Globalists or Divine Providence: who really rules the world?
Why Orthodox Christians should not fear conspiracy theories and the global cabal.
On August 20, 2025, the Israeli army launched an offensive on the city of Gaza. The country’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that he would capture Gaza no matter what. This is not the first such statement. Israel has long tried to take control of this territory. And, it would seem, it has all the necessary resources for this: military, technological, and political. But it hasn’t succeeded.
So why are we writing about this?
Very often, within the Orthodox community, one can encounter the opinion that our world is controlled by globalists, the global cabal, the world government, Jews, and in Ukraine – also by “Soros agents”.
And indeed, if you want, you can find some factual basis to support these claims. But despite all this, Christians cannot help but ask: if the world is ruled by a global cabal, then what is the Lord doing? Has He withdrawn from influencing the fate of humanity, or is He unable to influence it?
It’s clear that a positive answer to this question contradicts the Holy Scripture and the teaching of the Church. Moreover, it contradicts the actual state of affairs. Don’t believe it? Let’s figure it out.
The Holy Scripture and the power of God
The Bible shows us many examples of people who regarded themselves as all-powerful but were disgraced by God.
For example, the Egyptian Pharaoh was confident in his unlimited power. People regarded him as a deity and believed that even the Nile would only flood when the Pharaoh willed it. Wasn’t he the “ruler of the world”? Remember his excessive pride and sense of absolute power. When Moses demanded the release of the Israelites, the Pharaoh replied, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice?” (Exodus 5:2). It all ended with God showing Pharaoh who truly rules history. First came the plagues of Egypt, then the Exodus of Israel, and finally the destruction of Pharaoh’s army in the sea – a very clear reminder that no human authority can compare with the power of the Creator.
The Assyrian king Sennacherib was also confident that his power was almighty and unlimited. He boasted, “No god of any nation has been able to save their people from my hand, and the God of Israel will not save Jerusalem.” It’s clear he said this because before encountering Israel, his army had not met serious resistance in wars with other nations. And Sennacherib believed that all the power in the world belonged to him. But on the very night he uttered his foolish words, the Angel of the Lord struck down 185,000 of his soldiers (2 Kings 19). And what did his hope in the strength of his weapons and the size of his army give him? Nothing. All of it was turned to dust by God.
Finally, the victory of the young David over the Philistine giant Goliath. This giant warrior, clad in heavy armor, mocked the Israelite army for forty days, challenging them to a fight, but everyone feared him. It seemed no one could defeat Goliath. But a frail shepherd boy, David, came out with a sling and stones. One precise throw – and mighty Goliath fell dead, and the Philistine army fled in terror.
In fact, the Holy Scripture teaches that the illusion of omnipotence is firmly rejected by God. The greatest king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, once said, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?” (Daniel 4). Here we see pride, a sense of power, and self-exaltation. And what happened? That very night, he lost his mind and lived like an animal, eating grass, until he acknowledged that “the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind”. His words are the clearest testimony that even the most powerful rulers fall when they place their authority above the power of God.
What does “prince of this world” mean?
On the other hand, the Scripture says that Satan also has a certain power. He is called the “prince of this world” and offered Christ all the kingdoms of the world in exchange for worship. Because of this, some people think that the fate of humanity directly depends on the decisions of this evil spirit.
So, in what sense is Satan the “prince of this world”? Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself uses this phrase several times when speaking about Satan: “Now is the judgment of this world; now the prince of this world will be cast out” (John 12:31). “I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. 30 I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me” (John 14:30). “When He [the Holy Spirit] comes, He will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned” (John 16:11).
The Church Fathers agree that the term “world” here refers to the sinful state of humanity living apart from God. Satan is called the prince of this “world” because he deceived mankind, brought sin and death, and since then, those who live in sin and oppose God find themselves under Satan’s power.
Even in this case, it must be remembered that this power is not absolute. It is temporary, parasitic, and limited by Divine Providence.
When the devil tempted Christ in the desert, he said: “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. If You worship me, it will all be Yours” (Luke 4:6-7). Here Satan tries to present himself as the ruler of the world.
But Christ rejects him: “Go away, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only” (Luke 4:8). The Savior clearly shows that yes, Satan can offer power, can tempt with wealth and glory. But all these are temporary and false promises. True power belongs only to God.
The clearest example of how limited Satan’s power truly is can be found in the Book of Job. The devil came before God and said about Job, “You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But now stretch out Your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.” (Job 1:12).
Satan took away Job’s children, his possessions, and even his health. But each time, the Lord set a boundary: “Behold, he is in your hands, but spare his life” (Job 2:6).
In other words, the story of Job shows us that Satan cannot act however he pleases. He may tempt, he may test but he cannot destroy what is protected by the Lord Himself. And we find evidence of this not only in the Scripture but also in real life.
Unless the Lord builds...
Let’s return to the war of Israel against Palestine in Gaza, which has already been going on for so long. The entire territory of Palestine (including the Gaza Strip) is about 6,020 square kilometers. For comparison, the Chernivtsi region (the smallest region in Ukraine) is approximately 8,097 km². The Gaza Strip itself is only 40 kilometers long and 10–12 kilometers wide – just 365 km² in total. In other words, it is a tiny patch of land facing a powerful state Israel whose territory is many times larger.
The people living in Gaza are surrounded on all sides. They have no water, no food, no significant weapons, no military support from other countries. They are literally dying of hunger and thirst.
Meanwhile, Israel has a large and modern army, armed with the latest technology: tanks, fighter jets, ballistic missiles, and precision targeting systems. It is also supported by the United States, which supplies weapons and intelligence. And yet? The Israeli army has nearly leveled Gaza to the ground but it still can’t take it. Why?
Because God does not allow it. As it is written in Scripture: “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.” (Psalm 127:1)
The same can be said about the situation in Ukraine. No one but the U.S. and China can compare with Russia in terms of military power. Ukraine, by contrast, faces enormous challenges, with its weapons, economy, shattered infrastructure, and more. And yet, at the front, there is almost parity. How can this be explained? Only by a miracle of God and by His long-suffering because the Ukrainian authorities are openly acting against the Church.
At the same time, there are many examples of how the situation at the front worsens for Ukraine as persecution against the Church intensifies. Only a fool would fail to see or understand this. And we say these things not to call on the Ukrainian authorities to stop persecuting the Church (they will not stop in their madness, and appealing to them is useless), but to show that only God rules the world. Not Trump. Not Putin. Not globalists or the so-called “global cabal”. Only the Lord.
What does this mean for us, Orthodox Christians? That we have nothing to fear. Nothing can happen to us, as it did to Job, beyond what God allows or permits.
