FutureMap - part 2 - an overview of the future from 2040 to the late 24th century

FutureMap 2
an overview of the future from 2040 to the late 24th century (the 2300's)

In the 2040's A.D.

The affllictions of the first part of the tribulation have ended. There are very many dead bodies left from the three days of darkness, which killed one third of the world's population. It takes years for the world to locate and bury or cremate all of the dead.
The world begins a period of rebuilding and recovery. The great Catholic monarch begins his reign over the vast territory formerly held by the Arab forces. The angelic shepherd, the very holy Pope of that time, leads and teaches, confirming the decisions and deeds of the great monarch.
Catholicism holds great influence over all governments and peoples during this time. The governments and laws of the world are mostly formed according to the teachings of the Church and the will of the Pope. The evils found in society before the tribulation and before the three days of darkness are greatly diminished and have little influence.
Few people have electricity. Few have gasoline for vehicles. Very great destruction was done to the infrastructure of modern society during the tribulation. People live simple humble lives; they are happy to have peace and truth, food and shelter. Prayer works wonders for those who live according to the Church's teaching. And these humble persons are guiding lights to the rest of the world.
But, over the course of time, society begins to rebuild. Industry and commerce and modern conveniences begin to return.
Many persons throughout the world convert to Catholicism. The number of converts is astounding and overwhelming. Many Catholics move to Israel. The nation is so crowded with person wanting to live there, that many can only find room in neighboring nations. The nations of the Middle East and northern Africa become like the suburbs of the Holy Land. Israel becomes mainly a Catholic Christian nation, but with still many Jews there.
A new Vatican City is built at Rome. And at Jerusalem, a new Catholic Christian Basilica is built, and a new Mosque. So now the suggestion of Pope Benedict XVI (suggested in 2009), that there be three places of worship in Jerusalem (a Church, a Temple, and a Mosque), reaches completion. The Third Temple of Jerusalem is embellished; it survived the first part of the tribulation.
Although Catholicism is foremost now among all the worlds religions, Judaism and Islam also spread successfully. Other religions (Hinduism, Buddaism, etc) diminish severely. The world becomes clearly committed to three main religions: Catholic Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.
The great Catholic monarch will rule even over the nations of the Middle East. He will build an opulent Catholic Basilica in Iran.
The Catholic Church will win very many converts to Catholicism during this time. Even whole nations will convert.
The great monarch's kingdom is represented in Daniel 2:32 by the golden head of a statue, because the kingdom rules by faith and reason.
The great monarch's kingdom is represented in Daniel 7:4 by the kingdom that has its origins as a lioness with eagles wings, but then it has its wings removed, it stands upright like a man, and the heart of a man is given to it. This symbolism refers to the Allies led by the great monarch during World War 4. The wings are the military air power of the U.S. during the War. But after the Allies are victorious and the great monarch takes his place as ruler, the U.S. no longer participates (thus the eagle's wings are removed).
The kingdom is called a lioness because there were a number of prominent women leaders before the War that establishes the kingdom. But then the kingdom stands upright like a man, because in the great monarch's kingdom, only men can have positions of leadership and authority over the people. The social disorder of having women as leaders over men is eradicated (only to return, unfortunately, as soon as the great monarch's kingdom ends.)

In the 2050's and 2060's A.D.

The great monarch and the angelic shepherd continue to reign.
The world is now beginning to forget the afflictions of the tribulation. Modern technology is returning at an ever increasing rate. Catholicism still has much influence over the leaders of the world, but the ills of past society are straining to reassert themselves.
Catholicism has spread widely and continues to be first among all religion on earth.
The angelic shepherd dies. (I do not know when.)
The great monarch willingly lays down his crown at Jerusalem, resigning as leader of the vast territory formerly held by the Arab forces.
The impious influences of the world, which were straining under the holy rule of the great monarch, fear another pious leader will replace him. They use the media and every tool of influence at their disposal to prevent this from happening. They appeal to regional self-interest and to impious desires. They appeal based on a false idea of freedom and autonomy. They do not want Catholicism to rule over them. They succeed in convincing a majority of persons that the kingdom of the great Catholic monarch should be divided.
The great monarch's kingdom becomes divided into four parts, just as Scripture foretells. The North includes most of Europe. The South includes Israel, the Middle East, and the northern part of Africa. The South has become the holiest region in the world, due to the influence of Catholicism, Judaism, and Islam. There are two other smaller and less influential regions also.
The four leaders of these four areas are two men and two women. Now it is clear that the world is slipping away from the holiness and faithfulness of its leaders during the 2040's and 2050's. God does not want women to have such positions of leadership over men; it will be, at that time, clearly contrary to Church teaching. But the angelic shepherd has died and the great monarch has resigned. Those who are elected include a holy Catholic man who leads the kingdom of the South. Two women who are not holy, but who feign holiness to help get elected, and a man who is lacking in holiness also. Some or all of these three are even opposed to Catholic teaching. They are elected because people want room for their sinfullness to grow.
These four leaders are represented, in Daniel 2:32, by the breasts and arms of the statue, which were of silver. These four kingdoms are less holy and less reasonable than the great monarch's kingdom, so these four are represented by the breast (seat of emotion, not reason) and the arms (indicative of force, rather than faith). But these four still retain many of the good points of the great monarch's kingdom, so these are represented by silver, but not gold.
Under the leadership (or lack of leadership) of these three, the world slips, slowly and gradually, towards its previous sins. At first the changes may seem slight. These three will have laws and consitutions that are more holy and just than most nations prior to the tribulation. But they rule mainly by reason, not by faith. This change is the first step towards the degradation of society that leads, after a few more centuries, to the second part of the tribulation.
The holy man who leads the kingdom of the South is no great monarch, but he does rule by placing faith above reason. His subjects are more holy than those of the other three regions, but they too begin to slip toward the relaxation of constraints on sinfulness and whatever tends toward sin. He can only slow this process; he cannot prevent it entirely.
With the return of sinful living comes the return of the harm to society that comes from sin. Crimes and conflicts resume and gradually increase.

In the remainder of the 21st century

This slide toward sinfulness, and the relaxation of laws and rules, continues.
Slowly constitution and law are altered, so that greater and greater sinfulness is permitted.
The news and entertainment media again begin to spread dissent and disorder.
Even so, this time is one of great holiness for the Church and the faithful. The Church and the true faithful increase in holiness and in knowledge of God.
During the latter part of the 20th century, the United States became a superpower, i.e. a nation with much power and influence over the much of the world. This influence included involvement in World Wars 1 and 2. During the early 21st century, the United States was still a superpower. This influence included involvement in World Wars 3 (2010's) and 4 (2034 to 2037). But beginning in the latter part of the 21st century, the United States will cease to be a superpower; The U.S. will still have some influence in the world, but its influence continually decreases.

In the 22nd century

And behold, another beast, like a bear, stood to one side, and there were three rows in its mouth and in its teeth, and they spoke to it in this way: “Arise, devour much flesh.” (Daniel 7:5).
This kingdom is centered around Russia, the bear. Russian and its associated nations will become a superpower again in the 22nd century. The three rows of teeth are the three branches of the military, and the three rows in its mouth are the three branches of government. These push the group of nations led by Russia to go to war and to devour other nations. This kingdom will do much harm.
This kingdom is represented, in Daniel 2:32, by the brass belly of the statue. It is a kingdom that is hungry for power. It is a kingdom driven by the needs and desires of the body, not by faith, not by reason, not even by emotion.

In the 23rd century

After this, I watched, and behold, another like a leopard, and it had wings like a bird, four upon it, and four heads were on the beast, and power was given to it. (Daniel 7:6)
The leopard is found in many areas of the world, but mainly in Africa, India, and Asia. The leopard represents some or all of these areas, allied together to form a superpower. The wings like a bird represent the air power of their military, which is how they maintain and extend their power. The four wings represent four aspects to their air power, either representing four nations within this kingdom, having strong air forces, or, more likely, four different types of air power (maybe something like a traditional air force, space-based weapons, sea-based air power, and continuously airborne unmanned vehicles). The four heads represent four leaders of four areas within this kingdom.
This kingdom is represented, in Daniel 2:32, by the brass thighs of the statue. The thighs have the strongest muscles in the body. This kingdom is very powerful; more powerful than any previous kingdom on earth. It is a kingdom with many sexual sins, represented by the thighs. Yet the subsequent kingdoms will be even worse.

In the 24th century (the 2300's)

Many leaders of the Church are lacking in faith and holiness. Chapter 23 of the Gospel of Matthew applies to them.
Because the governments of the world are hostile to Christianity, they do not use the Christian calendar. They use a pure lunar calendar, similar to the Islamic calendar, but without religion.
"After this, I watched in the vision of the night, and behold, a fourth beast, terrible yet wondrous, and exceedingly strong; it had great iron teeth, eating yet crushing, and trampling down the remainder with his feet, but it was unlike the other beasts, which I had seen before it, and it had ten horns." (Daniel 7:7).
This is the kingdom of the ten kings. The world becomes divided into ten kingdoms only, each ruled by one leader. Although these ten kingdoms are separate, they are of one mind, to rule with ruthless and senseless power. They promote all manner of sinful entertainment to occupy the people. They permit all manner of serious sins against God, but they do not permit the slightest offense against the kingdom. They are openly hostile to religion (except for the kingdom of the South, which includes Israel). They obtain a false peace by brutal enforcement of unjust laws, and by crushing all possibility of dissent or opposition.
This kingdom is represented, in Daniel 2:32, by the iron shins of the statue. It is a hard kingdom, with senseless inflexible laws, enforced with unyielding power.
There is almost no war among these ten leaders, except that the king of the North and the king of the South are at war, off and on, for generations.
Note that there are ten leaders at any one time, but periodically, one or another leader is replaced. So the same ten individuals do not rule, but there is a constant but slow change in leadership.
Late in the 24th century, the Antichrist will be born.

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by Ronald L. Conte Jr.
last updated November 12, 2006