: the growing public conversation around UFOs, now rebranded as UAPs, and the spiritual questions they raise. What unfolds is not speculation for speculation’s sake, but a sober attempt to frame a cultural moment through Scripture rather than fear or fascination.

Bevere makes it clear this wasn’t a topic he was eager to address. In fact, he admits that not long ago he would have laughed at the idea of discussing UFOs at all. What changed was a growing conviction that silence could leave believers unprepared. With government officials, military pilots and intelligence agencies openly discussing unexplained aerial phenomena, he argues that Christians need theological grounding, not avoidance.

Rather than treating UFOs as evidence of extraterrestrial life from distant galaxies, Bevere reframes the issue as spiritual. The key distinction he emphasizes is that many of these phenomena are described as interdimensional rather than extraterrestrial. That distinction matters. Scripture already affirms an unseen realm populated by spiritual beings, both faithful and fallen. From that perspective, the idea of nonhuman intelligences interacting with the physical world is not a threat to biblical faith. It’s already embedded in it.

Bevere walks listeners through familiar but often overlooked passages, drawing attention to biblical descriptions of unseen rulers, authorities and powers that operate beyond human perception. He points out that angels in Scripture routinely appear, disappear, traverse realms and interact physically with the world. The Bible, he suggests, is far less materialistic than modern believers sometimes assume.

Where Bevere grows especially firm is in rejecting the idea that these phenomena are neutral or benevolent. He cautions that spiritual deception rarely presents itself as obviously evil. Scripture warns that Satan disguises himself as an angel of light, which means deception can appear advanced, enlightened, or even comforting. In that sense, he sees the modern UFO narrative as fertile ground for confusion, particularly if it is framed as something that could rewrite humanity’s understanding of God, creation, or salvation.

That concern drives Bevere’s pastoral urgency. He repeatedly stresses that his goal is not to sensationalize the topic but to prevent believers from being shaken as these discussions become more mainstream. If Christians are unprepared, he warns, they may either panic or become overly fascinated, and both responses are dangerous.

He distills that concern into two clear dangers:

• Ignorance that leads to shaken faith.
  Bevere warns that believers who lack biblical grounding may hear talk of nonhuman intelligence and assume it contradicts Scripture. That reaction, he argues, stems from unfamiliarity with what the Bible already teaches about the unseen realm.
• Obsession that leads to distraction.
  He is equally concerned about Christians who become fixated on UFOs, conspiracies and hidden knowledge, allowing curiosity to replace devotion. Fascination, he notes, can quietly pull people away from the central focus of the faith.

Throughout the discussion, Bevere returns to a steady refrain: none of this should surprise believers. Scripture has long described a world where unseen powers operate, deception increases, and signs in the heavens unsettle humanity. What is new is not the phenomenon, but the volume of public attention being given to it.

The episode ultimately lands on a grounded, almost old-fashioned conclusion. Bevere does not call for deeper investigation, secret knowledge or constant vigilance over the skies. He calls for focus. Christians, he insists, are not meant to chase every mystery or decode every headline. They are meant to keep their eyes fixed on Jesus, remain rooted in Scripture, and stay faithful to the mission they’ve been given.

In a media environment obsessed with the spectacular, Bevere’s willingness to address UFOs without glorifying them may be the most unexpected part of all. He steps into unfamiliar territory, not to stir fear or hype, but to remind believers that even the strangest conversations of the moment do not sit outside the biblical worldview.

The takeaway from this unusual discussion is simple and steady: whatever may be unfolding in the unseen realm, it does not change who Christ is, what Scripture teaches, or what believers are called to do. The focus remains the same. Stay grounded. Stay discerning. And above all, keep your eyes on Jesus.

James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a background in journalism from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and 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.

The merger of human bodies and advanced technology is no longer speculative or theoretical. It is accelerating, normalized through innovation headlines and framed as medical progress. What once sounded like science fiction is now being presented as the next logical step in human evolution, quietly reshaping how society views the boundary between flesh and machine.

That shift became unmistakable this week when Neuralink, the brain-implant company founded by Elon Musk, revealed plans that move far beyond experimental trials. Musk stated that Neuralink will begin “high-volume production of brain-computer interface devices and move to a streamlined, almost entirely automated surgical procedure in 2026.” He pointed to the significance of the technology itself, noting, “Device threads will go through the dura, without the need to remove it. This is a big deal.”

Neuralink will start high-volume production of brain-computer interface devices and move to a streamlined, almost entirely automated surgical procedure in 2026.

Device threads will go through the dura, without the need to remove it. This is a big deal.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 31, 2025

According to Reuters, the implant is designed to help people with conditions such as spinal cord injuries. The first patient has already used the device “to play video games, browse the internet, post on social media, and move a cursor on a laptop.”

Reuters also reported that “12 people worldwide with severe paralysis have received its brain implants and were using them to control digital and physical tools through thought,” a milestone that signals how quickly this technology is moving from medical aid to direct human-machine integration.

Neuralink’s progress did not come without resistance. The company “began human trials of its brain implant in 2024 after addressing safety concerns raised by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which had initially rejected its application in 2022,” Reuters reported.

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Those concerns, however, did not slow momentum for long. By June, the company had “secured $650 million in a funding round,” demonstrating strong institutional confidence in a future where the human brain becomes a programmable interface.

This is where the implications grow darker. Once embedding technology inside the human body becomes commonplace, the infrastructure for total dependence is already in place. A system that can control access, participation, communication and functionality through internalized technology no longer requires coercion. It only requires consent, convenience and compliance. When bodies themselves become terminals, exclusion becomes effortless.

None of this should surprise us. We were warned about a future system that governs buying, selling and participation through submission to a unified authority. The pathway to that system was never going to arrive with sirens and announcements. It would come quietly, efficiently and wrapped in promises of healing and progress. The trajectory is visible now. The destination was written long ago in biblical prophecy.

James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a background in journalism from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and 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.

Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan has issued a stark warning about the spiritual forces at work in modern pop music. This warning aligns eerily with biblical truths many ignore in this ongoing spiritual war.

On his podcast “The Magnificent Others,” Corgan told writer Conrad Flynn that pop stars embody a form of deception he calls satanic. “In many cases, the most satanic representation in music over the last 20 years has been the pop stars because they are creating, they are knowingly creating a false image, and they’re servile to the false image to the point of jacking up their faces and jacking up their voices,” Corgan said.

Whoa truth 💣

— Karli Bonne’ 🇺🇸 (@KarluskaP) January 2, 2026

He described how these artists deliberately mislead fans: “And deluding their audience that there’s somebody that they’re not. And they’re all doing it in plain sight.”

Corgan warned of the inevitable breakdown: “At some point, you’ll see the audience reach a point of cognitive dissonance where they know that the person that they want to believe in an idolatrous way isn’t that person. And they force the people to double down on the idolatry. Because that’s the only thing they can do.”

Christian ministries have warned parents for decades about the spiritual dangers in mainstream entertainment, yet far too many remain unmoved, treating these alerts as outdated or extreme. Now, even a secular rock icon like Corgan is sounding the alarm, labeling these practices “satanic” and exposing the idolatry baked into American culture. The deception is no longer hidden. It is broadcast in high definition, yet most scroll past without a second thought.

This widespread indifference plays directly into the enemy’s hands in a spiritual war raging all around us, one far too few seem concerned about. Scripture prophesied exactly this chilling reality.

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As Matthew 24:12 declares, “because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” This means that as sin and deception multiply unchecked, people grow increasingly unmoved by truth, developing a coldness in their hearts toward the teachings of God’s Word. They no longer care about what is right or holy; spiritual warnings fall on hardened, indifferent ears.

And in 2 Timothy 4:3-4, Paul warned of a time when people “will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”

When fans idolize surgically perfected, auto-tuned illusions while rejecting raw truth, hearts grow cold and ears itch only for what feels good. If voices from inside the music industry itself are exposing this darkness, how much longer can we afford to stay asleep?

James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a background in journalism from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and 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.

An artificial intelligence–driven study claims to uncover hidden linguistic patterns in some of the Bible’s oldest books, drawing attention and scrutiny as researchers apply modern technology to ancient Scripture.

As reported by Express UK, an international team of researchers used artificial intelligence to analyze the first nine books of the Hebrew Bible, known as the Enneateuch, in an effort to identify distinct writing styles within the text. The project was led by an international research team spearheaded by Duke University.

Researchers reported that the AI model identified “three entirely separate writing styles,” which they said point to “different authors or scribal groups” responsible for the biblical texts.

“We found that each group of authors has a different style, surprisingly, even regarding simple and common words such as ‘no,’ ‘which,’ or ‘king.’ Our method accurately identifies these differences,” said Thomas Römer, a professor at the Collège de France.

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The project was spearheaded by mathematician Shira Faigenbaum-Golovin, who began the research in 2010 by analyzing handwriting on ancient pottery shards dating back to 600 BC.

“We concluded that the findings in those inscriptions offer valuable clues for dating texts from the Old Testament,” Faigenbaum-Golovin said. “That’s when we started putting together our current team, who could help us analyze these biblical texts.”

According to the researchers, the AI identified three textual traditions within the biblical material: the Priestly source, the Deuteronomistic History and the Book of Deuteronomy itself. Researchers also reported that portions of the Ark Narrative in 1 Samuel did not align with any of the three styles.

“Portions of the Ark Narrative in 1 Samuel didn’t correspond to any of the three styles,” the team stated, describing the finding as “yet another mystery surrounding the Bible’s composition.”

The authors of the study said their work “sheds new light on the question of authorship of biblical texts by offering interpretable, statistically significant evidence of the existence of linguistic characteristics in the writing of biblical authors/redactors, that can be identified automatically.”

“Our methodology thus provides a new tool to address disputed matters in biblical studies,” they said.

Researchers also pointed to applications beyond biblical scholarship. “If you’re looking at document fragments to find out if they were written by Abraham Lincoln, for example, this method can help determine if they are real or just a forgery,” Faigenbaum-Golovin said.

Despite the technological claims, artificial intelligence does not operate independently of human input. It functions within frameworks shaped by programmers, training data and underlying assumptions. The researchers described their work as “a unique collaboration between science and the humanities” and “a surprising symbiosis.”

“It’s such a unique collaboration between science and the humanities,” Faigenbaum-Golovin said. “It’s a surprising symbiosis, and I’m lucky to work with people who use innovative research to push boundaries.”

As technology continues advancing at an unprecedented rate, any analysis that contradicts the Word of God warrants caution and discernment rather than unquestioning trust in technology. Scripture states that the end times will be marked by deception, reinforcing the need to test every claim, including those produced by artificial intelligence, against the truth already revealed in God’s Word.

James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a background in journalism from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and 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.

UFO disclosure is no longer a fringe topic, and it is not going away. According to longtime researcher and filmmaker L.A. Marzulli, the conversation has reached a tipping point. “It’s here. It’s happening. And it’s now,” Marzulli said in a recent reaction video, warning that the global push toward disclosure is unfolding “in real time,” not in the distant future.

Marzulli’s recent reaction video centers on the new film Disclosure Day, which he believes is less entertainment and more ideological groundwork.

The movie repeatedly frames “full disclosure” as a moral necessity, suggesting the world has a right to know the truth all at once. That framing, Marzulli argues, is intentional. “People have a right to know the truth,” the film declares. Marzulli’s response is pointed: “But what truth are we going to hear? Whose truth will we hear?”

Throughout his breakdown of the movie’s trailer, Marzulli highlights imagery he believes is doing heavy theological lifting. Scenes of altered consciousness, possession-like behavior and religious symbolism are not incidental.

“There’s no way around that,” he said of one scene depicting a woman losing control of her faculties. “That’s possession. She no longer is in possession of her faculties.” He also noted the film’s use of Catholic imagery, saying it subtly suggests that faith can be reinterpreted to accommodate non-human entities. “They’re already spinning this thing within a certain theological framework,” he said.

More broadly, Marzulli rejects the film’s assumption that alleged non-human intelligences are benevolent extraterrestrials. “They’re not from Zeta Reticuli,” he said. “They’re gods with little g’s. They are the fallen angels with a very nefarious agenda.”

He ties this directly to biblical prophecy, warning that such revelations could trigger what Scripture calls a great falling away. “When they reveal themselves, that’s the game changer,” Marzulli said. “And we are being set up for it.”

The push for disclosure is shaping how people think, believe and interpret reality. As governments, media and entertainment move in lockstep, discernment matters more than ever. Pay attention to the world around you. Deception rarely announces itself. It hides in plain sight, often where we are told to look for truth.

James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a background in journalism from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and 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.

A renewed debate in Bible prophecy circles is drawing attention to March 2026, not as a date for the rapture, but as a possible turning point in biblical history. The discussion centers on an ancient solar calendar preserved in the Dead Sea Scrolls and whether it signals the beginning of what some interpret as the final Jubilee, or final generation, of the Age of Grace.

That argument was recently outlined in a discussion between Josh Peck and Dr. Ken Johnson, who has spent decades studying the Dead Sea Scrolls and their calendar system. Johnson argues the scrolls preserve what he calls the original biblical calendar, distinct from the modern Gregorian system. “According to the Dead Sea Scrolls, it was the original calendar given by God,” Johnson said, adding that it stretches “from creation…through the millennial reign to the end of time.”

What makes this calendar different

Unlike the Gregorian calendar, which relies on lunar adjustments and shifting weekdays, Johnson says the Dead Sea Scrolls calendar is a 364-day solar system designed to keep weeks and feast days fixed. “On a 364-day calendar, everything is the same,” he said. “The Passover is the 14th of Nissan. It’s always Tuesday. The new year always starts on Wednesday.”

The year is structured around 12 months of 30 days, plus four additional marker days tied to the equinoxes and solstices. Rather than adding leap days, Johnson says the system stays aligned by using leap weeks every few years, keeping it closely synced with the seasons while preserving consistent weekly cycles.

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Why March 2026 matters

The calendar framework leads to the central claim that March 18, 2026, marks the start of a final 50-year Jubilee period, which Johnson equates with a generation. “The Dead Sea Scrolls seem to indicate the last Jubilee is the last generation,” he said. That places the proposed prophetic window between 2026 and 2076.

Johnson is careful to stress that this is not date-setting. “We’re not supposed to set dates,” he said. “The calendar is a calendar system.” Still, he argues that major biblical events historically cluster within these Jubilee periods, especially toward the end of an age.

He points to the time of Jesus as an example, noting that “most of the prophecies are about His ministry, His death, the creation of the church,” which he places within the final Jubilee of the previous age. “He dies in 32, but it’s still in that 50-year period,” Johnson said.

Patterns, not predictions

Rather than claiming certainty, Johnson frames the model as a means of observing patterns. He argues that the scrolls suggest that the end of an age is marked by turmoil, whereas the beginning of the final generation may initially be marked by spiritual activity. “They also seem to indicate the beginning of the last generation is usually blessed with revival, miracles, things like that,” he said.

He also identifies developments to monitor, including the end of ongoing wars, Israel’s territorial expansion, and potential archaeological discoveries. Johnson claims that some scroll texts indicate that regional conflict ended around 2026 or 2027, though he emphasizes this as interpretive rather than definitive.

A call for discernment

Both men repeatedly caution against obsession or fear. Johnson’s closing message is deliberate. “Don’t read too much into it. Don’t try to set dates.” Instead, he urges believers to take prophecy seriously without being driven by speculation.

Whether or not their interpretation proves accurate, the discussion highlights a broader point. Scripture calls believers to remain watchful, informed and discerning. As global instability grows and prophetic themes increasingly intersect with current events, the challenge is not to predict the timeline. The challenge is to stay anchored in truth, alert to deception and grounded as the last days continue to unfold.

James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a background in journalism from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and 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.

President Donald Trump confirmed Monday that the United States carried out a precision strike in Venezuela on Christmas Eve, targeting what he described as a “dock area” used to load drug-trafficking boats. The strike reportedly resulted in a major explosion and marks the first known U.S. land-based action against Venezuela since the Trump administration intensified counter-narcotics operations in the Caribbean.

Trump made the remarks while welcoming Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. “It was an implementation area,” Trump said of the strike zone. “It’s no longer around.”

Though the president did not specify which branch of government executed the strike, he declined to confirm whether it was conducted by the CIA or the U.S. military. “I know who it was,” he told reporters, “but I’m not saying.”

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The operation reflects a broader escalation in U.S. efforts to disrupt international drug networks operating out of South America. Trump’s administration recently deployed the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group to the region, significantly boosting military presence in Caribbean waters. Numerous boats believed to be involved in drug smuggling have already been intercepted and destroyed off Venezuela’s coast.

The strike came within 24 hours of another U.S. military operation—an airstrike on Islamic State targets in Nigeria on Christmas Day. The Venezuelan strike underscores a new level of engagement in hemispheric security during the holiday season.

President Trump also revealed he had spoken with Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro in recent days, but said the conversation yielded little progress. “Not much came out of it,” he remarked.

The target of the Venezuelan strike, described by officials as a narco-trafficking hub, highlights ongoing concerns over Maduro’s regime allegedly providing cover for criminal cartels. The administration’s hardline stance is consistent with Trump’s broader foreign policy approach: confronting hostile regimes, securing American borders, and dismantling transnational criminal networks.

This article originally appeared on American Faith and is reposted with permission.

Christmas arrived this year in Pakistan with something few expected and many welcomed: open doors, public celebration, and state-backed affirmation. In a nation long scarred by religious extremism, the government’s decision to sponsor Christmas celebrations nationwide felt less like pageantry and more like a providential pause, a Christmas miracle wrapped in policy.

For the first time since independence, Christmas moved beyond church walls and into public squares, government halls and official statements.

According to reporting by Christian Daily International, celebrations stretched from Islamabad to Lahore, carrying the unmistakable stamp of state support. What once required quiet vigilance unfolded in the open, under lights and banners, with choirs singing and communities gathering.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif framed the moment not as a concession but as a shared national celebration. “Christmas is a message for humanity that connects us with feelings of love and goodwill,” Sharif wrote, praising Jesus Christ’s message of peace and brotherhood and describing Christians as an “active, positive and peaceful segment of society.” He credited the Christian community for its contributions to education, health care, social welfare and the fight against terrorism, words rarely spoken so plainly and so publicly.

President Asif Ali Zardari anchored the celebrations in Pakistan’s founding vision. “Christmas brings hope, peace and compassion, reminding us of the bonds that unite all human beings,” he said, reaffirming constitutional guarantees of equal rights and freedom of worship. The message echoed Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s insistence that faith should never determine citizenship.

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Then came the moment that stopped even seasoned observers. Pakistan’s army chief, Syed Asim Munir, attended Christmas services at Christ Church in Rawalpindi. In a country where the military’s presence carries enormous weight, the symbolism landed with clarity.

According to the military’s media wing, Munir called Christmas a reflection of shared values and reiterated the armed forces’ commitment to protecting the dignity and equal rights of all citizens. Christian leaders called the visit unprecedented. They were right.

Punjab carried the celebration with particular confidence. Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz attended a government-sponsored Christmas ceremony in Lahore and pledged to stand “like a wall” against injustice faced by minorities. “We are not Muslims, Sikhs, Christians or Hindus first. We are Pakistanis,” she declared.

Minority welfare funding increased. Churches were cleaned by government workers ahead of Christmas. Minority cards and grants were distributed in public view. Diplomats watched as the Bible was read aloud.

Progressive Muslim commentators applauded the shift. One noted the installation of a towering Christmas tree in the heart of Lahore as a symbol of plurality and inclusion. Minority advocates welcomed the moment while pressing for deeper reforms.

Still, Christmas is built on unlikely hope. It begins with the light of Jesus breaking into darkness and ends with joy shared aloud. For Pakistan’s Christians, this year’s Christmas was precisely that: loud, visible and officially endorsed. In a country where minorities have often been told to keep their faith quiet, the state spoke clearly.

Sometimes miracles do not arrive with thunder. Sometimes they come with choirs, Christmas lights, and a government willing, at last, to say, you belong.

James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a background in journalism from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and 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.

Could one of the most infamous cities in human history rise again as a global center of power, wealth and influence? It is a question many dismiss outright, yet it is one that refuses to disappear as modern headlines increasingly echo ancient warnings.

According to Bible prophecy and current developments in Iraq, the idea of a renewed Babylon is no longer confined to theology classrooms or end-times fiction. It is being debated in real time.

In a recent report, Joel Rosenberg argues that the rebuilding of ancient Babylon is no longer theoretical. “The ancient city of Babylon is being rebuilt right now as we speak before our very eyes,” Rosenberg says, adding that Babylon was once “the capital of the most wicked, most powerful empire on the entire planet,” and is described in Scripture as playing a similar role in the final chapter of human history.

Rosenberg points directly to the book of Revelation, where Babylon is portrayed as the epicenter of global commerce and corruption in the end times. He describes it as “the very home and center of wealth and power of the antichrist,” noting that the Bible’s prophetic language is not vague symbolism but geographically specific.

“The prophecies are very specific in the Old Testament and the New and give a lot of detail about the archaeology and the rivers that are near Babylon,” he says. “They’re talking about literal ancient Babylon from Iraq rising again after thousands of years.”

That claim has long drawn ridicule from skeptics who insist Babylon is merely a metaphor for modern cities such as Rome, New York or London. Rosenberg acknowledges the argument but rejects it.

“Certainly, Babylon is a type,” he says, “but the prophecies are very specific.” He argues that dismissing Babylon as symbolic alone fails to account for the repeated biblical emphasis on its physical location and future prominence.

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What gives Rosenberg’s report weight is not speculation but documentation. He traces the modern rebuilding of Babylon back to Saddam Hussein, who saw himself as a successor to King Nebuchadnezzar and ordered large-scale excavation and reconstruction in the late 20th century. While those efforts stalled during war, they did not end. Since 2003, restoration has accelerated.

Rosenberg cites mainstream reporting to support the claim. A 2006 front-page article in The New York Times reported that Iraqi leaders and United Nations officials were “working assiduously to restore Babylon” and transform it into a cultural center.

UNESCO has since invested millions into preserving the site, and Babylon was officially designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2019. “UNESCO has even printed up a brochure with Babylon listed as the premier destination,” Rosenberg noted, quoting U.N. officials who said cultural tourism could become Iraq’s second-largest industry after oil.

U.S. involvement has also played a role. Rosenberg reported that the State Department under the Obama administration contributed funding toward the “Future of Babylon” project. “The Obama administration was contributing $700,000 towards the Future of Babylon project,” he said, calling it “astonishing,” given that the funding had nothing to do with promoting Bible prophecy.

The momentum has continued. In 2025, Iraq hosted the first International Day of Babylonian Civilization inside the ruins themselves. Iraqi officials said the event aimed to “revive Babylonian heritage” and boost international tourism. Rosenberg views this as further confirmation that Babylon is being positioned once again as a global destination.

For Rosenberg, the implications go far beyond archaeology or tourism. Revelation 18 describes Babylon as “the world’s great commercial hub,” a place where merchants trade gold, silver, jewels and luxury goods, drawing the kings of the earth.

He argues that the rebuilding now underway lays the groundwork for precisely that scenario.

“How could a once great city that hasn’t existed for much of the past 2,000 years once again become a city at all, much less eventually the wealthiest, most powerful and most evil city on the planet?” Rosenberg asks. His answer is direct. “There’s only one way that could happen. If the God of the Bible decrees that it will happen, then it will happen.”

The renewed question of Babylon is not merely academic. Rosenberg frames it as a test of discernment. Governments, global institutions and secular media outlets involved in Babylon’s restoration do not see themselves as fulfilling prophecy.

Yet he argues that prophecy has often advanced through actors who were unaware of its significance. “They’re not doing it because they’re interested in Bible prophecy,” he says. “They’re trying to rebuild their ancient city and bring money and power.”

Whether Babylon ultimately becomes the end-times power center described in Scripture remains to be seen. But the convergence of prophecy, geopolitics, archaeology and global investment is difficult to ignore. The rise of Babylon, even in its early stages, challenges believers to remain watchful without sensationalism and grounded without complacency.

The call, Rosenberg suggests, is not panic but preparedness. Discernment requires recognizing developments as they unfold while remaining anchored in Scripture rather than headlines alone. If Babylon’s revival is part of the prophetic arc, it will not announce itself with fanfare. It will emerge gradually, shaped by human ambition and divine sovereignty alike.

James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a background in journalism from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and 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.

The church does not have a miracle problem. It has a priority problem.

Pastor Jack Hibbs made that clear while teaching from Mark 16, where Jesus commissions His disciples to preach the gospel to the ends of the earth. The command is unmistakable. Proclaim the message first. The signs follow later.

“The issue is not the miracles,” Hibbs said. “The issue is the message.”

That distinction matters because Scripture never elevates supernatural experiences above biblical truth. Miracles are not the mission. They are meant to confirm it. “The word of God trumps all signs and wonders,” Hibbs said.

Hibbs rejected the idea that God has stopped performing miracles. “Does God do miracles? Yes. Is He doing them still? Yes.” But he drew a hard line between God’s sovereign work and human demands for spectacle. “If that’s your motive to pull the puppet string on God and have Him perform for you, it ain’t gonna happen.”

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The Bible, Hibbs noted, also warns that supernatural power does not automatically mean divine approval. “Oh yes, there’s false miracles,” he said, pointing to Pharaoh’s magicians who replicated Moses’ signs. The difference was not power, but authority. “Does the miracle that was performed glorify the Lord Jesus Christ and his mission, the gospel?” Hibbs asked. “If it does not exalt Jesus as Lord and Savior, Christ the King, then it’s not biblically honoring and it’s a false miracle.”

That warning carries weight in an age obsessed with experience. Hibbs cautioned that believers who chase signs while loosening their grip on doctrine are setting themselves up for deception. “If you are pursuing signs and wonders, I promise you this: you will be deceived by the deception that’s coming.”

The safeguard is not emotional discernment or spiritual intuition. It is Scripture. “Read your Bible,” Hibbs said. “Read your Bible more than anything else you do.”

Hibbs also challenged the assumption that miracles should be constant or visible on demand. Jesus Himself performed few miracles in places marked by unbelief. Power was not lacking. Receptivity was.

The most pointed moment of Hibbs’ teaching came when he reframed what believers should value most. Physical healing, he said, is never the ultimate goal. Eternal salvation is. “It’s more important for somebody to wind up in heaven than for somebody to have their eyesight healed and they wind up going to hell.”

Miracles still happen. God still heals. But the gospel remains supreme. As Hibbs put it plainly, “Miracles come and go, but the message is what matters.”

James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a background in journalism from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and 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.