A World in Descent

Chapter 1

John Matthews sat alone in his dimly lit study, the soft yellow glow of a desk lamp casting long shadows over the pages of his King James Bible. The words of Matthew 24 echoed in his mind: "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be." He had read this passage countless times, but now, more than ever, it felt like a warning unfolding before his very eyes.

Outside his small home in rural Tennessee, the world seemed quieter than usual. Not because there was peace, but because people had grown accustomed to the new normal. Law enforcement drones hovered silently over neighborhoods, their faint hum a constant reminder of the surveillance state that had crept into every aspect of life. The streets were no longer filled with protestors or rebels. Chaos had not taken over—it had been replaced with an oppressive, structured control.

John knew what the world was becoming. The Fourth Industrial Revolution had promised innovation and progress, but instead, it brought a post-industrial society where humans were no longer valued for their labor. The technocratic elites had introduced systems that made people liabilities rather than assets. Centralized digital currencies, biometric tracking, and mandatory health implants—thinly veiled as "the Mark of Unity"—had become the standard. Those who resisted were cut off from the system, unable to buy or sell.

Chapter 2

John's resistance wasn’t violent. He knew better than to fight with guns or guerrilla tactics. The surveillance grid was too advanced, too all-encompassing. Instead, he resisted by holding onto his faith and rejecting the mark. It was a quiet defiance, but one that came with heavy consequences. Without the mark, he couldn't access his bank account, buy food from the stores, or even travel freely. But he trusted in the Lord's provision, knowing that "man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."

His small congregation of like-minded believers met in secret, far from the prying eyes of drones and data-mining AI. They shared what little they had—canned goods, seeds for planting, and, most importantly, the Word of God. Yet, even in these moments of fellowship, the weight of what was coming was never far from their minds. They spoke of the pale horse, of death and hell following close behind, and of the rise of Lucifer’s system.

"We are not just fighting against flesh and blood," John told them one evening, his voice steady but firm. "This is spiritual warfare, against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world. And we must endure."

Chapter 3

The signs of the times grew darker with each passing day. Energy prices soared, and factories shut down, leaving entire cities abandoned. "Sustainability" was the new gospel preached by the global elites, but it came at the cost of human life and dignity. Depopulation was no longer a conspiracy theory—it was policy.

John watched as friends and neighbors disappeared one by one. Some took the mark out of desperation, while others vanished in government raids for refusing it. Those who complied were integrated into the system, their lives controlled down to the smallest detail. Those who resisted were deemed threats—unseen and unheard from again.

Still, John refused to compromise. He tended a small garden in his backyard and relied on God for strength. But even as he survived day by day, he knew the worst was yet to come. The media, once a cacophony of voices, had been streamlined into a singular narrative. Everything revolved around unity, safety, and compliance. To step outside of it was to become an enemy of the state.

Chapter 4

One night, as John read Revelation under the dim light of an oil lamp, a sudden knock came at the door. His heart pounded. No one visited unannounced anymore—not in this world. He rose slowly, gripping his Bible as if it were a shield, and opened the door to find a young man, no older than twenty, standing on his porch. The boy’s eyes were wide with fear, his clothes tattered.

"They’re coming for me," the boy said breathlessly. "Please, I need help."

John let him in without hesitation, though he knew the risk. By morning, the boy explained that he had escaped a government facility after refusing the mark. "They branded me a liability," he said, showing a scar where he had been struck during his escape. "They said I’d never be able to live outside the system."

John nodded, understanding too well the price of refusal. "You’ve chosen the narrow path," he said. "It won’t be easy, but the Lord will guide you."

Chapter 5

The boy, whose name was Caleb, stayed with John for weeks, helping tend the garden and learning Scripture. But their peace was short-lived. One evening, as they sat in prayer, the hum of drones grew louder. John’s home, hidden from the world for so long, had been found.

"Go," John told Caleb, pressing a worn Bible into his hands. "Run to the woods and don’t look back."

Caleb hesitated, tears streaming down his face. "What about you?"

"My time has come," John said. "But you must endure to the end. The Lord has a plan for you."

Epilogue

John was taken that night, his refusal to accept the mark sealing his fate. Caleb, however, escaped and joined a growing underground network of believers, determined to spread the Gospel even in the face of death.

The world continued to descend into the Great Tribulation. The pale horse rode across the earth, and Lucifer’s system tightened its grip. Yet, even in the darkest of times, small flickers of hope remained. The faithful knew that this was not the end. It was the beginning of the ultimate battle, and they clung to the promise that the Lord would return to make all things new.