The Moment I Understood the Real Cost of Economic Walls
A few years ago, my father lost his life savings — not to fraud, not to bad investments, but to financial walls that kept him locked out of his own money.
He had spent decades working, saving, and planning for a stable future. But when he tried to transfer his money from Iran to Canada, he ran into an impossible obstacle: sanctions, banking restrictions, and a system that made it nearly impossible for ordinary people to move their own wealth.
To bypass these restrictions, he — like many others — used an exchange agency, a common workaround for Iranians facing financial blockades. Then, overnight, the agency vanished. Hundreds of people lost everything. Their savings existed, but they could no longer reach them.
That was the moment I realized something: economic barriers are just as real as physical ones. And those on the outside pay the price for a system that protects those within.
But exclusion is never sustainable. The longer you keep people locked out of opportunity, the more pressure builds — until one day, the walls collapse.
And that’s when I remembered a story.
An Ancient Warning We Failed to Heed
In both the Bible and the Quran, there is a chilling prophecy about Gog and Magog — two forces held back by a massive wall until the day they break free and consume everything in their path.
In the Book of Ezekiel, Gog is described as a ruler from a distant land, leading an army to invade and destroy. In the Book of Revelation, they return as symbols of rebellion, unleashed in a final apocalyptic battle.
The Quran tells a different version of the story. Dhul-Qarnayn, a just and powerful ruler, travels across the land and meets a people who are terrified of Gog and Magog’s destruction. They plead with him for protection.
In response, he builds a colossal wall of iron and copper — a barrier so strong that it holds back these forces for generations.
“Bring me blocks of iron.” Then, when he had filled up the space between the two mountains, he said, “Blow with your bellows.” When the iron was red hot, he added, “Bring me molten copper to pour over it.” (Quran, 18:96)
For centuries, the wall holds firm. But the prophecy warns that one day, it will collapse — and when it does, Gog and Magog will flood the world, unstoppable.
This story is not just about supernatural forces. It is a warning about what happens when inequality, power, and wealth are hoarded behind walls while those on the outside grow desperate.
The Modern Walls of Wealth
The iron and copper wall of Dhul-Qarnayn still exists today — it just looks different. Instead of physical barriers, we have economic policies, trade restrictions, sanctions, financial institutions, and corporate monopolies that serve the same purpose: keeping power concentrated while locking billions out.
And history shows us what happens when those walls eventually fail.
• The French Revolution erupted when wealth was concentrated in the hands of the elite while the masses starved.
• The Arab Spring was fueled by economic frustration, when people who had long been excluded finally demanded a way in.
• The 2008 financial crisis exposed a system where reckless institutions were bailed out while ordinary citizens lost their homes, their jobs, and their futures.
Today, the wealth gap is greater than ever.
The richest 1% now own more than twice as much wealth as 6.9 billion people combined. (Oxfam, 2023)
During the COVID-19 pandemic, while poorer nations struggled to access vaccines, billionaires increased their wealth by over $5 trillion.
A recent UN report found that low-income countries pay interest rates up to eight times higher than wealthy nations on international loans.
Economic walls do not protect everyone equally. They exist to serve those on the inside — while those outside are left to fend for themselves.
And just like in the prophecy, when the walls finally collapse, the consequences will be catastrophic.
What Happens When the Walls Collapse?
We have seen what happens when economic inequality reaches a breaking point.
The prophecy of Gog and Magog warns us: when enough people are locked out, they will eventually break in.
The question is, will we break down the walls ourselves, or will we wait until they collapse on their own?
Dismantling the Economic Barriers Before It’s Too Late
History — and prophecy — have made one thing clear: walls never hold forever.
If we want to avoid chaos, we need to start dismantling these economic barriers now.
Here’s how we do it:
1. Rethink Global Debt Policies
Institutions like the IMF and World Bank have long imposed harsh lending conditions on struggling nations, making real economic growth nearly impossible. Expanding debt relief programs — like the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative — could allow developing economies to rebuild rather than remain trapped in cycles of dependency.
2. Open Transparent Financial Channels
Right now, billionaires can move money across borders with ease, yet ordinary people in sanctioned countries cannot even access their own savings. Governments and financial institutions must create secure, regulated pathways for people — not just corporations — to manage their wealth. The EU’s recent exemptions for humanitarian financial access offer a good starting point that should be expanded.
3. Demand Corporate Accountability
Multinational corporations extract wealth from developing nations but rarely reinvest in the communities they rely on. Companies that prioritize fair labor practices, wage equity, and transparent supply chains — like Patagonia has done — should become the norm, not the exception.
4. Shift Economic Policy to Benefit the Majority
Trade agreements, tax loopholes, and economic policies have long favored the wealthiest at the expense of ordinary citizens. Closing tax havens, enforcing fair trade policies, and prioritizing equitable resource distribution would create a system that serves people — not just the elite.
The Final Warning
The story of Gog and Magog is not just an ancient tale. It is a warning.
We have built walls of iron and copper around the wealthiest parts of the world, keeping prosperity locked inside while billions are left to struggle. But history has shown us time and time again that no wall lasts forever.
We have two choices:
Start dismantling these barriers now and create a fairer economic system.
Or wait until the outside forces break through on their own.
The pounding at the gates is getting louder.
Which side of history will we choose?
Final Thought: Share This Story
If this resonates with you, share it. Talk about it. Start conversations.
Because the only way to dismantle the walls is to make sure people know they exist.
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