By Mondo Gonzales

It is not often when the world media agrees with biblical eschatology. I read an article recently put out by Axios entitled, “Elon the self-employed diplomat” which was written by Miriam Kramer and Alison Snyder. I want to unpack some of the details of that article, but before I do, it might be good to remind our readers (and some who are new) about some foundational biblical ideas concerning the 10 kings.

In the November 2020 Prophecy Watcher magazine, Gary wrote an article discussing the need for the discerning Christian to be on the lookout for the rise of 10 kings. There is no doubt the antichrist figure will arrive at the proper time, but biblically speaking, he is preceded by a group known as the 10 kings. If you missed that issue, this article can also be found on our prophecywatchers.com website under articles.  

Gary recognized that we need to keep a lookout for those that might fit the descriptions as found in Scripture. One of the terms that has become common in potentially describing these figures is oligarch. An oligarch, by definition, is one of a few who rule. Gary writes:

Oligarchs are in a constant competition for world domination, and the old political ties of the twentieth century are being steadily altered to fit a “New World Order.” That’s an old term, but now, it is buttressed by high-level digital technology that was only a dream a decade ago. A number of dark figures have quietly risen to power, backed by super-technology and incalculable wealth. At the moment, they operate in the background, but their names continually pop up. They are the technocrats, innovators of new technologies in transportation, communications, shipping and the daily transfer of coded information in trillions of daily transactions. Information controls the world. It is power. Once, it was common for those who went before us to honor God as all-powerful. Our nation prayed for God’s blessing. He brought us through earthquakes, famine, pestilence and horrific wars. It was recognized that He saves us from spiritual death. But now, technology is seen as the world’s savior. Without referring to any of them by name, just think of the billionaires of the digital world, who are publicly linked to a new order of science, genetic transformation, digitized global politics and any of a variety of technologies. They are now hailed as the ones who will save the world through their new methodologies. 

In this quote, Gary also used the word technocrat. That would be important to define also. A technocrat is a proponent of technocracy which is defined as: “a theory and movement, prominent about 1932, advocating control of industrial resources, reform of financial institutions, and reorganization of the social system, based on the findings of technologists and engineers.” Ultimately, a technocrat seeks to influence all areas of society and need not be in a governmental position to wield power. In fact, we will see that they often get more done outside the bounds of governmental positions.

When we think of the “ten kings” we need to remind ourselves of the Scriptures that speak of these figures.

Daniel 7:19-20 “Then I desired to know the exact meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, exceedingly dreadful, with its teeth of iron and its claws of bronze, and which devoured, crushed and trampled down the remainder with its feet, and the meaning of the ten horns that were on its head and the other horn which came up, and before which three of them fell, namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth uttering great boasts and which was larger in appearance than its associates.”

Daniel 7:24 “As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings.”

Revelation 17:12-13 “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour. “These have one purpose, and they give their power and authority to the beast.”

From these Biblical passages we learn several characteristics of these ten “kings”:

1. The first is that the Greek word for king (basileus) in Revelation 17:12 can have a wider nuance that just what we understand in the word “king.” One of the best Greek lexicons (BDAG) has the following as its second entry: one who possesses unusual or transcendent power. This meaning seems consistent with Revelation 17:12 where we are told that these 10 figures do not have a kingdom as of yet, but will receive authority to rule as kings for the final “hour” of antichrist’s (beast’s) reign in the seven-year tribulation period. We will call them the TEN INFLUENCERS because they do have some valuable level of authority and power that the antichrist would seek to leverage (Rev 17:13). In other words, they exhibit “unusual power” or influence as the BDAG lexicon mentions.
2. They are not required to be in governmental or ruling positions at the time of their arrangement with the antichrist.
3. Additionally, when the time comes, they will give their significant influence or power over to the beast and in return are given the ability to rule with him for a short period in his final kingdom (Rev 17:13).

I wrote a follow up article in the Prophecy Watcher in April 2022 which can also be found on our website (“Are the Ten Kings Actually Ten Oligarchs?”). In that article I spent time discussing the various sectors that these oligarchs and technocrats are developing and advancing technologies at a blistering pace. These areas involve finance, satellites, surveillance, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, biotechnology, censorship, and innovation zones among others.

As we watch prophecy unfold, I find it encouraging and also inspiring when unbelievers, who have no biblically prophetic worldview, come to the place of seeing things as we predicted they would come to be. Case in point is Elon Musk. He is worth $221 billion dollars and is number one on the world’s richest. Number two sits at $159 billion. That’s quite a difference. As was mentioned in my previous article noted above, Elon Musk is on the cutting edge of several industries. Just very recently, his acquisition of Twitter has become finalized. Almost all the previous executives have been fired or left. Musk has made it clear that the new Twitter will be far different than what it had become. Before we get too excited that Musk seems to be for a censorship free Twitter, we should be very cautious. Musk has shown himself to be no friend of Bible believing Christians. Just because we share a couple common goals for free speech does not mean he is a friend of the gospel. Interestingly, if you saw his recent costume for Halloween which was filled with Satanic symbols, we might be wisely cautious in giving him too much credence.

His Neuralink research seeks to develop ultra high bandwidth brain-machine interfaces to connect humans and computers. There was supposed to be a big demonstration of this in October but has been pushed back to later November. This is a development that we will definitely keep our eyes on. Especially, as it relates to control. I can envision quite easily a future time when Musk (a potential as one of the ten kings) could give even more sophisticated advancements of this technology over to the antichrist.

Another of Musk’s technological endeavors is Tesla Motors and its advanced research into artificial intelligence, but we must also remember that Space X and the subsidiary Starlink are changing the world. As we ponder this background, let us now address the article.

The Axios article begins with these comments:

Billionaire businessman Elon Musk is wielding significant geopolitical power with his global internet Starlink satellites.

Why it matters: Private spacecompanies are meeting — and often exceeding — the capabilities of governments, giving not just technological but also geopolitical power to those who operate them.

• “It’s not just states in space making these decisions anymore,” Kaitlyn Johnson, a space policy expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), tells Axios.

After Russia invaded Ukraine and knocked out much of their communication capabilities, Elon Musk stepped in and unilaterally changed the course of events by offering freely his internet options through his Starlink Satellite network. There are over 20,000 Starlink terminals currently operating in Ukraine and has been used by the military to increase its artillery effectiveness. Elon Musk is donating the services at a cost of over $20 million per month.  When you think in terms of the success of Musk’s goals in Ukraine specifically, the US government is not capable of duplicating his achievements. Yes, they are providing other forms of military equipment, but one man was able to accomplish more in this particular area than the largest super power in the world. This should cause all of us to make connections between the ten kings and the influence (power/authority) that will be handed over to a single one world dictator (the antichrist) at a future time.

The Axios authors go on further to describe the influence and ramifications of Musk’s actions in the Ukraine war. They write:

The impact: Musk’s moves related to Ukraine show just how much global influence he now wields.

• Activating Starlink in Ukraine was “a policy decision that the U.S. government didn’t make,” Johnson says.
• Starlink is being used by Ukrainian forces for situational awareness on the battlefield and, as Secure World Foundation’s Brian Weeden puts it bluntly, is “helping kill a lot of Russians.”
• SpaceX was “trying to strong arm the U.S. government into paying for this service that they chose to send there in the first place,” Johnson says.
• The Pentagon is reportedly considering paying for Starlink’s service.

It is not just in Ukraine where Musk is flexing his technological muscle, but now with Russia and the USA demonstrating very strained relations, the US space industry has taken a decidedly narrow turn towards Musk. NASA has been very reliant on the Russians to transport its astronauts to the International Space Station. Since the sanctions on Russia by the US due to Ukrainian invasion, Russia has officially stopped all cooperation with NASA.

Enter Elon Musk and Space X to fill the void left by another world super power (Russia). Are we getting the picture? Concerning this development, Axios writes:

Between the lines: Years of U.S. policy accelerating and supporting private space companies have led to this moment, where these companies are starting to exceed the government in their capabilities.

• As a result, the U.S. government has become increasingly reliant on Musk and SpaceX to launch people to the International Space Station and satellites to orbit that underpin military communications and intelligence gathering.
• “Over time, the list of space activities that only the U.S. government does or that primarily serve the government has really shrunk, and the list of things the commercial sector is doing has grown,” says Gregory Allen, a senior fellow in the Strategic Technologies Program at CSIS said. “SpaceX is at the forefront of the trend but by no means is the only one.”
• Space companies are increasingly providing satellite remote sensing and high-bandwidth satellite communications.

As turmoil between nations continues to increase as Jesus said it would (Luke 21:25), poor planning and governmental failure (like much of NASA’s space program) will increasingly give people like Elon Musk power and influence on an even greater global scale. What happens if there is an emergency on the Space Station (similar to what happened recently with a gas leak) and an American astronaut needs to be rescued? Musk could theoretically hold his services at bay unless the government was willing to make behind the door deals allowing him even greater implementations of his technology. So far, he has approval by the FCC for approximately 12,000 satellites in low earth orbit with 3,000 already there. However, he has said he wants up to 42,000 and will need FCC permission. It is obvious that Musk is in a great leveraging position when the time comes as he is currently the front runner to provide services to NASA. And he knows this quite well.

Elon Musk also needs to play his cards carefully. By providing free internet in Ukraine, he has made himself an enemy of Russia. These developments have not gone unnoticed. Axios writes:

What to watch: As commercial satellites take on more national security and military importance, what could be considered a military target in space is also shifting.

• The fact that Starlink satellites are being used in wartime could also make the privately operated spacecraft targets for enemy forces, and they’re already being targeted with cyberattacks, according to Musk.
• A Russian official also opened the door to the idea, saying private satellites used for military purposes could be a “legitimate target for retaliation”during a recent UN working group.
• “If Elon is providing Starlink on his own dime and not reimbursed by the Pentagon, what does it mean for Russia to attack those assets?” Allen added. “If it is paid for by the Pentagon, is attacking [the satellites] equivalent to attacking the U.S.? There are norms of practice developed over the history of the Cold War, but there are areas where norms are being written right now.”

Other journalists are reporting that China is already well entrenched in creating anti-satellite weapons and they are certainly considering the potential weaponized use of the Starlink network. China is researching how to use a multi-megaton nuclear detonation in near-earth orbit to cause interruptions to Elon Musk’s Starlink web of satellites.

One article described it as creating a “radioactive “debris cloud” that could “cause failures of spacecraft moving in it, such as satellites, or even cause direct damage that can lead to destruction.” This article goes on to write, “China’s military has also noted its serious concerns: “The Starlink project has decided to increase the planned 12,000 satellites to 42,000, underscoring that it is widely distributed, flexible, and could be reconfigured quickly,” according to a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) publication just last week.

“The ambition to militarize Starlink and its barbaric expansion,” it added, “deserve high alert from the international community.”

I could write an article like this on each of the top 20 billionaires worldwide. Most billionaires did not receive their wealth from being idle, but instead through ingenuity and aggressive implementation of their technological vision. As we watch these technocratic oligarchs continue to increase their global geopolitical influence, it is no surprise that the time is coming when a deal will be made with one man. This one man receives their technological prowess and he gives them the right to rule with him for a short period of time.

Revelation 17:12-13 The ten horns of the beast are ten kings who have not yet risen to power. They will be appointed to their kingdoms for one brief moment to reign with the beast.  They will all agree to give him their power and authority.

We live in exciting times and whether Elon Musk is actually one of the final ten influencers who aligns himself with the coming one world leader will only be seen in time. Nevertheless, he is well on his way to positioning himself for an offer of world dominating power by the antichrist.

Jesus told us to watch (Mark 13:37) and to be actively doing kingdom work (Luke 19:13). Our redemption is drawing ever closer. Let’s evangelize and bring as many people with us when the Lord rescues us before the day of His wrath arrives (Luke 17:26-37)!