The Strong Delusion
Dear readers, the hour is exceedingly late. We don't know the exact day or hour of our LORD's appearing, but what we do know is that the signs are all seemingly in place: the stage is set, the circumstances are right, and great signs are appearing left and right for those with eyes to see and ears to hear.
We learn that before the Day of the LORD (not to be confused with the Day of Christ or the Day of Christ's Appearing) the departure occurs (i.e. the rapture) and a certain Restrainer is removed (the Holy Spirit-indwelt Church) and then the Day of the LORD commences with the revealing of the man of lawlessness (i.e. the antichrist).
We also learn in this passage that satan's arrival on the world scene through his puppet, the antichrist, will occur in the context of false signs and also "a strong delusion". Students of Bible prophecy have long wondered what this strong delusion is and many theories have been proposed.
Some false teachers are already claiming based on a twisted reading of Matthew 24 and Luke 17 that the rapture is actually judgment upon those taken - that they are destroyed and those left behind are actually the good guys.
Others are suggesting that the rapture will be blamed on the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland: a scientific mishap leads to the creation of millions of microscopic black holes and millions are absorbed by the black holes and disappear.
But the most convincing argument that I believe will be presented is a mass abduction by extraterrestrial beings. I think we can already see how the groundwork has been laid for this lie and how the population-at-large will believe it. Even though science has conclusively shown the incomprehensibly small probability that life could develop anywhere in the universe, let alone on the earth, majorities believe extraterrestrial life exists and life on the earth is not unique. For example, a Huffington Post poll found that 50% of Americans believe in extraterrestrial life, while only 17% do not. That divide is staggering. The same poll found that 38% believe there is intelligent extraterrestrial life, and only 21% do not. A 2015 YouGov poll found that 56% of Germans, 54% of Americans, and 52% of British believe in intelligent extraterrestrial life. In Germany, the U.K., and some other western countries, the number who believe in the existence of aliens rivals the number who believe in God.
Why do majorities of westerners and pluralities of easterners believe in silly science fiction characters that can't be seen? I think there are two reasons:
First, simultaneous with the technological revolution of 1900-on was the rapid popularization of the myth of extraterrestrial beings. This myth began in force with H.G. Well's The War of the Worlds and grew exponentially more popular, especially after the 1947 Roswell incident, and an onslaught of science fiction movies, TV shows, comics, and novels with aliens as the subject. Even numerous politicians, ex-presidents, and former astronauts have publicly revealed not only a belief in aliens, but a claim of having seen them or UFOs.
Second, there actually is something going on that people are mistaking for the work of extraterrestrials. There are simply too many eyewitness reports, UFO sightings, and claims of abduction to ignore it all.
I believe this is satan's preparatory work for the time when his antichrist will be revealed. A number of researchers have approached this subject with an open mind and what they've discovered is that virtually all of the incidence of alien abduction or alien/UFO sightings either directly parallel demonic activity as demonstrated in the Bible or involve events that defy the laws of physics and are therefore supernatural in nature. For example, in most abduction events or sightings there are one or more of the following characteristics:
- UFOs appear as simple lights of non-mechanical shape.
- UFOs appear to maneuver in ways contrary to the laws of physics (instant stops, disappear and then reappear, instantly change direction, etc).
- Aliens appear as apparitions.
- Aliens appear while a person is in a dreamlike state.
- Aliens walk through walls, closed doors, or closed windows.
- Aliens attempt or succeed in entering a person's body through possession.
- The focus of conversations with aliens often involves a spiritual subject.
- Abductions end when the name of Jesus is invoked by the abductee.
- Spiritual subjects often involve the revealing of religious beliefs directly contrary to biblical orthodoxy.
You can read more about this here and here.
What this boils down to is the real possibility that God will allow satan to deceive the world regarding aliens and the disappearance of the Church from the earth. As a matter of fact, this exact deception is already playing out in Hollywood:
In 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, and Revelation 4:1 we learn that the rapture occurs at the sound of a trumpet and we know from various passages that great earthquakes will occur around this time. The dead in Christ rise first and then we are caught up together with them in the clouds. Jesus' appearing for the Church will be in the clouds and His appearance will be like lightning (Matthew 24:27, Luke 17:24). In the opening scene in the 2005 remake of War of the Worlds, a huge cloud appears in the sky and grows into a fierce storm accompanied by lightning, but this lightning is different - it strikes the ground everywhere around the protagonist's house with the sound of "thumps" and the protagonist comments that there "is no thunder" (think the dead in Christ rising and Believers getting changed and "zapped up"):
When the aliens first show up there is a great earthquake followed by what sounds like several very loud shofar blasts (they can be heard at about the 5:00 mark):
The shofar blasts are then heard again later in the movie during a night scene (at the 0:55 mark in the clip below):
Then there was Skyline in 2010 that attempted to portray the rapture itself as a mass abduction by extraterrestrials with the tagline "Don't look up" (Jesus says you should look up per Luke 21:28):
You can read more about the alien deception at L.A. Marzulli's blog. He is a researcher who has spent much of his adult life trying to expose what he believes will be the great deception - aliens.
I want to address an important topic that needs to be addressed regarding those who presently refuse to get on board the ark of salvation: a very great deception is coming - a lie so powerful that it will succeed in covering up even an event as momentous and undeniable as the rapture of Christ's Church.
In 2 Thessalonians 2, the Apostle Paul writes to concerned Believers who thought that they had missed the rapture and were now in the Tribulation:
Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2
We learn that before the Day of the LORD (not to be confused with the Day of Christ or the Day of Christ's Appearing) the departure occurs (i.e. the rapture) and a certain Restrainer is removed (the Holy Spirit-indwelt Church) and then the Day of the LORD commences with the revealing of the man of lawlessness (i.e. the antichrist).
For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he [The Body of Christ - the Church (emphasis mine) - see Revelation 12:5] who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12
We also learn in this passage that satan's arrival on the world scene through his puppet, the antichrist, will occur in the context of false signs and also "a strong delusion". Students of Bible prophecy have long wondered what this strong delusion is and many theories have been proposed.
Some false teachers are already claiming based on a twisted reading of Matthew 24 and Luke 17 that the rapture is actually judgment upon those taken - that they are destroyed and those left behind are actually the good guys.
Others are suggesting that the rapture will be blamed on the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland: a scientific mishap leads to the creation of millions of microscopic black holes and millions are absorbed by the black holes and disappear.
But the most convincing argument that I believe will be presented is a mass abduction by extraterrestrial beings. I think we can already see how the groundwork has been laid for this lie and how the population-at-large will believe it. Even though science has conclusively shown the incomprehensibly small probability that life could develop anywhere in the universe, let alone on the earth, majorities believe extraterrestrial life exists and life on the earth is not unique. For example, a Huffington Post poll found that 50% of Americans believe in extraterrestrial life, while only 17% do not. That divide is staggering. The same poll found that 38% believe there is intelligent extraterrestrial life, and only 21% do not. A 2015 YouGov poll found that 56% of Germans, 54% of Americans, and 52% of British believe in intelligent extraterrestrial life. In Germany, the U.K., and some other western countries, the number who believe in the existence of aliens rivals the number who believe in God.
Why do majorities of westerners and pluralities of easterners believe in silly science fiction characters that can't be seen? I think there are two reasons:
First, simultaneous with the technological revolution of 1900-on was the rapid popularization of the myth of extraterrestrial beings. This myth began in force with H.G. Well's The War of the Worlds and grew exponentially more popular, especially after the 1947 Roswell incident, and an onslaught of science fiction movies, TV shows, comics, and novels with aliens as the subject. Even numerous politicians, ex-presidents, and former astronauts have publicly revealed not only a belief in aliens, but a claim of having seen them or UFOs.
Second, there actually is something going on that people are mistaking for the work of extraterrestrials. There are simply too many eyewitness reports, UFO sightings, and claims of abduction to ignore it all.
I believe this is satan's preparatory work for the time when his antichrist will be revealed. A number of researchers have approached this subject with an open mind and what they've discovered is that virtually all of the incidence of alien abduction or alien/UFO sightings either directly parallel demonic activity as demonstrated in the Bible or involve events that defy the laws of physics and are therefore supernatural in nature. For example, in most abduction events or sightings there are one or more of the following characteristics:
- UFOs appear as simple lights of non-mechanical shape.
- UFOs appear to maneuver in ways contrary to the laws of physics (instant stops, disappear and then reappear, instantly change direction, etc).
- Aliens appear as apparitions.
- Aliens appear while a person is in a dreamlike state.
- Aliens walk through walls, closed doors, or closed windows.
- Aliens attempt or succeed in entering a person's body through possession.
- The focus of conversations with aliens often involves a spiritual subject.
- Abductions end when the name of Jesus is invoked by the abductee.
- Spiritual subjects often involve the revealing of religious beliefs directly contrary to biblical orthodoxy.
You can read more about this here and here.
What this boils down to is the real possibility that God will allow satan to deceive the world regarding aliens and the disappearance of the Church from the earth. As a matter of fact, this exact deception is already playing out in Hollywood:
In 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, and Revelation 4:1 we learn that the rapture occurs at the sound of a trumpet and we know from various passages that great earthquakes will occur around this time. The dead in Christ rise first and then we are caught up together with them in the clouds. Jesus' appearing for the Church will be in the clouds and His appearance will be like lightning (Matthew 24:27, Luke 17:24). In the opening scene in the 2005 remake of War of the Worlds, a huge cloud appears in the sky and grows into a fierce storm accompanied by lightning, but this lightning is different - it strikes the ground everywhere around the protagonist's house with the sound of "thumps" and the protagonist comments that there "is no thunder" (think the dead in Christ rising and Believers getting changed and "zapped up"):
When the aliens first show up there is a great earthquake followed by what sounds like several very loud shofar blasts (they can be heard at about the 5:00 mark):
The shofar blasts are then heard again later in the movie during a night scene (at the 0:55 mark in the clip below):
Then there was Skyline in 2010 that attempted to portray the rapture itself as a mass abduction by extraterrestrials with the tagline "Don't look up" (Jesus says you should look up per Luke 21:28):
You can read more about the alien deception at L.A. Marzulli's blog. He is a researcher who has spent much of his adult life trying to expose what he believes will be the great deception - aliens.
Topics
Aliens,
deception,
Demonic Activity,
Featured,
Gary,
Great Deception,
Left Behind,
Nephilim,
rapture,
Spotlight
I would have to agree with this because I see this deception everywhere I look.
ReplyDeleteGary, please don't take this as an afront, but the truth is that the entire end time eschatology which you believe in is the "strong delusion" of the last days! As can you think of any other deception which is more prolific in the church today? For it is nothing more but the combined earthly ruminations of mere men taken from bits and pieces of God's word here and there and then pasted together in a very specific way to give the illusion of something true despite its gaping holes. I know this because I believed every word of it for 35 years! You say we are not in the midst of the Day of the Lord because there has been not been a great "falling away" nor has the man of sin been revealed? Well first of all, we have definitive proof that there was a great falling away that took place before the end of Paul's ministry: as in 1 Tim 15 he stated "all they which are in Asia have turned away from me"! However that is not what Paul was referring to in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, rather that verse is in reference to the prophesied "great forsakening" of the church spoken of in Isaiah 6:12 where in the LORD would remove men far from Him due to their "falling away". For indeed, as further detailed in Is 29:10-24 "the Lord has poured out upon you (us) the spirit of deep sleep and closed your eyes ...and the vision of all has become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed..." A book which no man can read or truly understand, which if your honest with yourself you will conceed that no man has until now been fully able to understand the word of God, nor its doctrine, perfectly. This is because the great forsakening began long ago, precisely when Christ said it would begin, "immediately after the tribulation of those days" referring to those events surrounding the fall of the Temple and of Jerusalem in 70 AD. Which temple and city are a similitude of the true Temple and of the heavenly City. For not since the beginning of God's revelation to men had there ever been a time of such great affliction of spiritual understanding as has exisited since then! Further, which events immediately followed the revealing of "the man of sin" who was cast down from "heaven" or from the heights of God's Temple (only to have his head crushed in by the seed of the woman) for exalting himself as God, or as the Holy One, Messiah Ben Joseph, the Son of the Most High! For he did not take his Brother's wife to raise up seed in his Brother's name, but rather in his own, seeking to possess his Father's virgin, just as Solomon's brother did, inorder that he might steal His Brother's heavenly throne! Concerning which man you yourself know that he was a judiazer, who like a serpent enticed the church to return to keep the earthly law of the OC. By which law came the earthly knowledge of good and evil; which knowledge acts as veil prohibiting men from seeing the true law which is spiritual, making their understanding earthly or carnal or darkened. For indeed he exalted himself above the stars of heaven (which are the apostles) and like a bear chews up the teachings of John, Peter and Jude with his fleshly ruminations, through which we veiw their writings! Thus, because of his evil doings, and that of those whom he turned away from following the Lord's leading, believers have endured a long dark night with little light and no spiritual understanding. So now lift up your head, which is to say your understanding, as your redemption in truth is at hand; casting aside those imperfect earthly ruminations and instead desiring whatever is right in His sight, more than you desire being right, and fear no man. Instead, cry out to the Lord for understanding while he is near and He will give you light that you might have perfect knowledge of all things! For the Day of the Lord indeed has come and the things which are about to transpire will transpire and that very quickly!
ReplyDeleteNo offense taken. We completely disagree, but in such cases it's best to agree to disagree peaceably and remember what unites us in faith - Jesus Christ.
DeleteI'm sorry, but additionally its not the Holy Spirit "that witholds" its Michael. For we learn in Daniel chapters 9 thru 10 concerning the withholding of the revealing of spiritual forces which fight against God's people and gain dominion over them: Concerning which we find that Gabriel has been fighting against them in order that they not be revealed till its God's time. They are referred to as "princes" of the various future invading nations, which is also what "the people of the prince to come" verse in Daniel 9.27 is referring too...to the people of the dark spiritual prince which would destroy God's True or spiritual Temple after the dominion gained by the spiritual force that like unto the invader that follows Greece (the 4 Leopards) or "the beast". For all earthly things are simply similitudes of the True, that by reflecting upon them we might come to know and understand spiritual truths. Thus the things that happen to God's earthly people Israel in the OT are patterns by which we might come to understand those things that have happened and will happen to the church, God's spiritual people. Therefore nations that invaded Israel on earth are simply types or similtudes of the kinds of spiritual invaders which lead up to the eventual spiritual captivity of God's heavenly people to this world's knowledge of good and evil. Further, this is the reason Jesus says "let him who has understanding understand" prior to discussing the future abomination which causes desolation, because it concerned the future spiritual desolation of God's spiritual Temple patterned after what had previously happened in His earthly Temple; where in a man set up an false god as God. Anyway, Gabriel states that there "is none that holdeth with me in these things but Michael your prince". Thus it was neccessary that Michael be taken out of the way or "sit down" in order for that "Wicked One" to be revealed. Which is why we later see prophesied that Michael will stand up again to fight against him (or the spiritual force of his teaching) in the last time as stated in Daniel 12 and in Revelations. Now that is a scriptural assessment of who it is who withholds, not just an idea some guy had that everyone repeated because they liked the implications of being raptured before any wrath is poured out. Just like how "as in the days of Noah" quote of the Lord's has nothing to do with the moral downfall of our society, but rather is a clearly stated reference to how the wrath of God will come upon believers suddenly because they have not heeded His warning signs and sought refuge in the Arc of Noah, which is the Arc of God's Rest. It seems as though a lot of belivers must enjoy thinking upon this world's immorality, possibly because doing so fools them into thinking they themselves are righteous? (which couldn't be further from the Truth) As they just keep on repeating that same verse in that same false context again and again, even though it is 100% a verse about the suddeness of God's wrath, which will come soon upon the unsuspecting! Just saying
ReplyDeleteI tend to agree with the author, I have been following some new age chanellers; who I believe are the unwitting voice of these demonic forces; for years now and many of them have laid the groundwork already for this deception. That those who are not ready to "evolve" will be removed or rather "held back" while the new earth is brought forth with the disclosure of the "federation of light" as they call them among other names.
ReplyDeleteI tend to agree with the author, I have been following some new age chanellers; who I believe are the unwitting voice of these demonic forces; for years now and many of them have laid the groundwork already for this deception. That those who are not ready to "evolve" will be removed or rather "held back" while the new earth is brought forth with the disclosure of the "federation of light" as they call them among other names.
ReplyDeleteincredible post! and some interesting feedback,...I love it!
ReplyDeleteYou see Gary, that is just the problem, as the night being well spent means that the time for disagreement is over. Its no longer about what I believe versus what you believe, as this is the day in which we can KNOW all things with certainty, which makes whatever you or I "believed" before irrelevant. As once the LORD has brought every word from Genesis to Revelation into one perfect and cohesive doctrine, there is simply no more room for debate. Thus the only question that remains is whether or not you will receive the revelation made available to those who believe those truths pertaining to what Christ did for us the flesh in these last days? Now if I were you (knowing my understanding like all men's is limited) and someone appeared in the midst of all the signs which we've been witnessing claiming that the day of the "revelation of the righteous judgment of God" had come: allowing us to understand all the ways of the LORD perfectly and discern all prophetic things; well, I think I would have to say "prove it!" As anybody who would make such claims would either have to be delusional or truly God's servant: having been prepared day and night over the past 3 years to testify of the returning light (or zayin) of Christ. After all, if the person is delusional what do you have to lose? Their folly would soon become apparent. But if they truly are a servant of God??? What do you suppose might be the consequence for putting away the revelation of God's spiritual truths far from you? Well of that we can be certain: as the Wisdom of God (which was with God from the beginning) crieth without..."How long, ye simple ones, will you love simplicity? And scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I WILL MAKE KNOWN MY WORDS UNTO YOU. Because I have called, and ye have refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But ye have set at nought all my counsel and would none of my reproof: I will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh...then you shall call upon me, but I will not answer, they shall seek me early (in the morning) but they shall not find me: For they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD...Therefore shall they eat the fruit of their own way and be filled with their own doings. For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity (or apparent wealth of knowledge) of fools shall destroy them. But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from the fear of evil."
ReplyDeletewow Kguy... Have to say you sound angry that we don't all agree with you.... You have many opinions that I have never heard of... Will have to read this tonight again... You sound like you are involved in one of those churches that claim to be the only true church!!!! If so, you are in great danger! Is your faith in your doctrine? Or is it 100 percent in what Jesus did...???
ReplyDeleteDear friends, I personally think this "delusional power" will be a combination of both fallen angels deception and the massive EMP impact of the flyby Nibiru. As I have learned recently, EMP has a huge influence on human brains (if not protected): http://io9.gizmodo.com/5851828/10-things-an-electromagnetic-field-can-do-to-your-brain please check it out for yourself and find the clue to antichrist manipulation in 2Thess2,10-12. I think for global effect this might be the solution. Blessings to you all! Corinna from Germany
ReplyDeleteWow - sounds like a lot of extra- Biblical thoughts here. Let's all not also forget that there is a simplicity in Christ, even in the interpretation of end-time events. Let's not complicate it.
ReplyDeleteI believe in God...however I also know there are millions if not billions of solar systems throughout the unvirse....with billions of planets....
ReplyDeleteWhy would God make all of these and not put living beings on them??
John Lippold, Yes, exactly. That's God's plan, He told Adam and Eve be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth. God said to Abraham Look up at the stars, that his descendants would be as many as the stars if you could count them, that's more than the earth can hold! God gave His only begotten son Jesus, as a seed, and God is reaping the biggest harvest of children! He will fill the earth and the universe with His children!
DeleteThe first time I heard someone say, in a Christian chat room, that it is the wicked that will be removed and not the church when the Lord returns. Upon hearing this, my first thoughts were that these are the ramblings of a cult. I had no idea that this was post-tribulation doctrine that is being taught in many Christian churches.
ReplyDeleteHere is why I considered it a heretical doctrine. I believe there will be a one world religion that will be comprised of all the worlds religions, including apostate “Christian” churches. What greater way could there be to explain away the pre-tribulation rapture of the church? I can see the united godless one world religion calming the fears of a terrified world in proclaiming, there is nothing to fear, the wicked were removed and here we stand as the proof.
The first time I heard someone say, in a Christian chat room, that it is the wicked that will be removed and not the church when the Lord returns. Upon hearing this, my first thoughts were that these are the ramblings of a cult. I had no idea that this was post-tribulation doctrine that is being taught in many Christian churches.
ReplyDeleteHere is why I considered it a heretical doctrine. I believe there will be a one world religion that will be comprised of all the worlds religions, including apostate “Christian” churches. What greater way could there be to explain away the pre-tribulation rapture of the church? I can see the united godless one world religion calming the fears of a terrified world in proclaiming, there is nothing to fear, the wicked were removed and here we stand as the proof.