In Acts 19, a riot erupted in Ephesus when Demetrius, a silversmith, and other craftsmen agitated against Paul and Christianity, claiming it harmed their business of making shrines for the Temple of Diana. The protest escalated into a full-blown riot, with the city in uproar, chanting praises to Diana for hours. City officials, fearing Roman repercussions for the unlawful assembly, attempted to calm the crowd to avoid severe consequences for the city's disorder. Protests signify societal breakdown and a lack of law and order, often met with force and violence by governments like Rome. Today, protests are frequent, covering issues from governmental policies to social injustices, with actions like kneeling during the national anthem to highlight inequality and oppression. While the right to protest is protected, it often reflects rebellion and discontent. Scriptural examples, such as the Israelites murmuring against God and Moses in the wilderness, show dissatisfaction and protest against divine provision and leadership, often resulting in severe consequences. Proverbs warns against rebellion and associating with those advocating change, predicting calamity and ruin for protesters, whether from earthly rulers or God Himself. The attitudes behind protesting, like anger and wrath, are cautioned against, as they lead to personal tragedy and loss of freedom.

The pro-abortion side of the political spectrum erupted in protest as soon as the leaked document became public. The Supreme Court building itself had to be protected immediately with barricades and later a more substantial fence from protesters who began to converge on it. Since then, protests and counter-protests have occurred across the nation. Some protesters took their agitation directly to the Court's conservative justices, lining the streets in front of their homes, a clear violation of federal law. Some left-wing groups promise a nationwide summer of rage against the ruling. One pro-abortion leader told activists at a rally that they would be ungovernable until the government starts working for them. Several members of the House of Representatives and delegates from progressive religious groups appeared at the rally to show their support for abortion rights and the coming surge of pro-Roe protests.

Outraged or marginalized citizens of the world have occasionally resorted to some form of civil disobedience to air their grievances publicly against the established order. A more modern picture of the civilly disobedient is that of a less-marginalized but overwrought college student demanding an over-idealized solution to a trendy, complex issue. Examples include the Occupy Wall Street movement and the anti-nuclear protests of the past decades. Since the fourth quarter of 2019 frequent, passionate, and often violent demonstrations have taken place in the streets of many countries including Brazil, Chile, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Greece, Haiti, Hong Kong, India, Iraq, Lebanon, the Netherlands, Russia, Spain, Tibet, Turkey, Ukraine, the United States, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe. The causes include growing economic inequality, socio-political animus, and surging nationalistic pride. Since the Great Recession of 2008 and 2009 a growing number of people around the globe find themselves in dire financial straits. In Hong Kong the streets are teeming with ideologues wishing to prevent the creeping authoritarianism of mainland China. In France a pension crisis has many fearing for their retirement security. Small hikes in public transportation fares sparked the riots in Chile. The Muslim minority of India seeks to gain clout against a hostile, Hindu majority. Iraqis are protesting to rid their country of Iranian political influence. Venezuelans are marching for their very lives against a powerful socialist regime. Americans seem intent upon civil war spurred by animus against the administration of Donald Trump. Virtually every nation has experienced some degree of LGBTQ and climate-change protest madness. The 2020s will be a decade of growing instability, crisis, and attack on the established order. Christians need to exercise discernment while gathering and sharing news and avoid rumor and speculation. They should pay attention to these disconcerting developments while also maintaining a safe distance and perspective to avoid experiencing or causing unnecessary anxiety. In this way they can concentrate their greater energies on overcoming their worldly ways while developing a stronger relationship with God.