Praying for Armageddon (2023) is a new documentary by Norwegian Tonje Hessen Schei. This documentary is mistaken about Christianity, about the USA in these last days, and about Armageddon (ref. 1).
Tonje Hessen Schei seems to be an atheist concerned about the increasing religiosity of America and its impact on western civilisation: “From the grassroots to megachurch empires and the dark backrooms in Washington DC, this film goes inside a movement that ultimately aims to destroy our civilisation.” (ref. 2)
The irony of that summary statement was probably lost on the filmmaker. The same goes for the title “Praying for Armageddon”.
First of all, Christians waiting for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ are to watch for the coming battle of Armageddon.
For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
Mark 13:34-37
In Revelation 16, the need to watch for Armageddon is clear. Verse 15, which mentions the day of Christ is intentionally placed in between verses 12 to 14 and verse 16, which are all about the kings of the east, and the forces of the Antichrist, and “Armageddon”.
And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.
Revelation 16:12
Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
Revelation 16:15
And he gathered them together in a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
Revelation 16:16
It is like this because the seventh trumpet and vial, which is the day of Christ, happens shortly after the sixth trumpet and vial, the drying of the Euphrates to make way for the kings of the east, an event that precedes Armageddon.
So, Christians are to watch for Armageddon.
What about praying for Armageddon? Well, Christians are to pray for Armageddon too.
The LORD’s prayer is a prayer for the kingdom of God. “Thy kingdom come.”
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Matthew 6:9-13
The kingdom of God will happen only after Satan and his armies are defeated. It stands to reason, before one can rise, the other must fall!
Now, to the statement that Norwegian or western civilisation might be destroyed by American religiosity.
First of all, there is a Christian cross on Norway’s flag, just as there is a Christian cross on all the flags of the Scandinavian countries. Norway was once viking, worshipping the likes of the gods Odin and Thor, but it was made Christian by England and the convert Canute the Great, whose empire included Norway, Denmark and parts of England. So, Norway was once Christian but today it is secular. Do not forget, Europe was made secular by France: the Freemason Napoleon Bonaparte. But the USA and 1776 also contributed: the Freemason George Washington and the terrorist organisation The Sons of Liberty. France could not have done what it did if the British Empire had not been distracted by the uprising in North America. This was the “Novus Ordo Seclorum” that America likes to boast about: the demise of Christianity in Europe and the rise of a new world order. So, Europe including Norway, was once Christian but now has fallen away into apostasy.
Second, American religiosity in these last days is indeed going to impact the world, but not in the way that Tonje Hessen Schei supposes. At this time of the end, the USA is Babylon, the prophesied eighth kingdom of Satan, the habitation of a great number of demons (ref. Revelation 18:2). It will be in Babylon where the False Prophet will rise and attempt to deceive the world. So, it will not be Christians in America that will try to change the world for the worse, but rather Satanists.
And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon… And he deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by means of those miracles which he had power to do…
Revelation 13:11-14
The next thing to be said is that the so-called Christians that Tonje Hessen Schei speaks of in her documentary are more wolves in sheep’s clothing than sheep of Jesus Christ. Paula White is a prosperity gospel preacher, concerned mostly about receiving financial “blessings” from her followers. John Hagee does not know who are the kings of the east (Russia and China), who is the king of the north (The Assyrian), and who is the king of the south (Israel). To make matters worse, he invents a king of the west, which is nowhere in the Bible. Robert Jeffress considers Donald Trump as someone sent from heaven to Make America Great Again. In fact, Trump was never a Christian, something Mike Pence now admits. Trump is also irrelevant, since he is about to be sidelined re 2024, or even arrested for financial impropriety.
Now, to the idea brought up by Col. Lawrence Wilkerson in the trailer that American evangelicals might one day cause the USA to fight alongside Israel at Armageddon. Nothing can be further from the truth. Today, Christians have no political power in the USA at all. The adversary, through occult and secret societies, controls everything. Believe it or not, it is Bible prophecy that the USA will be at Armageddon but on the side of Satan! The False Prophet, for one, will make sure that American soldiers, and soldiers of countries allied to the USA, will be there, fighting for the cause of Islam. This is Revelation 16:13-14.
And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
Revelation 16:13-14
This means, ultimately, the USA will wage war against Israel and for the Antichrist – the opposite of what the documentary is trying to say.
The violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon, shall the inhabitant of Zion say; and my blood be upon the inhabitants of Chaldea, shall Jerusalem say. Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will plead thy cause, and take vengeance for thee…
Jeremiah 51:35-36
Many in the world today are blind to reality, blissfully ignorant. Deceived by relativism, these individuals have no concept of evil.
Soon, in these last days, even atheists and agnostics will witness the supernatural, and come to learn that there is a war going on between God and the Devil – a rebellion that started in heaven that has now come to the earth.
… Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
Revelation 12:12
During the reign of the Antichrist, the world will see wickedness, suffering and death on a scale never before.
For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved…
Matthew 24:21-22
The wickedness will be such that when the Devil’s armies are finally defeated at Armageddon, many will cheer and clap.
Thy shepherds slumber, O king of Assyria: thy nobles shall dwell in the dust: thy people scattered upon the mountains, and no man gathereth them. There is no healing of thy bruise; thy wound is grievous: all that hear the bruit of thee shall clap the hands over thee: for upon whom hath not thy wickedness passed continually?
Nahum 3:18-19
On the day of the LORD, everyone who is not on the side of Satan, including the secular, will be glad that the gospel is true, and that Jesus Christ has returned to bring an end to evil.
At that day shall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel.
Isaiah 17:7
The gospel, or the evangelion, from which the English word “evangelical” comes, is literally the “good news” about the war – news of God’s victory over the Devil.
References:
1. “Documentary Film: Praying for Armageddon”, Norwegian Film Institute
2. “Praying for Armageddon (2023) trailer”, youtube.com/watch?v=75ehG6utzBM